a story from a friend

When I was visiting with a lady this last week she shared this story with me.  It made me stop and think about how different we may seem but how similar we are.  We were talking about all the problems here and why the young people have such a hard time, with the unemployment rate so high and so many other problems.  That conversation led her to tell me this story:
A lady in their neighborhood had lost her husband and she was raising her children.  They were very poor, her son was around 18 and didn't really have anything to do.  He started hanging out on the streets a lot (very common here) but he was hanging out with the wrong people.  He told his mother some of his "friends" had found a job for him.  He left the city and went to "work" for them.  He sent money home and she was able to buy things they needed to survive.  The money kept coming and she was able to buy new furniture an clothes.  My friend went to visit her and said that she seemed so happy and all the neighbors were very happy for her that her son had found this job.  About a year after he had left he returned, but he was a changed person.  She still did not know what he was doing, but she told my friend she lost her son in that year.  He was very conservative and mean to them.  He would get very mad/upset when he would see the tv on and became very strict with his mother and sisters.  After he left again she found out from someone else that he had joined a terrorist organization.  She was very upset and embarrassed.  She rarely leaves her house now and doesn't want to see anyone, she feels so shameful of what her son has become.

I thought if you changed the end from he joined a terrorist organization to he was selling drugs or something like that, it would be a common story in America.  This lady was trying to do what was right by her kids, trying to provide for them, and now feels the shame that we would all feel if we found out one of our kids had turned from what we thought we had taught them.  This group offered this young kid the world, money not only to provide for himself but to send home and take care of his family.  They offered him a life.  He didn't know what he was getting into or how he would change, he was exactly what they were looking for.  He had no real foundation, and instead of giving his family what they needed he took the most important thing from them, their honor.  In this society honor is the most important thing, more important then your house or even food, sometimes.  
How I would love to sit with this mom and tell her:  The Son took the shame for us all when he was on the cross, now we can stand knowing His blood covers all our sin and shame if we follow Him.

Another reason I wanted to write this story is because I want people to know that for most (obviously not all, but most) people here the things terrorist are doing are very shameful.  They do not support what these terrorist groups are doing, just like this lady, if a family member belongs it is very shameful and they are very much saddened by it.  Most people here are very kind and gracious.