Charlie

Hi my name is Charlie, or at least that is what a young foreigner nicknamed me.  I am from an Asian country that has many problems and has been the location for wars over many things I do not understand.

With my dad gone, perhaps dead, I am left to try to help my family.  I've tried everything.  Well not everything.  The one thing I have not done is sell myself.  I've heard of other young people doing this but I don't think my dad would approve.  I'm at the end though, and I need to decide what to do.

This foreigner that gave me the nickname Charlie seems like a nice guy.  I mean he tells me he loves me, he'll even fly kites with me if I want.  He is always talking about this good news.  He even told me once that what is really important is what happens to you after you die.  I guess this is not news I need now but for the future.  I would like some good news now but he insists that this is good news now.

My foreign friend left recently.  Said he had to go back to get more money to come back and bring us good news.  I have to admit, I'm not sure I understand what he is talking about.  Money or a job could be good news.  I'm not sure these foreigners understand what we are going through at all.

With my foreign friend gone, all alone, I make my decision to make contact with a man that says he also has good news.  Good news of a job.  I'm glad because I did not want to have to sell myself like some of my friends.  This was good news.

He took me to the city.  Gave me food, clothes & a place to stay.  Said I could pay him back.  What I didn't realize is that the way to pay him back would be doing sexual things with older men with money to buy a moment of pleasure.  I kept trying to make enough money to pay him back so I could start sending money back to my family but somehow I kept falling deeper into debt.

Some say Charlie needs to accept Jesus to go to heaven "someday".  So many opinions out there as to how Charlie might get to heaven or whatever paradise awaits after death.  To bad he missed his chance with the foreigner.  Some even say well if Charlie is under 8 or 10 or 12 then he is fine he gets to go to heaven no matter what.  Some say he needs to be baptized.  Some say he needs to say certain words that he could have repeated after the foreigner.  To bad the foreigner is not around now, charlie doesn't know the magic words nor the name of the person who has this good news for after you die.  What was his name?

I hate to admit it but I am that foreigner.  I remember having all the answers, now I have nothing but questions.  I heard that Charlie died after years of trying to repay this man he worked for.  I am pretty sure he didn't say the "sinners prayer".  I'm pretty sure he didn't know Jesus.  Would God really send him to hell for eternal conscious torment?  Like burning FOREVER?  Eternal torture?  That doesn't sound like God to me.  Especially if Jesus is the image of the invisible God as it says in the bible.

There are parts of the bible that seem to talk about eternal fire but there are also parts that seem to give us hope of ultimate reconciliation.  If Jesus would leave the 99 for the 1 could he possibly be up to some greater end than we could have ever imagined?  He said in the bible that he desires that NONE should perish.  If that is true how strong is God.  Is God strong enough to get everything God desires?

If he is then there is hope for Charlie!  I hope God is strong enough to get his way and ALL he desires!