“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

My mother was slipping in and out of consciousness. Unexpectedly, she opened her eyes and asked me if I remembered the time when she waited with me for the school bus. Of course I did. I was a little surprised that she recalled this particular and uneventful episode in this last moment of her life. There was nothing spectacular, no great conversations. We just stood there and waited for the school bus. The driver was always late. I was always bored and restless. My mother was always anxious to get back to her countless tasks waiting at home. Without fail, everyday we went through the same routine. I didn’t think anything of it back then. It wasn’t necessary. My mother took care of everything. I never imagined that this woman would not be with me after I turned 22. Strangely, I do not have many vivid memories of my mother. The thing I remember clearly was shelling beans with her. I was about five. By the time I came along, my mother had acquired the art of delegating duties to the children. There was a wide age gap between my siblings and I. They were in high school and I was the only one idle at home. I remembered it being an endless torture sitting there doing this apparently meaningless task. Today, every single day as I cook, I become that little boy sitting in the kitchen with his mother.

A teenage boy came up to us and shook our hands and acted like he had known us for some time. I do not recall ever meeting him. Finally, I said something about it. “But I know you!”, he responded. “You and your wife used to sit outside the church and wait for us to do something with you.” He added that he was in the juvenile detention center for a while, perhaps this is why we had forgotten about him. Most likely it was because of the fact that he never interacted with us directly. He had just seen us doing the most boring part of our ministry here. Sometimes when we sat there for a long time doing absolutely nothing, I felt like I was wasting precious time. Yet, this young teenager remembers us because of this.

My whole life I have been part of religious traditions (both Roman Catholic and Anglican) which observe the season of Advent. It was a time reminding us that we are a people preparing ourselves for our Lord’s return. The problem is that it is never clear how we go about preparing ourselves. Some people think that it means being aware of the signs of the End. There are a slew of books on this theme. We could waste precious on them. Besides, we have been having these signs since the day Jesus died on the Cross. Furthermore, being well-informed about the signs is not synonymous with being prepared. Jesus is and always will be our example. He spent years preparing Himself for His ministry. It took up a bulk of His life on earth for a ministry lasting a relatively short time. We have no reliable information about this time but there are indications that it was not anything remarkable. The people of his hometown, for example, found it hard to believe that someone as ordinary as Jesus could be the Messiah, even his own family had a hard time with it. Jesus was so engaged in the daily routine things of life that no one expected anything spectacular from this man. The Messiah spent a vast majority of his Life on earth doing mundane things! They became the basis for his parables and teachings. They helped Him connect in a real and concrete way with the people.

There were several occasions in the streets when the teens ask our help with getting their documents. The bureaucracy here gives one a foretaste of purgatory, definitely the devil had an hand in this. Everything which is simple is deliberately complicated for no logical reason. Usually parents here help their children with documents. Our teens do not have this privilege and we are the next best thing. We spent hours in offices with our teens waiting for something which could be done in five minutes. Complaining doesn’t help. It makes matters worse. We just have to sit and endure the monotony. Our teens tend to close up when they are out of their environment. They feel so insecure in these places and even the most outgoing ones become taciturn. On one occasion we were so bored that we were started making up fake background stories of each of the staff who were attending the people. Renan was with us at that time. He found it amusing and joined in the fun. We were laughing so hard that we almost missed his turn. Renan always remembered that moment. He used to talk about it with us even weeks after the fact. It is the most precious memory we have of him. He was murdered a few months later. I am grateful that we had the chance to be with him. It was the only moment where he was no longer a homeless teen but just a regular boy having fun with some adult friends. Thankfully we decided to go with him to do one of the most wearisome things. It turned out to be a gift from God for us.

