I don’t have a room to myself. If I’m sick or sad or have a question about life, I don’t have a mom or dad to go to. I don’t get to spend time at my own desk in my own living room to do my homework. I share this space I call home with other boys and children that are like me. Kids that weren’t taken care of or wanted by their families.
I’m blessed because unlike most of my friends, I can walk and talk and go to school every day. I get to help in the kitchen and chat with the adults. I can comprehend the world around me and communicate how I feel.
And I want to let you know that
I don’t want your pity
It does me no good. Saying that my life in this foster home makes you sad does nothing for me. I’m not a “poor child.” I don’t need you to tell my story and say it breaks your heart to all your friends and then go on to the next thing. You feeling bad does not do anything for me.
But I do need you to see me
I need you to pray for me and to care about me and my friends that live here. So if your heart breaks when you hear about me, then pray. Then donate. Then come and adopt me.
I’ve accepted the fact that I will live my life with no papa or mama to hug me tight when the world seems too big. It’s a hard life to live when the word “family” doesn’t exist for you. But I am child of God and my life matters.
So do something for us because right now, only my aias, volunteers, and supporters are keeping me off the streets. We are a pretty awesome group of kiddos, even if we are different. We like clean sheets and a place to live as much as anyone. But we need your help to make sure we have that.
And even though we may not say it, we still have hopes that someone will want us to call them father and that we will one day walk into a kitchen and see our own mother making breakfast for us. That could be you if you let it be.
I want to be a Hindi language professor when I get older. I will buy a motorcycle and a helmet and get a job teaching others this storytelling language. Maybe one day I will be able to have a real family. Even if I have to start it myself.
