Street Child
by Philip Molestina
"Let the little children come to me.."
As that verse came to my mind today, it seemed such a contrast to the young girl age 7 or 8, I saw at a bustling street corner in Asunción last night. In Asunción, Paraguay like in many cities in Latin America children can be found at busy street corners juggling a few things or doing some other creative thing to entertain motorists in return for few coins.
As the father of a young child under age 10 what I saw last night gave me an unusual burden. On one hand I felt blessed that in Louisville the city where I reside with my family that even though children may have needs and challenges, it does not compare to what children face in places like Asunción. However it is difficult to forget the image of the young girl standing in the middle of scores of vehicles at that busy street corner.
My only purpose in writing this article is though it is very difficult to comprehend why situations like this exist around the world; we need to have a better appreciation of what God has given us. Myself included at times fret about so many small things that happen in our daily lives that we fail to see what we really have. Worse still is when we experiment anxiety because we cannot fulfill the whims and desires of our children.
It’s not about feeling guilt but instead in realizing that God has allowed many of us to escape the hardships a great majority of families in the world go through on a daily basis to obtain the basic necessities.
We run the danger of living so self absorbed with fulfilling our next need that we leave no room as people of God to approach the Lord in earnest prayer and intercession for those less fortunate. You may think, what can my prayers and intercession for the children that spend their waking hours at street corners hustling for a few coins, do?
I venture to trust and hope that the prayers raised to the Lord will allow this young girl to possibly have a different life in the future. I have faith that the prayers of many will allow people of God to become agents of change in cities around the world. I am confident more than anything else that the prayers by the people of God will place a burden upon Christian people in cities around the world to make a difference.
Some may say how can prayer of the people of God change things? The answer lies in the words of Jesus, he cared for the young children of His day and He still cares for them today। Our prayers and efforts must break through anything that impedes the little children to come to Jesus.
Pray that foremost husbands and wives will seek to raise families under Gods design. And that those children that have Christ as the savior and leader of their lives will seek to transmit those values and principles in the society in which they are being raised. The process will take time however the results will be evident, as the street intersection of cities empty themselves of little children and children fill instead the playgrounds and parks of these cities around the world.