The Kingdom of God is not like this world. Here we are programmed to be impressed with great and impressive deeds. We find small and so-called insignificant things as obstacles to our greater pursuits. Whereas most of the parables and the teachings of Jesus point to us in the opposite direction. Jesus did not think that thirty years as a carpenter was a waste of his talents. They helped him to become who He was. They gave him the necessary tools to communicate the gospel to the people. The devil wanted Jesus to start big but Jesus chose a humbler route. If we are to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God, then we appreciate the seemingly meaningless tasks that we are faced with everyday. These things are always present regardless of what happens in the world. Kingdoms might fall, economies might be completely devastated, and another pandemic might be looming around the corner. None of these things changes the fact that we still need to do the tedious and necessary things of everyday life in order to survive. These are simple things that are often overlooked but they have great potential. They are opportunities to show our love. Our children and teens have tons of people willing to do the “big” deeds. There are groups that are willing to feed all the homeless in the city. There are groups that were activated to help them during the worst moment of the pandemic. However, these things happen but for a season. Sometimes, these seasons linger on a bit longer than we like. However, they are not the things which are etched in the minds of those whom we love. It is everyday tasks that register in the hearts and minds of people. Our children and teens want someone to love them in the everyday things. Perhaps we undervalue these things and do not treat them with the respect and reverence as we should. I am thankful that my mother made me sit down in the kitchen and shell beans with her. She would have never imagined that it would become a symbolic moment that I would carry with me all my life.

Our preparation for the Kingdom of God starts with the small and necessary things in life; in other words, the mundane and boring things. These are moments that Life has given us to show our love to those whom we serve. They are moments for us to reflect on the meaning of love. We should not throw these opportunities away, neither should we rush through them. They might be only opportunities to show our love to those whom God has given us in this life. Our journey towards perfection starts with these things. Jesus Himself said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2

In another time and place, I worked with children who had behavioral issues. My job placed me in a private school to work one-on-one with a boy. I was taking a break in the courtyard when a ten year-old girl came up to me with a ball and asked me if I would play catch with her. She was usually shy and quiet and fairly new to the school too. There were tons of children and teachers around but she chose me. I was not a complete stranger. We were renting an apartment from her grandparents. I had seen her several times at their place. I had spoken to her mother on several occasions. I knew a little bit more about her than she realized. She and her sister were adopted. They came from an extremely abusive home. This little girl suffered the most in order to spare her little sister the torment. Consequently, the younger girl came out of the situation more intact than her older sibling.

We played catch for a while and then she wanted to talk. She asked about my work with the homeless children ( I had just completed my time as a lay missionary then) and she shared about things she liked to do. It was a pleasant encounter for me. I knew that she had been a source of pain and suffering for her new family. She had been defiant with her adopted mother and at times she even retaliated with physical violence. It is hard to imagine that this sweet girl was capable of this. She wasn’t pretending to be someone else with me. She was who she was. The problem was that at home, she lost a role that she cherished. This role gave her an opportunity to live out her true identity, despite the cruel circumstances. Now that things have changed for the better she felt lost and useless. She wanted to redeem her role as the protective loving sister. It was a good and selfless role she performed for her sister but that role was no longer necessary. Unfortunately, this little girl did not know how to be a loving sister without the horrible situation. She is an adult now. I hope she has found a way to be who she is despite the changes. She is a good person and has much to offer. I am glad that for a brief moment she shared her gift with me. It will always be with me.

The above gospel reading starts with devastating news. The temple was going to be destroyed. These words must have scandalized and disturbed the disciples. The temple was the center of their identity as a people. It reminded them of their vocation in the world. It was also the symbol of unity. The Jewish people were living in different parts of the Roman world and there were cultural and language barriers between them. Despite their differences, the temple provided a venue where they could be one people again. Besides, the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah and they assumed that the temple was going to play a major role in His ministry. Now they are hearing that God would not save the Temple from destruction. The foundation of their identity was to be shaken.

The temple was a symbol of everything good and holy for the people of Israel. Being a protective sister was a symbol of goodness and love for this little girl who only experienced hatred since she was an infant. All of us have something which serves as a symbol of the potential goodness giving us a sense of purpose in life. For me, it is my ministry in the streets. It is the place in this world where I am able to sense God’s presence in a real way. It is my sacramental space. Unfortunately, like anything in this world, one day it will be taken away from me. I do not need to be a prophet to realize this. If anything, this pandemic reminded us how easily this could happen. In fact, during the initial period of the quarantine, a lot of people wondered if this was the end. It wasn’t end. Maybe it was like a prolonged season of Advent imposed upon the world; a time when we prayerfully reflect on the last things.

