Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer)

by Shortridge, Darlene

  “Hey there. Everything okay?”

  “I was just wondering how long detentions last? Matt still isn’t home.”

  Laney glanced at the clock on the wall. Five pm. “Not this long. I’ll call the school. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

  She called the school and got the voice mail. She started to get worried. Laney looked up the number for the school principal, hoping he would be home. The phone rang several times before she heard a voice on the other end.

  “Mr. Leary?”

  “I’m sorry, but he’s not home yet. May I take a message? This is Mrs. Leary.”

  “Mrs. Leary, I’m sorry to bother you at home like this. My name is Laney Sanders and my son, Matt, is a student at the elementary school and I need to ask your husband if my son had detention today. I just received a call from my day care provider and Matt hasn’t come home yet. Could you have him call me at work as soon as he comes in?”

  “Sure, I expect him to walk through the door any minute.”

  Laney gave her the phone number and waited anxiously for the phone to ring.

  When it finally did ring, she didn’t like what she heard.

  Laney quickly filled her bosses in on what was happening. Matt had disappeared. She grabbed her purse and quickly left, calling 911 on her way out the door. Laney gave the police a description and agreed to meet them at the school.

  She hung up and called Ella. “Ella, he didn’t have a detention. Oh God, this is all my fault. If only I had gone in to find him. Ella pray, pray like you’ve never prayed before.” Laney hung up once again, trying to think of who to call next. She punched in Sheila’s number. “Sheila, Matt is missing.” She barely got out the details before she pulled into the school parking lot. There was no sign of him. The police pulled in right behind her.

  One of the police officers took out a notepad and began asking her questions. “Are you sure he wasn’t going to a friend’s house?”

  “No, I’d know if my son was going to a friend’s house. He is gone. Missing. Do something.”

  “Ma’am, we need to ask you some questions before we put out an alert. We have to make certain the boy is actually missing.”

  Laney saw a car pull into the parking lot. It was Sheila, thank God. Just seeing her helped calm Laney down. “What do you need to know?”

  “What was he wearing this morning?”

  Laney gave him his description. Gave them the names of all Matt’s friends. Told him his teacher’s name. Told them his hobbies and likes and dislikes. Anything they asked she answered. “Now, will you find my son?”

  Cars started pulling in the parking lot. Pastor Mark and Jessi were followed by some of the other kids’ parents in Matt’s Sunday school class. They joined Jessi and Sheila who were standing on the pavement outside the school. Ella had called Jessi as soon as she got the news. The phones were still ringing in houses all across the city.

  The police officer shook his head. “People, we don’t know what happened yet. What are you doing here?”

  Mark answered. “We are here to pray and then we’re going to find Matt. We won’t stop praying and searching until we find him.” Mark was bold. He spoke with a heavenly authority. Laney had heard him boldly preach the word of God, but she’d never heard him speak like this.

  Not waiting for a response from the officer, Mark began to pray.

  “Lord God we come before you, and we humbly call on your name. You are the God of the universe, the maker of heaven and earth. You have and carry all authority. Nothing is or can be without you saying so. Father, we do not know where Matt is. Father, we pray that you would reveal him to us, that we would find him quickly. Father we pray for Laney that you would give her a peace that she can in no way comprehend, except that it comes from you. We pray for Matt, where ever he is, that you would keep him safe. Father we ask that he would not be afraid. Lord, remind him of his relationship with you. You can see him Lord, you see him exactly where he is. Comfort him, Lord. I pray for the police. I pray you would give them wisdom. Open doors for us, Lord. Show us, Father, where to look. Lead us now in your precious name. Amen.”

  Mark began handing out flyers with Matt’s picture on them. "Take these to the surrounding houses. Knock on every door. Ask anyone and everyone if they have seen him. If anyone gets anything, call my cell immediately.”

  The group quickly dispersed. The police officers looked at one another, not quite sure of what had just happened. Neither officer contradicted the pastor who was praying. “If you find anything, would you call us?”

  “Of course.” Mark took the business card offered to him and turned to Laney. “Aunt Merry has called in the prayer group. Everyone is praying. Someone will be praying around the clock at the church until Matt is found.”

  Laney erupted in sobs. “Oh God, please protect my son. Show us where he is.” Mark looked to his wife and nodded and handed Laney over into Jessi’s capable arms. He took off at a jog with a handful of flyers in his hand.

  Jessi and Sheila took Laney home. They called every one of his friends. The answer was the same with each phone call. “No, Matt isn’t here.”

  An hour passed. Then another. Nothing. Finally the phone rang. It was Mark. A lady who lived across the street from the school thought she had seen a child fitting Matt’s description getting into a black suburban. Sorry, but she didn’t see the plates. She had been trying to back out of her driveway to meet a friend for coffee and the suburban was blocking her driveway. She thought she heard the man call for a boy by the name of Matt. She couldn’t guarantee it was the same Matt, but it was better than any tip they’d received thus far. She had waited for them to pull away, and then she left. If she hadn’t been in a hurry, she probably wouldn’t have noticed.

