Justice Initiatives: Street Boy
"Let the little children come to me…" — Jesus
Written in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Sunrise… midday noon;
Sunset… deepening gloom
Street boy so forlorn.
Crumpled, tumbled, twisted, trumpled
Muffled, ruffled,
Mauled, appalled
Father, Mother, Auntie dear
None of these by you draw near
Lonely boy
Twisted, mis-fitted, abandoned, alone
Crafty, nasty, sinewy boned
Lonely street boy with no home
Darkness, starkness, shivering cold
Insides gnawing,
Grasping, clawing
For that morsel tossed and old
Sewers, strangers, fearful forms
These other too
Surrounding you
Lonely wanderers, scorned!
Scheming, lying, cheating, beguiling
You’ve learned so well
The way to hell
Ruined boy in God’s image made!
Hopeless, copeless
Broken within
Course, unmannered, hardened by sin.
Poor desolate boy!
Who can reach you?
Who can teach you?
Who dare love you?
Poor twisted boy!
Note: Mongolia’s streets are home to 4,000 children who live their lives doing anything from begging to stealing, from sex work to a host of other menial tasks — just to stay alive. Abandoned street children are not unique to Mongolia; other Asian countries also boast of this shameful reality. (Statistics from Asia Child Rights, a campaign of Asia Human Rights Commission.)
Praise and pray
- Praise God for those who are taking affirmative action about child poverty.
- Pray that governments will address the issues of children who have been abandoned or have left their homes due to poverty.
