Some days we receive shocking reminders of how tough life is for our boys who live on the streets. As if having nowhere to live, no food to eat and no family to care for them wasn’t bad enough. They can’t even expect the smallest scrap of human kindness or help from the very people whose job it is to protect and serve.
One of our eagle-eyed supervisors recently noticed that a boy who regularly attends our feeding program hadn’t been seen for a few days. This was unusual as our young man was dedicated to using the opportunities provided to help build his own business and support himself. Our manager visited the area where he lived and found him lying down with injuries to his legs so severe that he could not walk. He was unable to get himself to where we serve our meals.
A few days earlier, the police came by his sleeping space. It was 30 minutes after the nightly (COVID-19) curfew had started and they beat him up just as he was going to sleep. Let. That. Sink. In. This small boy who was trying to get warm and cosy enough to fall asleep and forget the horrors of his short life for a few hours. He was then attacked by a group of grown, armed men. Beaten for no reason that anyone can understand.
Imagine your child or a small child you know is lost in town. The first piece of advice you always give is to find a police officer. Someone in authority, who will take care of you, keep you safe and help you find your way home. Someone you can rely on, whose job it is to care about your welfare. Now picture those same people beating your small child because they view him or her as a nuisance, unworthy of kindness and like a rat.
Knowing that strangers around the world and our wonderful sponsors care helps our boys to begin to understand their worth. These boys are our family and we will never give up on them.
As long as we are able we will feed, care for, listen to and love these boys with everything we have. But everything we have isn’t enough. At a time when money is scarce and job security uncertain, we know that asking you to prioritise these boys is asking a lot. We also know that, without you supporting us, their food sources are scarce and their own lives are uncertain. If you haven’t already, please follow the link and sign up to donate monthly to our Feeding Program. 🙏