During this time, I asked myself what remains of me if everything which has helped me define who I am were to be stripped from me. Most likely, it was the question that was going through the minds of the disciples when Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple.

Our children and teens face a tragic dilemma. They live in a precarious situation but at the same time, their identity is derived from this circumstance. The adults who end up in the streets due to some misfortune are not the same as our children. They once had a home and a family. Our children and teens grew up in this environment. Their ethics are constructed in this environment. They know how to be a good person in the streets. Their religious experience occurred in the context of the streets. They understood what it means to love and care for someone here. It is the place where they know what it means to love and be loved. For us, being homeless is our worst nightmare. For our children and teens, all they understand of what is good and lovely comes from their experience in the streets. They have no other reference than their homeless situation. It is a place where they found a group to belong to and if they stop being homeless, then they lose everything which is precious to them. They can’t imagine life without being homeless.

What becomes of us when our whole world falls apart? The worst thing we can do is to try to hold on these symbols that connected us to something good. In this case, these good things can become our idols and they may obstruct us from discovering the One who remains forever with us despite what happens. St Paul gives us the best answer in the New Testament. He knew firsthand what it meant to lose everything which defined him as a person. His reflections on the subject left us with these beautiful words which are comforting and relevant in all times.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

I can not guarantee myself that one day when I have to stop doing what I find to be meaningful and wonderful that life will be better. I cannot promise the children and teens that when they eventually leave the streets, they are going to be accepted into society or their suffering will be diminished. Most likely life will become harder for them. The only thing we know is that nothing constructed by our hands lasts forever. The disciples believed that the temple was based on God’s design and even then, it did not endure the test of time. Therefore, we need to place our hopes in the only thing remaining when our world falls apart. I believe life is a journey of construction and deconstruction. Each time we rebuild our lives we take a step closer in discovering the One who is always there. Each phase helps us to build our identity in the One who is able to raise us again and again. It is not something which we can teach the children and teens. It has to be lived.

There was a time when Bruno was almost adopted by an American couple. He was about ten. His mother had given him up officially to the orphanage which meant he was legally eligible for adoption. The couple came all the way from the States to spend a month with him. They specifically chose him because they wanted an older boy. Despite the language barrier, they were able to transmit a sense of warmth and kindness to him. They showed pictures of their home and Bruno thought that it looked like something from a movie. Everything seemed perfect and idyllic. Brazilian Law requires that any child above the age of eight to give consent for their own adoption. A judge visited with Bruno and tried to convince him that his life would be much better if he decided to live with these nice people. He felt pressured to give his consent but he just couldn’t do it. He stood his ground and said, “no” even though he really liked the people. He still remembers their faces. I asked why he refused to go with them. He said he was convinced that his mother would eventually come for him one day which never happened.

As far as he could remember, his mother always tried to abandon him. Once he fell asleep on the bus and his mother decided to leave him there. He got off at the terminal and found his way home despite his disjointed sense of direction. Needless to say, his mother was disappointed. Every time she tried to abandon him, he always found his way back. During his stay at the orphanage, she moved and broke all ties with him. It was then he realized that he was completely lost. This was the turning point which brought him to streets.

He was laughing when he shared this apparently tragic episode of his life. The other teens listening to this conversation did the same. They chimed in with their own stories about their parents doing the same. They too always found their way back home and now they too are lost in the streets. We might imagine that these parents are cruel and irresponsible people. To be honest, it is just a tragic situation. Some of these parents really believed that their children might have a better life in the streets than with them. I have heard people say this. In many situations, they are right. There is also the issue of mental illness. A large number of our children and teens have at least one parent with mental illness. When we add extreme poverty to the mix, it becomes a perfect recipe for a tragic tale.

I asked Bruno if he regretted his decision about his adoption. He still believes that he made the right choice. He just finds it hard to believe that complete strangers would accept him when his own mother did not want him. He is not the only one. I heard others who had similar opportunities say the same thing. It is not that they did not want to be in a loving home and environment. They yearned for that. However, they could not imagine that anyone would be willing to love them especially when their own parents had abandoned them in the woods. Unfortunately, most of them believe that they are indirectly responsible for being rejected, or worse, being unlovable. They carry this weight in their soul and yet, they don’t really know how to be relieved from this heavy burden.

