On Saturday the 27th of March one of our little children ran away. It was most upsetting to Erin and I as we had spent so much time with these children. Little “Harry”*(Name changes to protect the child) disappeared in the morning when he was taken into town on a special trip to the markets. He had only been at the centre for 1 month and was there in special circumstances.
“Harry” was only eight years old and as soon as the house mother realized he was missing from the market was very devastated as the child had broken his agreement with the children’s home. The staff searched all day for him checking in with his family at his previous home and searching the streets where they had first found him.
Harry was nowhere to be found. All the other children went to bed with their friend in their prayers. Where Harry slept that night nobody knows. All we know was he wasn’t at the children’s home and he wasn’t with his family.
The day after the run away, Harry wandered back to his old residence where his mother and two brothers were still living. He was safe once more, but unfortunately due to his disobedience his circumstances would change once more.
Harry had asked to live at the children’s home, his mother allowed it, but hadn’t released him, so he was only there as long as he chose. Since he ran away this broke his agreement with the home and he was no longer allowed to live there.
Fortunately this week was day camp week and so Harry and his brothers were able to come back every day and get food and love from us. The day Harry came back was the saddest day for me. He was only gone for two days, but when he returned he had realized that things were not going to go back to “normal”. At his home he eats once a day and even coming to the day camp in his brother’s clothes he already smelt like a street kid again. Harry cried all morning as the staff and other children ran to greet him. He was really missed. The sad part was that the reason he ran away was to go and see his brothers. You see Harry is a twin – identical twin! They were close, but he never 
asked to see his family and they never came to see him until this one day he disappeared.
Please be praying for this boy. He will be back to living on the streets. Unless his family releases him to the government system he will not be allowed to return to living at the children’s home. He eats once a day, he wears dirty clothing, and he begs on the streets. This kid needs your prayers.
