Who Cares?

Twice now since the beginning of this year, we’ve had street boys severely beaten.  And it’s as if that fact…that they are street boys…makes it no big deal.

The first boy was beaten in a local cemetery and left for dead.  We found him a day later and got him to the hospital.  He underwent 2 operations to drain the blood from his skull.  He survived but he’s not the same.  Because of the trauma he suffered, he now has mental deficiencies that will probably plague him for the rest of his life.  But who cares?  He’s just a street boy. 

Last week, another street boy was beaten…and this one didn’t make it.  His attackers beat him so severely that he succumbed to his injuries.  The left him to die in the woods where his body was later found by some other street boys.  Yes, the young boy was in the wrong as he was attempting to steal a car radio.  But since when does stealing warrant death?!?!  But who cares, right?  After all, he was just another street boy. 

But I care.

It’s not okay with me that the police do nothing because it’s “just a street boy.”  It’s not okay with me that others hear of these tragedies and think, “oh well it was just another street boy.”  They are more than “just street boys.”  They are sons.  They are brothers. They are uncles and cousins.  They are my friends.

I pray that God will continue to give me His heart for these boys.  My God doesn’t see “just another street boy.”  He knows them by name.  He knit them together in their mothers’ wombs.  They are so precious in His sight.  He has such incredible plans and purposes for their lives. 

And I know my God is not okay with their lives being snatched away from them.  He cares.  He cares deeply.

May all of my boys know these truths.