I asked Bruno if he is happy with his life. He smiled and responded that if I had asked this question a few years ago, he would have told some lies about it. Now he feels comfortable with the truth. He said that a few days ago he went to Felipe’s house. Davi, Felipe’s two year old son ran up to him and sat on his lap while the boy’s father prepared a dinner plate for him. He sat there thinking, “I have a family now. It is not perfect but at least I am wanted here.”

It took us a long time to understand what Bruno meant. These children and teens have been inflicted with a deep wound of rejection. The streets is where rejected people end up in this city. The children, however, cannot shake off their innate desire to be part of a family; to feel protected and loved unconditionally. They try to cultivate something of a family with the other children and teens. After some time, they form a community among themselves. It is far from perfect and many times convoluted, perhaps like many so-called normal families. Despite everything, we cannot deny that there exists genuine love among them. Their relationship with each other is an important aspect in their lives and identity. Felipe and Bruno used to share drugs together before. This was their initial bond. Now, Felipe shares his home with Bruno. In return, Bruno, who spends his day begging, buys food and hygiene supplies for them. He doesn’t do this because he feels obliged. He does it because he wants to contribute something to his family.

The children and teens took what was given to them and built a family that would help them move forward in life. Perhaps, what they consider forward might seem inadequate for the mass majority of us. We have constructed our world and ideas of successes and failures from different building blocks. Our homeless youth’s foundation had their start in life from a negative foundation; rejection. Nevertheless, it did not turn into something bitter and full of hatred, albeit a small minority have take this road. Most of them used their common experience to nurture a bond to help them face this harsh world.

They have invited us to be part of this family too, in spite of the fact that we do not share their devastating sense of rejection. We hope to bring something positive to their relationship. In a strange way, the Pandemic helped to strengthen our connection with them. During the months of isolation, the children and teens were our only contact with the world. When our world seemed to disintegrate, God used these children and teens to bring balance and healing to our souls. Perhaps, this helped the most. The teens saw that we could receive something from them. This is part of what it means to be in a family. We give and receive from each other. In a sense, this is the acceptance that the teens are searching for in the streets. They want to know that they too can give something valuable to this world.

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

I came home from the streets a little unsettled. The day had seemed fruitful. I had some good conversations with Daniel. Unfortunately, he was using a certain kind of inhalant drug which has caused the deaths of many teens. Obviously, it disturbed me. I asked him to go for a walk with me but without the drug. He threw it away immediately and we went to get something to eat. The effects of the drug wore off fast. We had a good talk but I was still disturbed that Daniel was using something which could kill him.

I went on to meet the other kids. Sabrina was sitting on her own and she told me that the others were around. I left her there and when to look for them. Eventually Bruno come back and so did Jean and a new boy whose name I did not have the chance to find out. A fight broke out between the two younger boys. Bruno made a feeble effort to break it up. Usually, we do not get involved unless someone’s life is in danger. They were fighting over something trivial like two silly boys. Nevertheless, it was a little unnerving. Eventually, they got tired and stopped. I talked with Bruno for a while. We had a good conversation but I was still feeling little uneasy over the whole scene. One might think that I would be used to this. Thankfully, I am not. I do not want to treat violence as something normal. On the way home, I met Felipe. He was nearby because of his work. I haven’t had any quality time with him since he moved. We talked for a while. By the time, I got home it was late. It had been a full day.

I should have been happy with the day. I had many fruitful contacts despite some unpleasant things. However, I still had this troubling thought that I missed something valuable. It only came to me much later, after a night’s sleep. I completely overlooked Sabrina. She was there in her usual quiet manner doing something special. I allowed my mind to be distracted by the fight and the drugs. This is the problem when our minds do not know what to seek for, we allow secondary things to dominate our thoughts. We miss out on the important details, in my case, it was Sabrina.

