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Saving Nikki Mason

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article reprinted from the United Methodist Connection
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September 4, 2002

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VOL. 13, NO. 17

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FROM THE EDITORERIK ALSGAARD
ERIK ALSGAARD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving Nikki Mason

I received an e-mail this morning bearing witness to the ministry of Saving Stations, how important they are, how needed they are, and how you never know where God works in peoples lives.

The story really begins with a prayer concern I received last week that colleague Linda Worthington wrote for our electronic newsletter, e-connection. The prayer concern was about conference staff worker Sandra Cockrell, who, with her husband, discovered the battered body of a young naked girl while driving to work. The victim had gun shot wounds to her upper body. They discovered the body only a short distance from St. Marks UMC, where a Saving Station was held last month. I cant imagine the horror and the trauma the young woman experienced.

According to a newspaper report, the body was identified as 14-year old Nicole Mason, a runaway reported missing in March. As of this writing, police are seeking any information to help solve the case. Metro Crime Stoppers phone number is (410) 276-8888.

So we ran the story, including Nicoles name, in e-connection. End of story, I thought.

Not exactly.

In my e-mail this morning, I received a note from Chuck Conjar, lay member and certified lay speaker at Graceland UMC, Baltimore. Heres what he had to say:

I wanted to share some information about the prayer concern in the Aug. 23 e-connection. I met the victim, Nicole Mason, at the ODonnell Heights Saving Station of 2001. She later attended both Graceland UMC and St. Matthews UMC of Turners Station for a brief time before she ran away from home. We at Graceland were devastated by the news of her violent death and our friends at St. Matthews share our grief.

Nikki had an outgoing personality and friendly smile. She showed an incredible sense of appreciation for all the love she received at the Saving Station and afterward. Before she ran away, she was very protective of her brother and sister and her cousins. At the Saving Station she became very close to my wife, Sharon, and I think of her walking around in my wifes borrowed sweatshirt on the day it rained. I remember the first time she joined my Sunday School class and was quick to tell the other students to be quiet while I was teaching. My wife and I thought of her often and prayed for her. I kept hoping we would see her at this years Saving Station or that she would appear in church again. I know she is with God now, but it has still been a difficult week for us.

Although we are deeply saddened by this tragedy, we are more determined than ever to continue our work at the Saving Station and to show Gods love to children like Nikki. Please pray for her family, and please join us in our fight to save the children of Baltimore.

Now, Im new to the Baltimore-Washington Conference. I had never been to a Saving Station until this summer. I shall never forget the image of the Rev. Tony Love preaching in a church parking lot while customers at the Exxon gas station next-door eavesdropped on the message. Cars and souls getting filled at the same time.

The incredible ministry happening at Saving Stations changes peoples lives and offers hope, new opportunity and new life. Conjars letter jolted me back to that reality, and I simply had to tell you about it.

At last word, Conjar and his wife were going to attend Nikkis funeral Aug. 26. They wanted to make sure that Nikkis family knew the church was still there, offering prayers and support in their time of grief, and that she will not be forgotten.

To that, I add, thank God that the Saving Station was there last summer to touch Nikkis life, however briefly; to offer the message that God loved her, cared for her, and would be with her, no matter what.

No matter what happened for Nikki, in ways many of us cant or wont imagine. No matter what is why Savings Stations were created: to offer Gods saving grace in a broken world.

Nikki heard that message, only because this conference you cared enough to do it.

My goal in writing this column was to remove any doubt you may have had about Saving Stations; about whether Saving Stations are important, whether you should offer help or volunteer at the big white tent next year or next week.

The answer is yes.

Somewhere and I pray its in heaven Nikki Mason agrees.

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