Sad situation in L.A.

When I set out to see more of the world, this is not the kind of thing I needed to run across.

Yesterday morning, we were outside a reciever's yard, my husband was inside, when someone knocked on my window. This is not a good neighborhood. (Long Beach Blvd, and South 24th.) It's full of run down shops, prostitutes, drug dealers.. not somewhere I would normally be found. But when I saaw who knocked, I was shocked. There stood this kid. So I rolled the window down a little. And he asked me for "a little change", because he needed to buy milk for his sister. I handed him $2 in quarters, and he called out to "Samantha". And from over near the back of the tractor comes this TINY little girl!! (I thought she was 4 or 5.)

This is their story..

Their mother likes to drink and run around with her "boyfriends". I'm not sure whether or not she is a hooker, but the way he said "boyfriends" sure makes it sound that way.

They have been in and out of foster care since he was 10. (He's 15 now.) She was only 3 the first time "Mommy Dearest" kicked them out! Every time they have been in Foster Care, they have been separated and allowed little contact with each other. And then they are returned to this woman who tosses them out again after a few weeks. He is terrified that one day they will return Samantha to their mother, and she will toss her out before he gets back.

The little girl was clean, in semi-decent clothes, wrapped up in a man's flannel shirt. His jeans were ragged and dirty. He was wearing a tank top. When I asked him where his warm shirt was, he looked at his baby sister. So I knew where his good shirt was.

When they left the truck, they left with $10 in change, 8 apples, a bunch of canned food, and a good flannel shirt!

Proper authorities have been contacted, thru round about means. But I cannot get these kids off my mind. I wanted nothing more than to take them home with me. All I could see was my 14 year old trying to protect one of his cousins...

 

I don't get it either. The urge to just gather them up, and take them with me was so strong. If it were not for the fact that someone could cry "kidnapping", would have! I just cried when they left. There was really nothing I could do! So I did all I could and let them go.

To be honest, that young man is something to be proud of in today's world. He loves his baby sister and it shows. SHE was wearing his only warm shirt. SHE got to get the first apple from the bag. And when they walked off, SHE was carrying the bag full of plums. The lightest bag. He had everything else.

SHE goes to school every day. He told me he makes sure of it. He gets whatever odd jobs people will give him.

How many young teenage boys would sacrifice so much for someone else?

 

He seems to hang out around Gold Star Foods, in downtown Los Angeles... he says the truck drivers are far more generous than anyone else out there.

These kids wander through my dreams, and I wholeheartedly wish I could just bring them home with me....