A SURVIVOR’S EASTER MESSAGE

by Dimitri C. Michalakis

We feature a story in this issue about Jon Heymann, who was born in Greece, but was left at a “children’s asylum” in Athens, which turned out to be a child trafficking mill. The doctors signed him off as dead, and then for the next few years he was put in the custody of people who made him go out and beg in the streets and beat him if he didn’t bring back enough money. He was rescued by an American woman who worked for a local aid agency and brought him to America, where he wouldn’t let anybody near him for two years.

“It took two years before I would let any adult hug me. It took two years for me to believe that if an adult touched me, they wouldn’t hurt me. Two formative adolescent years. I recall throwing a metal dump truck at my aunt when she approached me to give me a hug. I finally allowed my mom (Lois Heymann) to hug me in the kitchen of our NJ home, and I stood like a board with my hands by my side as she wrapped her arms around me for the first time. I had finally found my ‘Love Family’ because my ‘Blood Family’ gave me up at birth. Some people are blessed to have both a ‘blood family’ and a ‘love family’ – at least I acquired the most important one.”

He went on to minister to young people as a career and the “agonizing peace” he said he found came about precisely because of his suffering.

“According to Romans 5, suffering brings about perseverance; and perseverance, results in character; and proven character, hope. It is like a stress test on automobiles, that tests its capacity to withstand stress and strain.”

He says, even Jesus warned, “In this world, expect trouble. But he prosed us that we need not be discouraged because He has overcome the world that gives us so much unexpected “trouble,” pain and heartache. There is also the converse, in that we should expect the unexpected – the good things of life that can only be attributed to God – those things that we can confidently exclaim, ‘It was a God thing.’”

His advice on living a fruitful life despite its challenges: “Never give up – Never, ever give up – on your family, on your marriage, on your children, on your church, on your health, and on your friends. Pray as if it all depends on God, and work as if it all depends on you!”

A heartening message for this Easter season.

Kalo Pascha.

Dimitri C. Michalakis.