A Call to Prayer, for the City of Broken Arrow

In late July of 2015 horror came to the city of Broken Arrow. In the early morning hours a 911 call was placed by a terrified 12 year old who did not stay on the phone. He couldn't, because he was murdered by his own brothers. When first responders arrived the scene that awaited them was like some crazy demonic horror movie. Five dead bodies, father, mother, the 12 year old boy who made the 911 call, a 7 year old boy and a 5 year old girl, all murdered with knives and hatchets by their 16 and 18 year old brothers. A 13 year old girl was found, horribly mutilated but alive and an unharmed 2 year old upstairs.

  The men and women that rushed into this suburban home to render aid shall never forget the scenes that assaulted their souls that day. Scenes that most people never have to witness. Even the law enforcement officers who have given years and years of service had never laid eyes on such scenes before. There is a price to be paid for witnessing such evil. Nightmares, daymares, being unable to erase the scenes from your mind no matter how hard you wish for them to be gone. Those of us who love a combat veteran can attest to the power of violence upon the human mind. It takes a toll.

 Shortly after law enforcement arrives on scene a canine and his handler arrive. Footprints on the dew soaked grass out back show tracks and it is hoped that the dog can find the perpetrators of this terrible crime, so that they cannot inflict harm on anyone else. People gather and pray over the canine officer and he and his handler setoff into the night. The two boys are soon found hiding in the bushes.

 While all this is going on, people are laboring over the little 13 year old, horribly wounded, they administer first aid, they pray, the ones who found her, the ones who sit with her until medical aid arrives, the ones who administer aid and load her into an ambulance, the ones who meet her at the door of the emergency room, the ones who fight to save her life. The ones who take care of her daily needs. All scarred, all broken by the horror of her circumstances.

  And then there are the ones called to investigate, to sit in some small room across the table from these children who did this horrible deed. To sit and try and reason with them, try to understand why they did what they did, to lay out the photographs of the scene time and time again, to listen to these young men talk about what they did and why they did it.

  And the community is in shock, the people who lived next door, or down the street, the people who walk past that suburban home every day, horrified at what occurred in their neighborhood, horrified that they had no idea, for surely one should have some sense of evil living next door, but instead they only saw a close knit family, a mom who is said to have loved and doted upon her kids, a father who worked hard to provide for them.

 The below was shared by someone who loves someone who is closely connected to this investigation. I do not know the origin of the quote but it is so very applicable to those who stand in harm's way on our behalf. To our combat troops, to our law enforcement officers, to those who go out daily and face the monsters of this world, and to those who have to see and clean up the aftermath of the deeds perpetrated by the monsters of this world.

"MONSTERS
Those who fight monsters inevitably change. Because of all that they see and do, they lose their innocence, and a piece of their humanity with it. If they want to survive, they begin to adopt some of the same characteristics as the monsters they fight. It is necessary. They become capable of rage, and extreme violence.

There is a fundamental difference, however. They keep those monster tendencies locked away in a cage, deep inside. That monster is only allowed out to protect others, to accomplish the mission, to get the job done.....Not for the perverse pleasure that the monsters feel when they harm others. In fact, those monster tendencies cause damage...guilt, isolation, depression, PTSD. There is a cost for visiting violence on others when you are not a monster. Those who do so know one thing...The cost inflicted upon society as a whole is far greater without those who fight monsters. That is why they are willing to make that horrible sacrifice so that others may live peaceably."

 Pray for the people of  Broken Arrow who have beheld the deeds of the monsters of this world, who have been left to try and make sense of it all, to try and bring justice to it all, and who will bear the memory of the things they witnessed that night until their last breath. 

Pray for this little 13 year old girl, horribly stabbed and left for dead by her own siblings, who will carry the most horrible scenes in her mind for all the days of her life, she has lost mother and father and sister and brothers. Pray for her, pray that God will carry her through the days to come.

 Pray for this little 2 year old, who will probably not remember this event, but who will know of it, and that alone will be a heavy burden to carry as she grows up.

 Pray for those men and women that rushed into that house, who laid eyes upon that scene, who had to stay there, amidst the blood and death in order to do their jobs. Pray for them to have peace, to be able to sleep, to be able to speak to someone about the things that trouble their souls.

 Pray for those men and women who assisted the 13 year old, who gave first aid and comfort, who prayed, who transported, who labored over her injured body and who administered and still administers to her daily needs as she recovers. Pray for them to have peace, to be able to sleep, and that they might have the words of comfort that she needs to hear to get her through this horror.

 Pray for the men and women who have to sit across the table from the ones who did this. Pray for them to have wisdom, pray for them to be able to process the things they hear, pray for them to have peace and to be able to sleep and to be able to do their jobs so that justice might be served.

 Pray for the people of Broken Arrow and for all who know and love them, pray for peace, pray for healing, pray that the light of Christ will shine like the sun through this terrible darkness. Pray for unity that they would all stand together, pray for love, that they would love one another.

 Pray for these two young men, who have discarded all that was in front of them, all that their parents labored to provide for them, all the future joys of family and fellowship, all that is good and right and light, pray for them for of all the souls wounded and broken from the evil inflicted that night theirs must be seared and dead. They have done things that cannot be undone. Although it is difficult, they too need prayer.

   Father God, maker of all things, we come before You in humble prayer for the people of Broken Arrow. A great evil has visited them, evil deeds that we cannot wrap our thoughts around, we cannot understand nor comprehend the why of it all. We cannot fathom how it can even be possible for good to come from such tragedy, such wrongness. But we know that You are God and that You are always working in the lives of Your people. Stand close to the people of Broken Arrow. Bind them close together, help them to love one another, help them to process the things they have seen, help them to bring their brokenness to You who is and ever will be the only One able to help.

  We thank You for the men and women who rushed to give aid and we pray for their souls that Your peace would be their peace, that they would be able to give the things that trouble their souls to You, and that You would bear them. Meet them in the darkness that their very job requires them to walk in. Meet them there and may they feel Your presence with them.

 We give thanks for the two lives saved, and we place them both in Your hands, may You be a father and a mother to them both, may You bring peace, comfort, love and all strength to them both as they grow. May the end result of these two lives saved be a thing of beauty and grace. May they be blessed all their days.

  Lord be with each and every soul troubled by these events, be they those directly involved or those who simply grieve for the wrongness of it all. Grant all grace and wisdom to those who are investigating this. Guard their minds, guard their hearts, hold them close to Your heart that they might not be broken forever by the things they witness.

 We come to You Lord, on behalf of the people of Broken Arrow, for to Whom would we go but You, for You have the words of Life. Bring Life to all these souls wounded by this terrible act of violence.

  Lord I know not how to pray for the two who have done this evil deed, so I leave them to You, I pray Your will be done in their lives, I pray You move them to speak truth, and to fully understand and repent of the evil they have inflicted.

 May Your grace fall like  healing rain upon the city of Broken Arrow and upon each soul that is troubled by the events that occurred on that day in July in the year of our Lord 2015.

"Healing Rain"

http://m.fox23.com/videos/news/k9-officer-reflects-on-finding-murder-suspects/vDXnL6/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oklahoma-teens-formally-charged-murdering-family-n402226

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/broken-arrow-woman-heals-community-after-tragic-ho/nm9Sh/

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/community-rallies-around-survivors-broken-arrow-ki/nm7Pw/