church became quiet except for the rumble of the air conditioner and the ruffle of the handheld fans. “Thank you all for coming together on this fine Sunday morning,” Reverend Arthur Jenkins said as he looked out across his congregation.
“You all know why we’re here today.” His deep baritone voice, though not raised, reached into the furthest recesses of the old church. “There’s an ugliness in our community-a sin that is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. Right here, not one-quarter mile from the doors of this blessed church, there are young boys growing up without moms, growing up without dads, growing up without the guidance and moral structure that any small child needs to mature into a righteous man in the eyes of the Almighty. Some of these people are known to have committed some of the most heinous, the most brutal, the most depraved crimes imaginable. Brothers and sisters, these men are literally stealing innocent young children from our community and placing them in servitude to the depraved lust of grown men. They’re taking these innocent children, enslaving them, plying them with drugs, and turning them out onto the street as prostitutes for their own financial benefit.” Reverend Art’s voice began to rise now. “They use these children up, they chew them up, and when they’re finished with them, why, they toss them out just like day-old trash. No second thoughts.” He looked around at the members of his congregation. “And just what do you suppose happens then? What happens to a fifteen-year-old girl who’s been made to be a prostitute for four years-who’s been made to have sexual relations with
He paused. “Brothers and sisters, I want to tell you all a story this morning. It’s a story about a girl named Isabel Delgado who went through this very experience. When the men-men from right here in this area-when those who held her decided it was time for her to go sell her body for them-well, she didn’t go along. No. She revolted. God gave her the strength to say, ‘No, I will not!’” His voice thundered across the church. He paused for several seconds, and then he continued, “Now you must understand, brothers and sisters, that Isabel was sixteen when this happened to her-she was older than the children these men normally like to work with. Yes, even though Isabel may have been small of stature, she was tall in self-conviction. Isabel had courage. She told these men no. So they decided to teach her a lesson. These degenerate men took turns raping her. When they’d had their fill, they started in on beating her. They beat her half to death with a hose. They hit her so hard that they broke her arm. But that wasn’t enough, no! Then, they kicked her. The animals!” He was nearly yelling now. “These animals kicked that girl so hard they ruptured her spleen. They kicked her so hard that they killed the child that she was carrying from a previous rape! Sixteen years old and they beat her so bad, she had a miscarriage! When they were finished, when they’d had enough, they locked her in a basement and decided that since she still wouldn’t agree to do what they wanted, they’d just go ahead and sell her. Sell her! Brothers and sisters, I thought slavery been dead and gone for 150 years!”
He took a breath as he looked from person to person. “I’m going to ask you some hard questions, and I’m not asking for a show of hands because some of you would be embarrassed. Just look in your heart instead. How many of you know somebody who’s involved in this sordid business? Some of these men are from around here. You know that. How many of you have received any money from these immoral, degenerate men? If you have, I want you to seek forgiveness from the Lord almighty. I tell you right here and now, brothers and sisters, you will not pass through to eternal salvation with this stain on your souls. No, sir. You will not! You need to choose sides and take a stand and, brothers and sisters, if you’re involved in this, you need to do it fast. You can trust me on this-you do not want to suddenly meet your maker with this item unresolved. You need to take a stand.”
“Amen,” said several people in the congregation, nodding their heads in agreement.
Reverend Art took a drink from a water glass on the lectern before he continued. “Like I said before, some of these immoral, degenerate men participating in this abominable activity are from right around here. You all knew these boys when they were kids.” He looked from face to face. “Some of you know them now. If
“Amen!” The audience was more enthusiastic now.
“For those of you with young children, you need to know that they are at risk! You need to gather those young children to you and nurture them and love them and protect them from these degenerates. There are monsters out there, and they are after your children! Don’t let them slide down the slippery slope of sexual enslavement-either as a slave or as a slave master. You need to take a stand!”
“Amen!” the members of the congregation stood and roared their agreement.
Reverend Art allowed the people to retake their seats. “That’s what this is about,” he said, more conversationally now. “It’s about taking a stand. Taking a stand and making a difference in the life of a young child.” It grew quiet for a few seconds.
“What about Isabel?” a congregation member suddenly called out.
Reverend Art looked at the woman. “What about Isabel Delgado?” he said. “What became of the girl who was so horribly abused?”
At that moment, the congregation gasped as Kelli Blair pushed a wheelchair carrying her friend Isabel Delgado from around the curtain behind the lectern. She pushed her to the center of the church, just in front of the altar. Kelli placed her hand on Isabel’s shoulder and then leaned forward and whispered into her ear.
Isabel sat up straight and smiled and waved shyly at her mother, who was seated in the front row of the congregation.
“Despite the horror that this girl had to endure,” Reverend Art said, “Isabel is one of the lucky ones. She fought back. And after a long battle, she’s winning.”
Kelli helped Isabel slowly rise to her feet.
The congregation collectively gasped and then rose to their feet and started clapping. From the second row, Danny Logan reached over and took his partner, Toni Blair’s hand. Both had tears in their eyes. Danny turned to her. “She made it,” he said.
Toni nodded. “Thanks to you,” she said.
Logan pursed his lips and shook his head. “Thanks to Kelli. Thanks to us.” He paused. “Mostly, thanks to God and thanks to Isabel herself. She's a fighter.”
When the congregation calmed, and everyone retook their seats, Reverend Art continued. “God has sent us Isabel to show us the resiliency of the human spirit-,” Reverend Art’s voice boomed, “and the courage of the human heart.” He paused. “And now,” he looked around, “now it’s in your hands. It’s up to you to take up her cause. Take a stand, brothers and sisters! Take a stand for Isabel and for all God’s children just like her.”