I have read this gospel story many times. More often than not, I tend to focus on the obvious; the difference in attitude between the wealthy contributors and the widow. My present “congregation” has no wealthy people, well at least not in the material sense of the word. However, it does not mean that this story is not applicable. The attitude of the wealthy is present and alive among the homeless youth. In the streets, there are some teens who engage in criminal activities, not all, but the majority unfortunately. Most of them will admit that is not necessary. However, it gives the attention that they crave, albeit not positive. They would rather have this than be completely invisible. The wealthy in the gospel story used their wealth to assert their presence and some of the teens use crime. Then, there are those who remain invisible to the world. They too desire to be part of something greater than themselves but are unsure if they have a place. In this reality, you have to promote yourself in order to make something of yourself. However, the Kingdom of God is not of this world. The Good Shepherd sat in a strategic location in the temple. He was in an excellent place to observe everything. The usual suspects were there asserting their presence. He waited for the widow. His mind was not fashioned by this world. He sought the invisible ones first. Unfortunately, I can not say the same for myself. I was distracted by the things of the world. My attention went to the ones who made the loudest noise. It is not easy. We live in this world and we cannot resist thinking like this world.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

When I saw Sabrina alone, she was tearing a blank page out of Bruno’s notebook. While the boys were busy fighting, she was drawing a flower and then proceeded to shade it with her pencil because she did not have any color pencils. She was so involved in her art that she hardly looked up when the boys were physically going at each other. She wanted some peace and quiet and she wasn’t going to allow the chaos around her to distract her. We met her for the first time a couple years ago. She had just arrived to the streets then. I remembered her innocence. It almost made her look vulnerable and lost in the streets. It made us feel concerned that she might be dreadfully exploited in the streets. She quietly sat next to us and started coloring. She introduced herself to us as Sabrina. Immediately, the image of Sabrina the Teenage witch from the Archie comics came to my mind. Sounds a little banal. The name is not common here. After this, we never saw her again. We hoped that perhaps she went home.

She reappeared about a month ago. She ran up and gave me a hug. She was genuinely happy to see me. Her first question was whether I remembered her name. It took me a few seconds and then I said, “Sabrina!” It brought a smile to her face. It was sheer luck really. I am ashamed to say that the only reason why I remembered her name because of the comic book character. I was never into comics! Anyway, she looked different now. She tried going back to her family and something brought her back to the streets. Her arms were now covered with tattoos. However, she still maintained her childlikeness. Obviously she liked art. Some of the children and teens have a special relationship with art. Something that someone pragmatic like myself might find it hard to fully comprehend. However, for these young people, it helps them to connect with something greater than themselves. Sabrina was involved in drawing when there was chaos around her. She was like the widow. In the midst of those people depositing large amount of money in the treasury, the widow was determined to contribute her humble gift so that she too could participate something greater than herself. No one noticed her except Jesus. Jesus noticed Sabrina too. On the other hand, I was too busy being distracted but thankfully, it is not too late.

The next day we put together some coloring books and a bag of colored pencils for her. I was going to give them to her. I went to the streets excited but she wasn’t around. I waited for her a while but she did not show up. I wasn’t disappointed. I felt like my eyes were opened. Jesus sat in a position to observe the people whom the world overlooks. He did not allow the values and drama of this world to distract him. He searched for the widows and orphans. I eventually went around looking for the other children and a young boy, Gabriel, came up to me. He never interacted with me before. He wanted to tell me about his fear of bees. Of course, it wasn’t about bees. A new door was being opened for me. Unknowingly, Sabrina was the key. There are tons like her around. They are always unnoticed. However, Jesus always notices them. He does not let his mind get distracted. It is good for us to renew our minds and see things the way He sees them.

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. I Kings 19:11-12

Nobody was around. I was a little early. Not exactly early. It was about three in the afternoon.
Lately the children don’t come up until much later. This is part of many subtle changes in the center. The city is slowly trying to resume her regular activities. Everyone is trying to get into some sort routine not unlike before the pandemic. It will take a while before we fully comprehend the new normal. There are some depressing signs. The city center looks abandoned. Lots of stores are closed and some buildings show signs of deterioration. Many people have died including business owners. People like to point out which stores had owners who met with a tragic end. It is a conversational topic nowadays. Even on my way to the street, I saw a newsstand with a sign saying that the owner has passed away. He was only in his forties. I used to exchange greetings with him. For our children and teens, the major change is the scarcity of food. There is still an abundance of food but it is not accessible to everyone. There used to be many groups delivering food to the homeless several times a day. Now the homeless have to wait until six in the evening to eat. Most of the children would rather stay down under the bridge until then. Every evening a spiritualist group feeds the homeless. They have been doing this for years. It is part of their religious belief. It has something to do with creating positive karma. They do not interact with the people. They fear that interaction might be perceived as a reward for their good works. They want to save it for the afterlife. It is very possible that I am oversimplifying their doctrine. All the same, I am just grateful for them. They ensure that the homeless get at least one hot meal a day. For the moment, it is the only meal for most of them.

