Bruno has matured as a beggar. It is not that he has become better asking for money. He never had any problems in that department. After all, he is a highly intelligent young man. Among all the teens, he is the best at begging. He always receives more than he needs and shares it around. He also receives tons of clothes which he never refuses but he never seems to use. He used to keep some of them in our house and then eventually forgot them altogether. Now, he gives them away to families living in the streets. He has developed an excellent technique for begging.

He loves movies but not just any movies; only the ones that have been nominated for the Oscars. He cites the winners since the fifties by memory. He likes to tell people that his favorite movie is “Sophie’s Choice”. This usually takes them by surprise. They never expect a homeless youth to like a movie of this calibre. His general knowledge on literature is not too bad. He likes to say that Mark Twain is his favorite even though he has never read anything by him. It never fails to impress people. He is not exactly lying. He really is interested in these things but not enough to pursue them more profoundly. He is happy to just to talk about it enough for people to see beyond his old and worn out clothes covered with food stains and unkept hair. He looks like he hasn’t seen the inside of shower for weeks. However, the other teens tell us that he washes his clothes regularly and takes daily showers. It is true. He does not emit any unpleasant odor. His look is deliberate. He knows that people are enchanted with a certain idea of a beggar. Therefore he plays the role they desire to see. It is his only way to become more visible. However, Bruno did not always dress or act this way.

Bruno used to dress up like a college student so we were told. He wore a polo shirt and long pants and carried a folder with his note book. He made every effort to look studious. Unfortunately, despite all his efforts, his appearance never gave him any visibility. No one took notice of him outside of our children. Besides, a well dressed black Brazilian living in the streets also draws the attention of the police. They always assume that the well-dressed ones are involved in crime. It seemed there was nothing Bruno could do to be visible.

He was put in an orphanage when he was six. His mother was too poor and had to make painful choice. She chose his sister over him. It is a choice that Bruno never forgot. It is story not unlike the movie, “Sophie’s Choice”. It killed something in Bruno. No doubt, he liked the orphanage. He really took advantage of the education he received there. Unfortunately, he knew that he would have to leave when he turned 18. By then, he had enough of rejections in his life. This time he decided to leave before he faced another. This is how he ended up in the streets.

He always tried to fit in. His mind was always actively learning about things to perhaps help him gain some recognition. Unfortunately, no one was interested in a homeless black teen who looked like a college student. He found out that the best way for him to survive in the streets was to become a beggar. He set his mind to this task. He observed other beggars and discovered that those who had pets drew more attention and subsequently more money. He adopted a dog and cat. He would sit outside a restaurant and supermarket with a book in his hand. This was enough to draw anyone’s attention. Suddenly, Bruno was visible in this world. He found out that in this tragic world, being a beggar is the best role afforded to him.

Bruno used to be extremely manipulative. Initially, people were more interested in the animals than in him. It seems this society is accustomed to young black youths living in the streets but not animals. They asked questions about the animals that looked extremely healthy and happy. The dog, incidentally, was rescued by the teens. It almost drowned in the canal when the teens risked their lives to save it. Felipe and Bruno took care of it for a long time. Bruno also rescued the kitten abandoned near a busy highway.

People were more concerned about the welfare of the animals than Bruno’s. Of course, being an intelligent person, he exploited the situation. He always managed to scrounge some money off almost everyone who stopped to pat the animals. Sometimes, it was quite embarrassing for us to see how he shamelessly took advantage of people. To a certain extent, it put a strain on our relationship for a short period. This was a few years ago. Like I said before, Bruno has matured as a beggar.

The years of being invisible has made Bruno sensible to people who are invisible like him. However, they may not be living in the streets. They live in apartments but they are no longer deemed important by society. These are the elderly people who once were mothers, grandmothers and even business owners. Now, they are discarded because of their age and illness or their incapability to do things that they once did very well. Once again, the animals are the point of contact between Bruno and these people.

When I visited Bruno in the streets last week, there was an elderly woman talking with him. He immediately wanted to introduce me to this woman. She was a little shy and hardly spoke to me. Bruno later told me that she comes to him and talks to him quite frequently. She is quite elderly, maybe in her late eighties and lives on a limited income. No one cares for her, Bruno said. He receives nothing from her except her undivided attention and he returns the favor. He looks forward to her visit everyday even if it is for only few minutes. Another elderly woman came by with cooked food for the dog and another plate of food for Bruno. She is another new friend that he just recently made. She lives alone too. She saw Bruno begging from her apartment window and went down to talk with him. She could not afford to give anything except what she makes for lunch. She always comes to have a chat with Bruno. Another woman came by and talked to him when I was there. She asked about the animals and before she left, Bruno stopped her and told her that he was grateful for her attention. The woman was obviously touched. This time Bruno wasn’t trying to be manipulative. He genuinely was thankful for her presence without expecting any monetary benefits.

There is something more sincere about Bruno now. He is making himself available to people who are just like him; the invisible ones. It is not a one way relationship. They are mutually blessed. Bruno is a beggar but he has become richer in ways very few people will realize. Perhaps only to those who are able to see beyond the young man begging there. He has definitely changed. I hope that one day he can find something better. It is a pity that such an intelligent young man like Bruno should resign himself to this role. He confessed that he hopes the same. This is not the lifestyle for anyone. In spite of this, he has discovered how to be available to people for whom no one has time to appreciate. Bruno went into begging to earn money but he ended up learning something valuable that most so-called well to do people never learn. I thank God for Bruno and not only him but the other children and teens like Felipe and Daniel for their availability. They open themselves up to receive others and in the end, they receive God’s abundant grace in their lives. It helps me understand the profound words of Jesus when He said,

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”-Matthew 11:25-26