  The police were finally convinced that Matt was indeed missing. They issued an Amber Alert for a black suburban attached to a picture of Matt. The police phone lines started lighting up. A man in a black suburban bought a soda and some Cheetos from a local convenience store. The police had the vehicle surrounded before the man could drive away. When they opened the door to the vehicle, they quickly put away their guns. Inside were three little girls and a very pregnant woman who thought she was going into labor at the sight of her truck surrounded by officers with guns.

  An apology was issued and her husband took off for the hospital, just in case.

  Every officer in the state as well as the police from northern Illinois were kept on high alert, watching for any activity that would point in the direction of the missing boy.

  * * * *

  Laney was certain it was Paul. “Sheila, Jessi, I know it’s him. He would do this.”

  Sheila was pacing and praying. “Laney, they have officers on the way to your old house. They are going to question him. We’ll know soon enough if it was him.”

  “He won’t be home. He knows they’ll look for him there. He’ll take Matt some place and we’ll never find him.”

  The phone rang. Laney picked it up without looking at the caller id, hoping it was news of Matt. “You let someone take our son?”

  It was Paul. He was irate. “First you take our children without letting me know where you are. Then you blame me when you lose Matt? You’ll be getting the Mother of the Year Award now won’t you? I’m sure any judge in their right mind will see you as you are, an unfit mother.” He continued, not giving her a chance to breathe let alone speak. “You serve me with a restraining order and I abide by it. I have kept my distance, obeying the law. And now you go and do this. You are such a failure. You watch, I’ll find Matt and then I am going to get full custody of those kids. You are the worst mother that ever lived. How could I have ever seen anything in you?”

  Laney let the phone drop and collapsed, sobbing. “He doesn’t have him. He doesn’t have Matt. He blames me and he’s right. I failed my child. Oh God, help me.”

  Jessi fell to the floor next to Laney and started praying. Sheila called Austin. If ever they needed a private in
vestigator, now was the time.

  The search continued. The prayers continued. Still no sign of Matt. He had disappeared without a trace. Calls continued to come in. Suburbans were spotted all over the state; none of them contained a young boy named Matt. Paul had an ironclad alibi; he had been at work all day, then went to dinner with a co-worker. He had been nowhere near the school.

  * * * *

  Laney’s world turned upside down. She slept for minutes at a time. She wouldn’t eat and when she did manage to get something down, it didn’t stay down for long. If she had known this would happen, she would have stayed with Paul. She would have endured the pain to keep her son safe. She only had herself to blame.

  The days passed. Everyone returned to their jobs, their lives. Everyone but Laney. She went back and forth between pleading with God and blaming him. After days on her knees she was still no closer to the truth. Her heart was breaking. The only thing she was sure of was that somehow some way her husband was involved. Alibi or no alibi, he had a hand in this. She was sure of it.

  * * * *

  Austin worked hard on his end to find a clue, any clue. With his experience, he had to find someone who knew something. He started by visiting the homes of Matt’s friends. He hit a dead end. When that didn’t work, he decided to talk with the kids in Matt’s classroom. Still nothing. It was a suggestion by Matt’s principal that provided the first clue. Austin was given permission to talk with each of the classes about safety and talking with strangers. He then asked if anyone knew about Matt. One kid raised his hand. He’d been paid twenty bucks to tell Matt his dad was waiting for him in the black truck parked on the street.

  The kid was a year older than Matt and looked like he needed a twenty dollar bill pretty bad. He was sorry for the part he played in the kidnapping, but he really thought it was Matt’s dad and he was doing him a favor.

  Austin took the description of the guy and thanked the kid, reassuring him it wasn’t his fault. The boy walked away, his head downcast.

  Now, what to do with the information? Paul could be a party to the kidnapping, or he could have been a pawn. Which is it?

  Austin hugged Sheila to him when he got home. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?” He nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear. “How much I appreciate you?”

  She hugged him back with all her might. She had so much to be thankful for.

  * * * *

  Matt looked around the room, confused. His dad was supposed to be in the truck but when he got in the guy said his dad couldn’t be there to meet him, but would meet him in a little while. The man said it was okay with his mom if he went along, that his dad missed him and wanted to see him. She gave her permission.

  Matt wasn’t so sure now. Where was his dad? And, he was getting hungry. The guy said he was getting him McDonalds. That was a long time ago. He picked up a controller to an old Nintendo. Yeah, like that would keep him entertained. He tried to find a channel on the television that worked, but it was all lines and noise. He was starting to get worried. The door was locked too. He read mysteries in school. A locked door was never a good sign.

  Matt waited. His stomach growled. It was getting dark. His mom would be worried. He was going to be in trouble for this one.

  Finally the door opened and he was tossed a McDonald’s bag. “Here.”

