A Sad Story

A Sad Story I am a single working mother and going to college for a better life for my three year child and myself. I am taking a course called "Urban Community." We were asked to do a major project on problems in the Urban Communities. I choose the topic Homeless."

Each day I would walk the streets of the homeless and offer them something to drink and to eat. I know its tough to survival on the streets. Last night I ran into a group of 30 kids who were living on the streets on NY. I spoke to a few of them. They were ages 13 to 16. My heart went out to them and I just wanted to cry. I had to be strong. One girl who is pregnant and her boyfriend was very supportive toward her but I had told all of them about the Convent House, that there is help out there.

I told her she needs the proper care for her child's needs. She told me that she has been taken care of her child and that she will do the right thing. My heart was broken when I saw all these children on the streets of New York. They told me they traveled all over the place as a group. Some of them said they hooker and panhandle and do odd jobs for people. None of them were high on drugs nor were they drinking. At least not this group. I asked about their families and if they contact them to let them know they were alive. Most of them said, "NO.' They all look like a happy family and they took care of one another. I really tried to persuade them to get help and to contact their families but they did not want to. I did not want to push the issue. All these kids were very respectful. Some of them enjoyed reading and writing. They said their education is important to them but they teach each other. Some of them enjoyed skate boarding, dancing and playing music. One girl asked me if I could give her a hug and I did. She started to cry and said, "Thank you for not treating us as freaks like everyone else does. People don't realize that we all have our own problems but some are worse then others." She told me that her stepfather was sexually abusing her and her mother did not believe her. She ran away." Her street name is little Mary. They were good kids just trying to make ends meet. I told them that I don't have much to offer because I am a single Mom just making ends met. I had offered them sandwiches and soda. They were so happy to have something to eat and told me that I can't change the world but at least there is someone who really cares. I cried and told them to be save and to please be careful because we all live in a dangerous world. They told me that they are moving to a new area and did not say where. God Bless these Child