“Would you like to buy a bracelet?”
He said it with such a small voice. He placed a handful of multi-colored rubber bracelets before me.
I showed him both my wrists, each filled and said “I have no more room.”
His little face sunk.
I asked him his name, he said “Carlos.”
I sat there at a coffee shop in the central park of Antigua with this little, precious face before me.
As I stood there, The Lord put in on my heart to buy him ice cream and get to know him.
I asked Carlos if he wanted some ice cream and his face lit up!
On our way to McDonalds, we got a chance to chat.
Me: How old are you?
Carlos: 9
Me: When is your birthday?
Carlos: I don’t know…
Me: Well then let’s call today your birthday.
Me: How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Carlos: 9, I am the middle child. My oldest brother died when I was young.
Me: Do you go to school?
Carlos: Not anymore. My teacher beat me and so I stopped going. I was in the 2nd grade.
Me: Do you normally work at the square?
Carlos: Yes, I have to make 100Q (or $13 a day) or my parents will beat me.
Me: Do your brothers work also?
Carlos: Yes, we all do. We all have to work to survive.
This kid is 9. His reality is unlike ours.
As we walked back to the square, with ice cream in hand, I was watching this child, full of scratches and scars, forget the hardships of his life and just enjoy the moment.
That in this moment he was loved. In this moment he was given a gift. In this moment he could be a child.
As we arrived back to the square I asked him one last question, “What do you know about Jesus?”
“He is alive,” with a grin full of vanilla and chocolate.
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