Daniel was absolutely vile. He only had one pair of clothes and it showed. His blue shirt was torn and died black with filth. His green pants were extremely short, eight sizes too large, and held up by a rough looking black rope. Even his yellow flip flops were well worn and too small for his bloated feet.
Daniel honestly looked like the walking dead. His body had been ravaged heavily by HIV, tuberculosis and a hard life on the streets. His arms and legs resembled 2-inch dowel rods, his cheeks sunk deep into his face, and his eyes were tired and skeptical. He was nothing but taught skin and brittle bones.
Although Daniel is only fourteen years old, he carries the life experiences of a 90-year old war vet. His nights are consumed by horror and dread from the numerous rapes he endures at the hands of older street boys. His days are covered in loneliness as he seeks to find a family that does not exist. And, he fills his nostrils with the only form of release he can find-the fumes of Elmer’s glue.
This month we’re working with organizations that love, serve and reach out to street children. Over half the boys who choose to come off the streets leave the home their placed in and go back. They have known the streets their whole life and struggle with the detox and structure. Our beautiful little Daniel desperately needs this intervention. This is a literal life or death situation and he doesn’t have much time left. Our organization has been working with Daniel for three years and yesterday was the first time he agreed to hope–the first time he moved off the streets. And in his wisdom he told us, “At some point I am going to want to go back to the streets, but I don’t want to go back. So, when that happens, please lock the doors and tie me down. I want a new life.”
