Article December 29, 2003 Issue

GUIDED BY GOD

Mary Helen Black

Shortly after Mark's mother died his dad asked if I would take Mark shopping for new clothes. Shirts were too tight, pants too short, shoes pinching. Mark's father had never taken Mark shopping by himself—and so this shopping trip began our role in Mark's life.

I was teaching part time at the school Mark attended, and I noticed one week that he was traveling to and from school with another family. I offered to take Mark for the weekend, and both the mother of the family who was caring for him and Mark's dad agreed. So Mark came home with me Friday after school.

The next morning his dad called. He told me that the doctors had just told him he had only a short time to live, and that he should get all of his affairs in order. "Will you help me find a home for Mark?" he asked. My husband and I immediately agreed and offered to keep Mark with us as long as needed.

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