I thought I might share with you this morning a story from personal experience. It is a haunting story, a terrifying story, a horror story and above all it is a true story. Let's say that our story is about A BOY WHOM NO ONE LOVED!

I knew John* in Belfast in 1971 when he was 15 and I was a student working over the summer holidays. John was likeable, easy going, helpful, friendly, always cheerful and smiling - YET NO ONE LOVED JOHN! That is what he believed. Why?

John was an abandoned child being cared for by the social services. His nearest relative was an aunt and he had gone to visit her one Saturday afternoon. All the other 29 boys in the household had also gone off to visit whatever families they may have had. So the house was empty until tea time when they all arrived home. There was just myself on duty and I was the most junior member of staff. The kitchen staff told me that John had come back in tears and that he was in the sitting room. They also told me what he had told them. This was serious crying, he was obviously in a distressed state. When he had calmed down and we got him sorted out, what he said was that he had gone to visit his aunt, but when he got there she had told him to go away, that she didn't want him coming to the house, because he was illegitimate.

Now of course we do not know the other side of the story. It may have been that his aunt was unwell, or that she had had a bad day, or it may have been that John arrived at a difficult time for her or that he had done something seriously to offend her. We don't know. But it remains, what an awful, cruel, wicked thing to say to any child! In many places that was the Ireland of 30 years ago and more. I hope it is not the Ireland of today.

I told John that it was not his fault, that he was a good boy, I was proud of him and glad to be his friend. Then he asked me just one question. Just four words that's all. Yet it is the most heart - stopping question I have ever been asked in my life. How is it that teenagers will inevitably ask the most difficult question imaginable? I think it is because above all else they want to know the truth! Johns' question was "Will you adopt me?"

In his own way what he was saying was. "You say that I'm OK, that people like me, and that you care, then prove it. John was looking for a family and he wanted to be loved. - Will you adopt me?"

I have to say that I was floored by Johns' question and it has haunted me ever since. What do you say? I was a student at college, I had no income, and of course adoption procedures are very formal and can't be made to order in just that sort of way. As well, it is almost impossible to find placements for that teenage age group, because most prospective families want to adopt babies or the very young.

What I learned many years afterwards was that Johns' trust was betrayed by a senior member of staff about a year later when he was abused by that person. The staff member was married to a lovely girl, was a life long officer in the BB, actively involved in his local church and a pillar of the community. The rest of the story is that this man emigrated to Canada, where after some years he returned to Belfast on holiday. At that stage he was interviewed by the RUC about these allegations, which he strongly denied. After returning to Canada he wrote to the RUC to thank them for their courtesy during the interview and the letter concluded: "by the way the allegations were correct."

What about John? He can only have had a very unhappy life as a result of this experience. We can tell John that God loves him just as he is and wants to adopt him into his family, as he wants to adopt us too.

The Bible says, "Whosoever will, may come" to Jesus - and 'whosoever' means me! The Book of Common Prayer puts it this way. "You that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead the new life following the commandments of God and walking from henceforth in his holy ways, draw near with faith..."

We may wish to use a simple prayer: "I believe that Jesus died for my sins. I trust Him as my Saviour. I ask him into my life, knowing that he will receive me as his child. I will seek to follow Him in obedience to his perfect will and to serve Him as my Lord at all times."

Or we may prefer to express what we mean in terms of one of the old hymns, which we can only sing when we have thought carefully about the words. "Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. And that thou bidd'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come."

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for those who look after the difficult, the unwanted and the unloved. Give them wisdom, patience and understanding for those in their care. We pray for John and for every child on our streets today with no proper home. Put your loving arms around them, lay your healing hands upon them that they may know your faithfulness, mercy and love. Give them release from all the pain, hardship and hurt they have experienced so early in life. Help them to learn to trust again and to know that you are the Saviour, Friend and Helper of all who cry out of any tribulation or distress. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.