Continued from the last post....

Later on that day, Corina, Heidi, Corina's parents and I went to the streets again. This time to a place that they go every year. To a place that knew Corina and the El Jordan ministry. I honestly had to hold back tears at the way these people live. As we arrived about 30 people gathered around a statue in a small grassy area between two busy roads. About half of them had glue to their noses and the other half were pulling out their glue spiratically during the evening. Here, glue is the cheap drug that is most commonly used on the streets. It's the glue used by carpenters. Many times, street children are addicted to it by the time they reach 7 years old. I was told by one man that moms make their babies sniff it when they cry to calm them down. The effects of this drug is just as strong as any other drug thats illegal in Canada. Hazy, droopy eyes, rolling on the ground groaning, slurred words etc. Women, men and children all gathered around us, eager for what they knew we had, but also excited to see Corina and the rest of them again. Many of these people had met Corina and her parents years ago when they were but street kids. After we gathered them together, Corina's dad shared with them the gospel. The response varied. For those who were not high, they seemed to be drawn to the truth. People sitting in a micro that had stopped beside us leaned their heads out of the windows in order to here the message more clearly and a small crowd gathered on the grass. However, there were also many who were high who caused quite a big distraction. They fought with each other and talked loudly. Some were laying on the ground, and some simply wandered around. It broke my heart. They are having the good news of Jesus Christ layed out for them simply and yet the sin they've indulged in has caused a barrier thick and strong. After that we prayed for the food and started to hand it out. They acted as if they thought that if they didn't fight for a meal, they wouldn't get one. So, the fighting and discieving began. Those who already got one would shove it in their purses and ask for another one and those who didn't get one yet tried grabbing either someone elses meal or overbearing those handing them out. We had to hand out the food by stratigically placing ourselves. The presents were handed out much the same way.
It was about that point that I met the little three year old girl who captured my heart and broke it to peices all at the same time. She crept up beside me and tapped my leg, then quickly scampered away with a giggle. Then she peeked out from her hiding spot and ran and hit my leg again then giggled as I made a face at her. Running up to me she buried her face in my legs in a big hug. Then she grabbed my hands, so I spun her around in the air. She laughed histerically. Then we callapsed on the ground in giggles as I tickled her. After that we played all evening, I got very dizzy from spinning her around, but she loved it. A man came to me then and tried to take her from me. Seeing how happy she was when she was spinning, he tried the same thing, but she errupted in tears. He let her go and she ran terrified to me and buried her face in my lap. Her fear of men must have come from somewhere- and that broke my heart. It came time for us to leave and so I told her that I had to leave. But instead of letting go of me, she clung on even more. We looked for her mom and found that she was no where in sight, so Heidi dragged her kicking and screaming to another lady who said she knew her. The lady looked at Heidi and just said, "Why don't you just take her?". I wished so desperately that that would be the right thing to do. That I could do that with a right conscience. But this little one had a mom, and even though she was no where in sight, she may not appreciate coming back to a missing daughter. We left her screaming on the grass and it took every bit of strength in me to do so. As I looked back over my shoulder I saw her walking aimlessly down the road in search of her mom. A little three year old. And no one bothered to help her. This precious little girl will most likely grow up on the streets, and her childlike innocence won't last much longer. I don't know how to deal with the pain that causes, all I know to do is pray for her little life. That somehow she will know that she doesn't have to live like everyone around her, that the Lord loves her and she can have a better life than that. I will never stop praying for her.
I talked to Corina later about her and learned a little about her mom's story. Apparently the little girl is the youngest of 5 or 6. Most of her kids were given (by her) to an orphanage and never checked up on again.