  The door closed before he could ask any questions. He pulled out the limp fries and the cheeseburger. It was cold. He ate it anyway. He had his book bag with his homework in it. He might as well do it. At least he wouldn’t get in trouble for that. Matt sat on the mattress that was on the floor and worked on his math. He finished, then pulled out the chapter book he’d been reading. He was half way through. He began to read then fell asleep. When he awoke the moon shone bright in the sky and all was quiet. He was scared and his dad was not there.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Mark called the meeting to order. All the ladies from the prayer group sat in the front row, ready for action. Laney sat directly behind them with Sheila and Austin by her side. There were others sprinkled throughout the sanctuary, waiting to get down to business.

  “We have several things to pray for. First, we have made a little headway in finding Matt. We know he was picked up in a black suburban and we also know what the guy looks like. We need to be looking for rural properties that sit out of the way, with little traffic. Also, we need some volunteers to take these sketches to the local grocery stores and gas stations in these same areas. Any place that looks like it doesn’t get much attention would be a great place to start.”

  Several hands went up so he sent them to the back of the room to the search organizer. This search would be effective and thorough. He would make sure of it.

  "Next, we need to organize a prayer chain. It has been something on the churches to-do list for quite some time. We could have had a bigger group praying and canvassing if we had been on top of the game with that. Aunt Merry has volunteered to get that organized. If you want to be on it, then please sign up at the back of the room before you leave.” He indicated which table had the prayer chain sign up.

  “Okay, it’s been four days since Matt disappeared. We have had someone praying here around the clock. I want to get a schedule so we do not have a single minute without someone praying for Matt, his mom, Laney and Melanie and Joy. We have half-hour increments to sign up for. If you can do two back to back, that would help out tremendously. Remember, we are not fighting flesh and blood, but the powers of darkness, which have come to seek what they can devour. We will not let them have Matt or his family. We will fight with the most powerful weapon ever created, prayer.”

  Everyone in the sanctuary raised their hands to volunteer. Mothers looked to their children and knew, if they were in Laney’s position, they would want every available person doing all they could to find their child.

  “We have one more subject to tackle before we get down to praying. Laney has taken a direct hit on her finances. Understandably, she has been unable to work because of the stress of this situation. We, as a church, need to make sure she is provided for. Her employers attend our church and support her, but financially they are unable to bear the whole burden. We are going to take an offering for her. Laney did not know I was going to be doing this today. This was not her idea. I’m sure she is grateful, but embarrassed. It isn’t easy being in a place where you need help.”

  Mark looked to where Laney sat. She looked pale. He nodded to her, hoping she understood they were a family and family takes care of their own.

  The two deacons passed the offering plates. Single moms added what they could afford. A few of the working couples had a little more to offer. A few not affected by the declining economy gave back what the Lord had given to them. One gave everything she had.

  After the offering was taken up, people all around the sanctuary got down on their knees and prayed. Voices could be heard praising God for his faithfulness. Some were reminding God of his promises, like he could forget. Others were crying, their hearts broken and over flowing with pain and tears. The mothers in the sanctuary knew it could just as easily be their child that was missing.

  Some prayed loud and fervent. Some prayed quietly, keeping their words between them and God. Others walked around with lifted hands. Everyone was so busy praying; they didn’t notice one of the deacons interrupting Mark where he prayed.

  “Everyone, I have an announcement. The offering we just took up.” He stopped speaking, unable to finish because of the emotion overtaking him. After wiping his eyes, he continued. “Laney the families in this congregation have a gift for you. Here is a check for twelve thousand five hundred dollars.” Those of us who have driven with you while canvassing, insist on you getting your heat fixed in your van."

  Hallelujahs filled the room. Someone decided it was time to praise the Lord and started playing the piano. The room went from sorrow to gladness in one fell sweep. Laney sat on the bench, unmoving. She was overwhelmed with the love she was sho
wn from these people who had adopted her as their own. She tried to hold back the tears, but couldn’t stop them. Besides the day she’d gotten on her knees and given her heart to the Lord, she’d never experienced this kind of love. It was overwhelming.

  Laney looked around the room. Others were crying so she didn’t feel quite so self-conscience. Her heart prayed her face showed thankfulness.

  She was thankful she wouldn’t have to worry about finances. That was a relief and allowed her more time to find her son. She didn’t need to spend the extra time and effort worrying about money. Now she could spend every minute she had worrying about Matt.

  Paul continued to insist that he had nothing to do with Matt’s disappearance. Laney doubted him, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t prove what her gut told her.

  She stood and pulled up her jeans. She wasn’t eating and her already thin frame was nothing more than a wire hanger for her clothes. Sheila led her to the back of the church where a tray of sandwiches sat. She set a plate before her, not giving her a choice in whether she would eat it or not. Laney nibbled the sandwich, placating Sheila with her attempt.

  Sheila kept a watchful eye over her charge. “Laney, you have to eat.”

  “I’m eating.” She stuffed the last of the egg salad sandwich in her mouth and took a swig of the raspberry ice tea Sheila had brought from the tea shop.

  “Good. You’re going to need your energy. Matt needs you to take care of yourself.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. It’s just so hard to stomach anything. Here I am with an abundance of food and I don’t even know if Matt has the basics. I feel guilty every time I take a bite.”

  “You can’t think that way. If you really believe his dad has him, then you know he’s eating, right?”