oh no, i cried

I picked him out from the very beginning because I noticed how tall he had built the walls that surrounded him. He was so closed off, so shy and timid. All the kids in the room bullied him and he just put his head down even lower, as if he was a turtle retreating into his shell. I realized how he wore the same clothes to school every day. I found out he didn’t eat lunch with everyone else, he sat by a tree outside until it was time for the next class.

His mom passed away and his dad left him when he was young, he never grew up with a family.  I touched his arm and asked who his friends were here and he looked up, for the first time, and said he didn’t have any friends. This wonderful boy explained how everyone hated him here, and when he left school there was no mom or dad to come home to.

“oh no… Haley’s crying again.”

Maybe I did let a few tears roll down my cheeks as I let his story sink in. I told him that if it was possible for me to move down here I would come visit him at school every day and sit with him by the tree at lunch time. He told me I was dumb but at least he smiled. I would do anything to make this boy smile.

And there are kids like this all over the world that are left behind because of their misfortune in being raised in a broken environment. If only I had opened my eyes to the hurting sooner, I wish I could help everyone that hurt in this lonely world. I have never seen the world as cruel as they have, I can only attempt to understand and show compassion. I have so much love for boys and girls like this.

(he wouldn't let me take his picture so I put a picture of the group I went with)