Wilder Adventures

This week we got a special assignment: Wilder (pronounced like Will-der). Wilder is 10 years old, and struggles a little bit more than most of the boys. He is extremely affectionate to me, but that sweet disposition can be flipped like a switch. He fights with the other boys frequently, normally over rather insignificant things. He steals things like markers or crayons just because he wants to use them. And like a lot of the other boys, he has a tendency to lie. He needs a lot of attention, and when he gets it you can't ask for a better child. But when he doesn't, he is stubborn, unyeilding, and fighting with others. We were asked to watch him around the clock. To make sure he wasn't fighting and to give him attention as well.

During the past couple of days, I have learned more about Wilder's past from talking to him. He had told me before that he lived on the streets for 2 years and that he ate trash during that time. I asked him this week why he lived on the streets instead of with his family. He said that his mom would hit him. Then he showed me a scar on his wrist from the rope his mom used to tie him up. He raised his arms up to demonstrate how he was tied up. Considering this past, it's no wonder he has behavioral problems and fights so much. He's only lived at JEC for about a year, so he is still learning and growing.

Yesterday, after a series of events, Wilder had to be physically removed from a room because he refused to leave. He fought the older boy, kicking and screaming the whole way out the door. He continued fighting for probably 20 minutes or more. It was a terrible sight. He was yelling and fighting, and really looked like a wild animal. I couldn't watch. I went to my room and cried. It breaks my heart that one little boy can have so much anger, so much fight in him. It breaks my heart that he has had the kind of life that would make fighting his initial response to problems.

Wilder really loves me and listens to me normally very well. I have been talking to him about fighting, role playing, and encouraging him to calm down instead of fighting. After yesterday's event, I didn't feel I had made much progress. However, he was very remorseful and apologized over and over to me for his bad behavior. (He is the only child that has ever apologized to me for acting poorly.) But today, after church, I was standing out side the bus when I heard a boy yelling. I rushed on the bus, and had to pull another boy off of Wilder. Wilder had been crouched down on the seat while the other boy was hitting him. Wilder sat with me and cried and eventually calmed down. Another boy came up to me and said that Wilder said he had promised me that he wouldn't fight, and so that's why he wasn't hitting back.

It's overwhelming sometimes. Every child at JEC has a story like Wilder. They've been abused and neglected, or else they wouldn't be at Jovenes. Please pray for Wilder. Please pray for all of the boys. Pray for us to have wisdom and patience. Dios les bendiga.