So, last month, three UCLA basketball players were arrested in China for shoplifting while on a team trip. Stealing is wrong in any setting but, in China, they take the penalties to a different level. It just so happened that President Trump was visiting China at the same time and he asked the Chinese president to let the kids return home.
Good for the president, and the kids did show their appreciation. Of course, one of the parents was not so thankful and even tried to downplay the role that Trump played in the situation. Oh, and he also didn't like the fact that they were being punished in America by being suspended. He said that China let them go, so why did they have to pay a penalty in this country. I wish that I was making this stuff up -- I really do.
And now he has gone even one step further by blaming the coaches for not watching the kids better while on the trip. Let me get this straight, he thinks it is the responsibility of the coaches to go with them everywhere to keep the kids from stealing. I guess he didn't teach his kids that taking things that don't belong to them without paying for them is wrong.
My boys would have probably asked to stay in China rather than face mom and dad when they got home. They would have figured that five or six years in prison would have given us time to cool down. I cannot fathom in what universe this man thinks any of this makes sense. And we wonder why society is in the fix that it is today.
Okay, enough of my soapbox on this sad case of bad parenting and time to move on to something that has been on my heart. In the last couple of columns, I have written about the need to give back to your community and to go beyond just talking about serving others. Well, now is the time to get off your behind and put service into action.
When I was first elected to the legislature, John McCormick invited me to come on his talk show that ran on KBTN radio. For the next eight years, I rarely missed a Friday show where we talked about current events and took call-ins from listeners. It was a great experience.
Probably on the very first show, I met this little guy with a booming voice by the name of Dave Horvath. That was the start of a friendship that lasts to today. I found out quickly that Dave was not shy about sharing his thoughts about current events with anyone that would listen. I'm just glad that we agreed most of the time because he was very persuasive and a great debater.
After leaving KBTN, Dave spent some time in his hometown of Lebanon until returning to Neosho, where he worked at the Neosho Daily News until just very recently. And, at present, Dave's full-time job is fighting that nasty thing called cancer.
I have known Dave for many years, but I didn't realize just how deep his faith ran until I started reading his Facebook postings and talked to him about his disease. Dave may be a little guy with a big voice, but his faith is larger than life -- because he knows who is in control of his life and he puts his trust in God for his future.
I have learned so much from Dave and truly appreciate his testimony while he is going through a very tough fight with a very stubborn opponent. And through it all, he has remained steadfast in his faith.
Dave has a family that he is supporting and he hasn't been able to work. So, folks, now is the time that you can take the words of my last couple of columns and put them into action. Words are cheap, but actions show true love and compassion.
Every year we have many opportunities to share our bounty with others. Some give to missions, others work on the food basket brigade and still others give to Shop with a Hero. All of these things are great opportunities to serve. But, I want to challenge you with just one more opportunity.
I would like for everyone reading this to send Dave and his family a Christmas card and your prayers during this very trying time in his life. Oh, and you know everyone likes to get presents so, when you send the card, if you can, you might want to send a present with it -- maybe something in the shade of green would be appreciated.
Dave's address is 301 W. McKinney Street, Neosho, MO 64850. Thank you and may God bless you. And Dave, thank you for your testimony.
Kevin Wilson is a former State Representative who was born in Goodman and now lives in Neosho. Opinions are those of the author.
Editorial on 12/14/2017