Within the park here in Antigua young boys around 8 years old will walk around asking people if they need their shoes shined. This is their life. They don´t go to school, and the money they make usually goes to their parents. I struggle with this concept. On one hand if you let them shine your shoes they will make the money they need to live. My mind tends to go the other way. These boys that shine your shoes are kids. They should be in school and have the opportunity to just be kids. Day after day they walk around the park looking for work. Asking most people they walk by if they need their shoes shined. Each time they get to work they make about .40 cents. What I have been struggling with most is the fact that this is normal here. It breaks my heart to look at these kids who work so hard just to live day by day.
