There are few precious conversations that have existed with my young teen children. Not because we do not talk but more because the topic of conversation is not always filled with insight to their souls.
Asa has short hair but has kept a section of his hair long just to see how long he can really get it. This section sits just behind his left ear. Every once and while I have to spend a few moments taking that long section and braiding three small braids. Just this past week we took the time and as we did he opened his heart to me.
Asa - "I can't imagine being dead because right now my life is really good."
Me - "What's good about your life?"
Asa - "My family, the church, soccer, school, riding my bike, friends, being free to do what I want. I don't really like school but I know it's important to learn. Sometimes church is boring but I know it's good for me and the things I learn from it make me feel peaceful. I'm just really happy and dieing right now would suck."
The next day I was on a bus with Leadership Dixie traveling to Colorado City. Colorado City sits on the Utah/Arizona border. It's a place where people practice polygamy. There are two groups there; the extreme FLDS and the more calm FLDS known as the Centennial Park. There are a group of boys called The Lost Boys who are known as outcasts from the extreme FLDS. While traveling on the bus we listened to Caleb, a lost boy, describe his experience of living in Colorado City.
Caleb left when he was fourteen. He made the decision to leave and told his father. His father got angry, packed up his stuff, put it and Caleb outside the front door and told his son to find his own way out of town. Caleb called his older brother, who had already made it out and came to pick him up. One of Caleb's reasons for leaving was that he was pulled out of school at the end of 7th grade and made to work construction in Mesquite. They woke up every morning at 4:30, made the 2 hour journey to Mesquite, worked until dark, then drove back. Every day for 2 years and when he got a paycheck he only saw the pay stub. His father took his money. After leaving Colorado City or tried to go back to school but couldn't figure out how to function in the 'real world'. After years of trying he received his GED and is now attending Dixie State College. Caleb says there are more than 1,000 boys who have left and he know of at least 80 who are here in St. George. Caleb's family consisted of 2 wives, 33 children - 11 brothers, 22 sisters. Eight boys and 3 girls have escaped from the abuse that existed in his home.
As we were drove listening to Caleb point out the landmarks of Colorado City my soul was saddened. It was clear to me that darkness exists in this place and that my Father in Heaven is sad at the state of these lost souls. Then I remembered the words of Asa just the night before.
There is joy in knowing that my children find peace in the life that exists for them.
