The Value of a Life Restored
Evergreen … a small community in the Black Hills of the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota. Frances Yellowboy bounded from his house and headed on his bike to his uncle’s.
Fran’s family consisted of six brothers and three sisters. At age seven, his parents divorced, and common to Native American homes, was impacted by drugs and alcohol. Often, Fran would awaken to find his mother, his older brothers, friends, and mere acquaintances passed out drunk. All he wanted was to escape! His life became an endless cycle of staying at his uncle’s, the basketball court, or playing video games. By the age of 13, Fran “jumped” into a gang. Being “jumped” into a gang meant all the gang members gathered around him and beat him as his initiation. Because of a lack of love and attention in his broken family, Fran found acceptance in his “new” family. Two of his older brothers were already in the gang. Partying and fighting was the norm for most of these young people.
Fran never liked the taste of alcohol, but would get high on marijuana and pills. Most of the people he knew who had committed suicide were victims of bullying, sexual abuse, or overcome with the oppressiveness of hopelessness. He had tried twice to take his own life, but could not go through with it. Fran felt trapped.
Unknowingly, Fran attended an Indian Ministries of North America Warrior Leadership Summit in Roach, Missouri. Approximately 700 Native young people came from the United States and Canada. This was a total “culture shock” to Fran since he was not acquainted with church or Christianity. He walked to the front when the invitation was given. Fran went home with a couple from Blairsville, Georgia, who were granted guardianship. Because he was behind in school, he had to have home schooling to get caught up. Fran soon experienced “when discipline stops, disrespect begins.” Spiritual and anger issues had to be addressed. It took a great deal of time to get the old way of thinking out of his head. Later, at a Bible camp, Fran knelt to pray and fully accepted Jesus into his heart. He confessed that all the pain and heartache had been replaced by the peace and joy of the Lord.
(Source: Church of God World Missions)