Sometimes the children ask us to buy them some food. We are their last resort. They have a different kind of relationship with us which they don’t want to change. They consider it humiliating to beg for food or money. They would rather do it with someone with whom they don’t have any relationship. Everything is compartmentalized in the minds of our children and teens. Certain people are for certain things. They beg from complete strangers. They receive food donations from certain groups. There are social workers who deal only with medical issues. Then there are those who provide blankets and even temporary shelter on cold days. Most of these people have a limited relationship with these children. They are restricted by their jobs and their task. Nevertheless, they play an important role and in a way, they free us up too. They give us an opportunity to occupy a different space with these young people. We do not have anything defined. This is intentional. Sometimes a newcomer to the street will ask us for money and the older teens will let him or her know, “Uncle Stephen and Aunty Mary are not the kind of people for these things. They are here for different purpose.” No one can really say what is our purpose exactly. It evolves with our relationship with them. We play a different role with each child. When the children are really young, we spend time with them and allow them to have their childhood. Other times, we accompany them to the doctors when they don’t feel well. We celebrate their birthdays. As they grow older, they want us to accompany them to get their documents. They call us when they need help with a job. They even use our address in their job applications. Most of the time, they like to talk about things in general. We allow them to be curious about life and God. They can ask questions without being feeling embarrassed or stupid. When they become young adults, they want us to accompany them in their journey. It is a scary world for them and they want someone who understands them to be with them without any judgment. These are new grounds for us. It is the first time we are walking with them as adults. Now, we have a new role added. We are their last resort when they cannot find any food. Whenever we buy them a meal, we sit and talk with them. We want it to be like friends having a meal together. In this way, we keep our previous roles intact and do not let them be absorbed by the present crisis. Besides it gives us another opportunity to enjoy their presence. After all, this is the essence of breaking bread together.

It seems like every time I come to the streets, I don’t know what will happen. We cannot program anything in the streets. The children and teens are free. They are free to be with us or ignore us. Most of the time we just sit and wait. Usually, I don’t have to wait long. Someone comes over and sits with us. Sometimes in the moments of waiting, I hear God’s voice. I was hoping that it would be the case this time. Sure enough, I heard a voice calling out my name. Of course, it wasn’t God, well, at least not directly. It was Kawanna. She gestured for me to come over. Just around the corner where I was sitting, there was a small patch of grass. We hardly go to this area because the children rarely hang out here. However, today there were about thirty of them. All new faces from eight to twelve devouring sandwiches which Erica frantically was preparing for them. She was about their age when we first met her. Now she is twenty and taking the role of a mother figure. It would have made a perfect picture if I was that kind of person who took pictures. I am not so these words will have to do. Kawanna commented that all these children just showed up in the midst of the Pandemic. Unfortunately, there are more. They are elsewhere wandering around the center. These children have run away to the streets in the worst possible time. I can’t imagine what they were escaping. I was looking at their faces. Some of them looked like rascals but all of them had their innocence intact. Unfortunately, things will change for many of them. They will learn to do everything that it takes to survive. Some may not make it even though I hope to God that they all do. Miracles still do happen.

When we came here in 2013, there was a large of group of children freshly arrived to the streets. Daniel, Ruan, Dreyson, Alex, Guilherme, Aline, Vanessa, Wanderson and many more were among them. Most of them are twenty or older now. Almost all of them made it. I was about to write everyone until I remembered a few faces who met tragic ends. This first group are young adults now but in our minds they are still children. Now, we are in a different phase in our relationship with them. I wonder how things are going to turn out with these new lads. I was looking at them when one of the boys made eye contact with me. He held up his sandwich and asked me if I wanted to share it with him. “Not today but maybe one day soon we will break bread together.”