Change of Plans

The trip to the city never happened after filling up the car with gas.  I was excited to get away for a few hours and had planned to indulge in some ice cream at the market.  But everything changed when Alecson, an eight year old little boy knocked on my window with his dirt stained hand reaching out. I rolled down the window and gave him some crackers. I started talking to this brown eyed boy who's life consisted of begging in order to be fed. Eight years old and this is what he must do. Everyday. He hopped in my backseat and we drove 2 miles to the village he previously came from. Hiked for 10 minutes up the mountain and finally arrived to a little hut made out of sticks and leaves and mud. "8 days since we last saw you!" yelled the grandmother. I sat with this family asking many questions and was remembered just how hard most lives are here. Alecson lost his childhood. His mentally ill mother could not provide for him so Alecson took the 2 mile hike to the nearest town each day to beg. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I said. The question startled him. His mind didn't know how to dream such dreams. So out of his soft voice he muttered, "just to help my mom."  All of life was thrown back into perspective right then. "I usually sleep in the ditch if there isn't water....I tried to sleep on people's porches but I got caught so they burnt me." He took off his shirt to show me the burn that was given to him by a match when the owner of a home caught him sleeping on the roof. My mind is frazzled as I think about my next trip to the States. How easy and comfortable we have it. Safe and secure on our cushioned couch with our overflowing pantry. This little boy deserves to be playing soccer. Learning how to write. Sleeping in a house without fear of the evil around him. But he doesn't. So today, be thankful. Thank God you have what you have. A family, a house, food on the table and water in the sink. Everyday God's heart breaks for this little boy....yet we can go to bed just fine at night. We flip the page and turn the channel. Let's open our eyes to the hurting world around us. We've been blessed so we can bless others. So let's do just that.