In a follow-up to a story (about a Hong Kong man attempting to run a marathon with a baby strapped to his chest-something that could cause serious harm to the child) that went viral over the weekend, the following was reported yesterday:
Hong Kong police said Wednesday (Jan 21) that they were investigating report of suspected child abuse after a man took part in the city's annual marathon with a baby strapped to his chest.
Video footage of a man running with his race bib and number pinned onto the baby's pink clothes during the race went viral on social media.
"The case was referred to the Child Abuse Investigation Unit," Hong Kong police said Wednesday, adding that they had received a report one day after Sunday's event.
No arrests have been made so far, police said.
The South China Morning Post reported that police had contacted a man from China's southwestern Guangxi province for further investigation.
The Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) said the man did not finish the race, with local media reporting he was asked to stop running and told to leave the course. - AFP
And while it’s hard to fathom why a father would put his child at risk to achieve his own goals, we know that this type of behavior is neither new nor uncommon. Abuse of children has been happening since the time sin came into this world.
And of course we know that child abuse can come in many forms—including neglect, physical harm, harsh words, undue and strict punishment, and even abandonment, just to name a few. Regardless of the form it takes though, abuse of a child can have lasting effects for the one that was abused and for generations to come.
To see why the problem extends beyond what we can see, consider that the latest statistics say that “More than 550,000 children are known to U.S. authorities to be abused. An estimated 558,899 children (unique incidents) were victims of abuse and neglect in the U.S. in 2022, the most recent year for which there is national data. That’s 8 children out of every thousand.” Sadly though, we know that number is much higher since the majority of cases of abuse go unreported.
But there is hope, thankfully, for all those who have been abused, abandoned, and mistreated by a parent or both parents. And that hope is found in the Lord, the One who personally receives or gathers to Himself all those who have been forsaken by their father and mother as David wrote in Psalm 27.
Now we aren’t to glean from this that David's father and mother had forsaken him as they were probably dead at the time of his flight from Absalom. What David meant is that, even if we are forsaken by those nearest and dearest (as he was by his own son), the Lord would never leave us nor forsake us. The expression is proverbial and confirms God’s promise to be with us wherever we go.
So, if you’re suffering from loneliness, pain, or hurt because of an abusive or absent parent today, take heart my friend. You’re not alone and you don’t have to suffer anymore. If you choose to follow Jesus, you instantly join the ranks of those who have been given “the right to be called children of God” and you now have a family and a Heavenly Father who will love you more than you could ask for or even imagine.
Heavenly Father, thank you for promising to never leave us or forsake us. Help us to understand that abuse is never our fault no matter what we've been told. Help us to forgive those who have harmed us Lord that we might go on to live lives that show the healing power of Jesus Christ and the supernatural love that the children of God share with one another. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
Hong Kong police said Wednesday (Jan 21) that they were investigating report of suspected child abuse after a man took part in the city's annual marathon with a baby strapped to his chest.
Video footage of a man running with his race bib and number pinned onto the baby's pink clothes during the race went viral on social media.
"The case was referred to the Child Abuse Investigation Unit," Hong Kong police said Wednesday, adding that they had received a report one day after Sunday's event.
No arrests have been made so far, police said.
The South China Morning Post reported that police had contacted a man from China's southwestern Guangxi province for further investigation.
The Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) said the man did not finish the race, with local media reporting he was asked to stop running and told to leave the course. - AFP
And while it’s hard to fathom why a father would put his child at risk to achieve his own goals, we know that this type of behavior is neither new nor uncommon. Abuse of children has been happening since the time sin came into this world.
And of course we know that child abuse can come in many forms—including neglect, physical harm, harsh words, undue and strict punishment, and even abandonment, just to name a few. Regardless of the form it takes though, abuse of a child can have lasting effects for the one that was abused and for generations to come.
To see why the problem extends beyond what we can see, consider that the latest statistics say that “More than 550,000 children are known to U.S. authorities to be abused. An estimated 558,899 children (unique incidents) were victims of abuse and neglect in the U.S. in 2022, the most recent year for which there is national data. That’s 8 children out of every thousand.” Sadly though, we know that number is much higher since the majority of cases of abuse go unreported.
But there is hope, thankfully, for all those who have been abused, abandoned, and mistreated by a parent or both parents. And that hope is found in the Lord, the One who personally receives or gathers to Himself all those who have been forsaken by their father and mother as David wrote in Psalm 27.
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:5-6
Now we aren’t to glean from this that David's father and mother had forsaken him as they were probably dead at the time of his flight from Absalom. What David meant is that, even if we are forsaken by those nearest and dearest (as he was by his own son), the Lord would never leave us nor forsake us. The expression is proverbial and confirms God’s promise to be with us wherever we go.
Furthermore, He is a “father to the fatherless” and “God sets the lonely in families” through the bonds of our church family. These bonds, which are formed by a mutual love of Jesus Christ, can be much stronger than those formed by blood. These bonds fill the voids created by abusive and absent parents. That’s the power of being in the family of God. They are the relatives God gives us so that we are never alone.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—“ John 1:12
So, if you’re suffering from loneliness, pain, or hurt because of an abusive or absent parent today, take heart my friend. You’re not alone and you don’t have to suffer anymore. If you choose to follow Jesus, you instantly join the ranks of those who have been given “the right to be called children of God” and you now have a family and a Heavenly Father who will love you more than you could ask for or even imagine.
Heavenly Father, thank you for promising to never leave us or forsake us. Help us to understand that abuse is never our fault no matter what we've been told. Help us to forgive those who have harmed us Lord that we might go on to live lives that show the healing power of Jesus Christ and the supernatural love that the children of God share with one another. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
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