This past week, a group of 3 new boys showed up at Masana. One of them, Antonio, had been hit by a car over the weekend and could barely walk. Abigail, our on-call doctor, checked him out and assured us the leg wasn't broken. We took him to the hospital where they confirmed that it was just a bad sprain and wrapped up his entire leg so that he couldn't bend it. He has been staying with us here at Masana ever since as we await his follow-up appointment on Monday.
Antonio, his brother, Armando, and a neighbor named Abilo all came to the city together about 2 weeks ago. They came to try and find an uncle but weren't able to locate his house so they ended up on the street instead. Their families are about 3 hours north of Maputo in a beach town called Xai-Xai. Antonio is the oldest of the group with 11 years. The other 2 are probably 9 or 10.
I wish I could say that Antonio, after suffering a car accident, is ready to go back home....but he's not. None of them are. Sadly, they are loving life on the street and how easily they make money begging. Numerous times, Armando and Abilo have come to Masana to drop off Fizz (a cheap soda) and cookies for their brother with the hurt leg. They are living it up...carefree, no one to make them do anything.
It has been raining a lot for the past few hours and I find myself praying that this group of boys would realize that its not all fun and games here on the streets of Maputo. I'm praying that they will feel the cold today as they walk the city in their wet clothes. I'm praying that they will feel hunger pains as Masana is closed for the weekend. I'm praying God will move in their hearts and their minds. I'm praying for a desire to return home.
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