MY LAST DAY AT SUNDAY SCHOOL

*Before I tell you this story, I must tell you that right now it is very difficult for me to refer to my parents as dad and mom. I suffered emotional and physical abuse from them until age thirty, and emotional abuse until age forty-five. I will refer to them below as my male and female parent. Sorry, that’s the best I can do right now. The Ten Commandments says to honor your father and mother…but I am not there yet.

As a young child in the second grade, one of my classmates invited me to go to the church she went to for Sunday school. Her whole family went but I was the only one from my family. After I started going, I never missed a Sunday! I was dropped off and picked up by my male parent.

Sometimes the preacher would allow us children to attend the church service with the adults. In the beginning I was a bit confused and didn’t understand everything. It seemed more complicated and not as easy to understand as what I was learning in Sunday school but I enjoyed it very much!

One particular day I came home from Sunday school and I was so excited! Little did I know that would be a horrible day! The church was planning a meal for the next Sunday which happened to be Easter. This may seem odd for some of you reading this but you have to understand that this was a little country church in our neighborhood back in the 1960s. They asked everyone to bring a dish. I mentioned this to my female parent and she immediately frowned at me. Me, being eager to contribute to the meal, kept talking about it. She cussed me and told me she wanted no part of it and that she wasn’t going to prepare a dish for me.

I thought it was very important so I persisted. I told her it was ok that I would ask my grandmother if she could make a dish. Well, that did it! She hit me and screamed and cussed at me with foul language that a child should never hear! She warned me to not mention it to my grandmother. I cried and pleaded with her only to be cussed at even more!

I told her Easter was a special day and began explaining to her about the resurrection of Jesus. She became extremely violent – screaming, cussing me, slapping me across my back, beating me in the head with her fists, and she ended up telling me that I wasn’t going to Sunday school ever again!! I was extremely upset! Nothing could stop my tears. I went to bed and cried myself to sleep after reading and repeating this verse.

This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

*This is so hard for me right now as I write this. I had to take a break because I couldn’t see to type. Tears were flowing from my eyes.

All week I worried about it while at school. I couldn’t concentrate on my schoolwork. I was just so upset. I didn’t mention it to her again thinking if I didn’t mention it that she might let me go back on Sunday. I would be embarrassed to not be taking a dish for the meal but at least I would be going. I read and repeated this Bible verse to myself.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Sunday morning came and I got up and started getting dressed. She came into my room and smirked at me as she harshly reminded me that I wasn’t going to church. An evil smile came over her face as she reminded me. I could tell she was enjoying seeing me so upset. I begged her but nothing I said changed her mind. She cussed me and slapped me across my back then told me to tell my male parent that I wasn’t going to Sunday school that morning because I didn’t want to go anymore. She warned me to not tell him otherwise. I did as she told me to but I hated lying. This verse came to me and I tried to believe in it but it was so hard for me.

Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Colossians 3:20

I was so very sad that whole day even though my siblings were enjoying hunting for Easter eggs, I had no interest in it. I stayed in my room and read my little Bible and repeated verses.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

The next day back at school I had to lie to my classmate who had invited me in the first place. My female parent threatened me and told me to tell the girl I didn’t want to go anymore. I sensed that my friend knew I was lying to her as she knew how much I enjoyed going every Sunday.

This ordeal hurt me deeply and it still hurts today. Although I didn’t get to go back to Sunday school ever again as a child, I was thankful she never took my Bible away from me. I hid and read it. I always thought that if she had known how much joy it brought me, she would have definitely taken it away from me.

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