When the Unthinkable Happens

Community Mourning for Kerra Wilson, 09-23-2011

Missing girl found dead.

Evil surfaced in sleepy Mitchell, Nebraska this past Wednesday. Eight year old Kerra Wilson reportedly went missing from her elementary schoolyard after being dropped off at 7:45 a.m. to begin a normal school day. Examination of the school security video revealed that she never arrived on the supervised playground that morning. A chain-text alert with Kerra's picture reached me by 7 p.m. the same day. By Thursday, the tightly knit region of the heartland known as "WyoBraska" was immersed in printing and posting missing posters, searching for Kerra and praying for the miracle of her safe return.

Friday morning opened with brutally frank messages containing a gut-wrenching truth: eight year old Kerra Wilson's body was discovered on Thursday evening in rural Nebraska. Rumors relate that she may have been hidden in an abandoned farmhouse. She suffered more than murder; her fate may have been sealed even before her school reported her absence. A family member is in custody and a press conference will soon be held. Soon, the justice system will begin processing to bring the alleged perpetrator to justice.

Our hearts cry out in pained astonishment How does a community respond to such a devastating revelation of palpable evil in our midst? After an hour of stunned silence, angry cries for vengeance began to stir. Frankly, I was one of them. I wanted to assault the accused in every way imaginable.

After the adrenaline abated, I became able to cry out to the One Who Hears. The spirit whispered to me that nothing that happened was beyond God's reach, but that the natural consequence of unbridled sin becomes a Raging Lion that devours innocence, love and finally life. The child is safe with him now, her sufferings ended. The government will slowly mete its justice for this act. The perpetrator will face his accusers here and in the hereafter.

The knowledge that a sovereign God still reigns in the midst of this pain and confusion, plus renewing my vow to speak up when a child may be at risk, is all I can do. I take comfort in this knowledge; I hope it helps others.