“No man should
bring children into the world
who is unwilling
to persevere to
the end in their nature and education.”
― Plato
This true story I’m about to tell you
happened this morning, Sunday June 16th 2013, on Father’s Day…
I woke up early this morning getting ready
for my Sunday long run/walk. Today my sister-in-law had decided to join me. 9am
we are finally out of the house, headphones on, music blasting, and the sun is
out with still a beautiful morning breeze keeping us cool before the
temperature hit its peak. We are maintaining a good pace. Almost at a mile, alternating
between runs and speed walks, I see across the street walking down toward us 2
little “kids”. I slowed my pace as I’m not quit registering what I’m seeing. I
stop running, look at my sister who looks just as chocked as me. So I crossed the
street.
I kneeled down in front of this cute little
boy, couldn’t be more than 5 years old, barefoot, dark blisters on his little
bottom lip, and holding the hand of a very pale toddler (couldn’t be 2 yet)
dressed in a filthy 1 piece pyjama.
“Hey
baby” I said softly to the older boy “where are you going? Where do you live?”
“My
baby sister woke up so I’m taking her for a walk”
with no fear in his eyes as he is talking to a stranger “I live far, at 249 xxxxx Angela was crying so I took her for a walk”
“Where
is your mommy” I asked while wondering what we
should do next.
“My
mommy is sleeping”
“Alright” I said “show us where you
live so we can take you home”
It quickly became very clear that he didn’t
know how to get back home however he knew is address (which is part of the
project housing around where we were) unfamiliar to me.
We started walking; Angela who looked so
pale and un-normally calm, came in my arms with no hesitancy.
We walked, turned around the corner and
there was a man standing in his front yard across the housing project so I asked:
“Excuse
me sir, do you know these 2 babies?”
He said no. I explained to him what was
happening and we decided the best thing to do was to call the police.
It took the police department a little over
15 minutes before they dispatched a car to where we were. During those 15
minutes we found out a life story…what I feel safe to assume to be a sad life
story… He was 5, she was19 months old. “Daddy?
I don’t know. He is not at my house”.
“Breakfast? No, we didn’t eat yet…mommy
will make me macc n’ cheese when we get home” “I go to school at (silence)… 249
xxxxx (his address)”
I asked my sister, should we leave them
with those people since the police are coming. Thank God she was there to put
sense into me, she said Rose, we don’t
know those people. We just can’t leave the kids, and what if something happened
to them?”
The dispatched car finally came around the
corner, stopped in front of the house. The officer pulled his window down and
asked what was going on. Once again I started to tell the story and before I was
even able to finish he saw the older boy and said “you again? Don’t you live at 249 xxxx?”
The boy right away said “I didn’t go to the store, I promise!”
The officer said “yes I know, you always take care of your baby sister…” He took the
kids and put them in his backseat, I asked him where he was taking them, and he
said he was taking them home. “Why take
them home apparently they are not being taking care for”. He said he had to
go there first and then they would file with social services.
I didn’t understand. My heart was hurting.
My throat was closing up…it was painful to watch how at 5 years of age he was
so fearless of us, strangers, and of police officers. It was so disturbing to
know where they were being taking back to…
My sister said come on Rose, it is what they are supposed to do, they have to assess
the situation…let it go”
I finally put my headphone back on…music was
blasting again…I resumed my Nike+ GPS run and went back to my business. But my
day was forever changed…
EVERY child deserves to feel loved, safe and special. They
deserve a loving environment surrounded by people who cares for them. They
deserve the opportunity and ability to be a child and not be forced to grow up
too soon. They deserve an education and the chance to make a life for
themselves. ~RS
Unlike the “heroes” we create ourselves to
be such as nurse, doctors, police officers, firemen, soldiers… To be able to
bring a life into this world makes us innate heroes as it is life’s greatest
gift God endowed us despite the negativity in this world. Fathers and mothers,
let’s take our role seriously!
