The Hard, Heartbreaking Life in the Inner City. And the Joy.
At 7:30 this morning I pulled into the Center parking lot. A car with a window missing
and a billowing blanket in its place was in the lot, doors open. The car was filled with
junk. Two people, a man and a woman, were bent over large pieces of metal on the
ground, scrubbing them. I stopped and rolled my window down. The man
approached. I said good morning, how are you? Fine, ma'am. We're just cleaning off
the metal so we can scrap it (it isn't accepted if it is dirty). But the man was dirty,
and sweaty and so tired looking. He was probably mid-thirties going on mid-sixties. I
thought of my sons. One with God; one lawyering on the side of justice every day.
This humble man was a child once, I thought. It breaks my heart to see him. To know
he has God-given talents that he hasn't been able to realize.
He told me they were up all night looking for scrap. The woman didn't look at
me...The man asked for only one thing: water. I had a thermos of water in the
cupholder next to me. I have this, I told him. Would you like this? His eyes were
eager: Yes, please. Here you go - you can keep it. I gave him my thermos and
without knowing me or knowing if I was sick, he drank. God bless him. Lord, be with
him and his friend.
We don't want one child to grow up with unknown struggles that lead to
scrapping all night and begging for water. Not one. Please help us help the
children. We need food and books for the children. We need to maintain the Center
so the children have The Day School and have after-school activities. We need to
keep the lights on. We need to compensate our truly amazing co-workers who have
risen above the struggles and are now helping the children to do the same. We need
you.
We love you all.
