Oscar

Today we took 30+ kids to the movie theater.  We were assigned kids to keep track of.  I had my Kendall, Mexican Kendall, and a little 3-year old guy named Oscar.  He held my hand tightly until about 10 minutes into the film when he slumped over in his seat and I brought his little head to rest in my lap.  After the film he was still groggy when we were coming down the stairs and another girl grabbed his hand and pulled him to a woman that was unfamiliar.  I asked Gabo what was going on.  He said that was their mother and she worked here at the mall.  She had 3 girls and 2 boys.  All of them lived at Del Norte.  She walked with us all the way back to the bus and then she kissed her kids good bye.  The girl that was the second oldest sat next to me and I pulled Oscar into my lap.  Silent tears flowed down her little face but when I reached to comfort her she pulled away.  I just prayed silently for them.  Oscar just slumped in my arms.  Back at Del Norte, Oscar and I sat in the little green chairs and he looked so sad but he didn't cry.  His oldest sister brought him candy and I asked him if he wanted a Polaroid or to color with me.  But he just shook his head.  Finally, he just stood up and started crying as hard as he could I tried to pick him up and comfort him but he was kicking and fighting my embrace.  I sadly laid him on the floor and he buried his little face in the tile and said, "Mama!  Mamma!"  Over and over he sobbed for her. 

It was the most heart breaking thing I have ever seen.  I felt completely helpless to comfort him.  But I knew that God could... so I just prayed.  I leaned over and I prayed out loud through his sobbing.  I'd like to say that he stopped but he did not and I felt I was about to cry, too.  Nancy took him and she held him on his bed and after a while he seemed to calm down. 

Please pray for those 5 kids tonight who are hurting so bad after seeing their mama for 10 minutes today.

~Heather