It had been an exhausting day the night a little angel showed up on the doorsteps of Famous Ray’s Restaurant.
an after shower photo shoot late at night
Around 10pm, I said my “goodbyes” to those still around eager to hit the high road towards my bed. As I walked out the front entrance, one of our male employees was translating from Burmese to English with this little girl. He told us her story. Tears flowed as we mentioned returning her to her “abusive” home with her auntie. Our hearts were filled with compassion, love.
R: “Amy, can she stay at your house until we figure things out in the morning? The street is no place for a child to sleep.”
A: “Yes, but let’s ask if she can stay at Joshua’s first.”
After one call, our Burmese friend, Joshua, who is head of a children’s home, made his way over to help us figure out a solution. Because of Thailand’s protective laws for children, he said it was risky to take a child in without the parent’s permission. Still trying to discern, we called another organization who has an emergency shelter for street kids. Because it was already late at night, they gave us the go ahead to take in the child for the night.
I’m glad we did. She was WORTH the risk.
she turned her nose up at Aimee’s pancakes, but
grinned from ear to ear when she saw noodles…
With the little angel half asleep, we arrived at my house. As soon as we stepped through the doors, her eyes lit up and everything had to be touched. It was time to explore. The next day, we returned to the restaurant where we had a meeting with two people from a prominent organization to figure out this little girl’s story. After they had gathered their information, they set out to investigate her story: to try and find people who knew her in the Burmese/Muslim community.
One hour later, they returned with the child’s parents. The little girl ran out to them like nothing happened. Then the real story came. This little girl had run away from her home and fabricated a tale to give us all. We were warned of this. Lies or no lies, at least she was back with her family.
Instead of a gate, I used the top of a bunk-bed to keep her in one place until the people from the organization returned…did not work out so well!
This experience was a whirlwind, but I get it. I get that she wanted to experience a different life. Perhaps, for a brief moment, she wanted an “out” from being a trash collector the rest of her life, like her family or maybe she simply wanted to be a kid. Regardless of the lies, being schooled, I would do it again and again and again because she and the next kid and the next kid are WORTH it. These kids are WORTH the fight, like we are WORTH it to God. So much LIGHT surrounded this girl. An army of people were fighting for her, are fighting for her. I know that this child is only the start of what is to come for OutPour Movement.
Love is risky. It is messy. Jesus is risky and flings head first into the mess. He did not come to bring peace, rather a sword to win back His loved ones and I want to be a part because HE is well WORTH the RISK-the MESS.
