NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER, 2004

Leaving the orphanage last night, I was driving down a narrow street thinking about the forty-minute trip home. As I turned down the steep road, I had to break for a police car parked across my half of the road. Two policemen were doing business with neighborhood toughs. Many Tijuana police cars are modified pick-ups with a large camper-like cage in back for hauling people to jail. (Like the old dog catcher trucks.)

Several kids were held against the truck; and the cage was opened and in they went. Meanwhile several cars lined up on the narrow street and quietly watched the action. Yep, another load of neighborhood problem kids heading to jail. These police trucks are legion and it's all too common to see police chasing kids in a neighborhood to fill their load.

I was watching two kids playing at an orphanage a few days ago. I became a little concerned when I saw one of the boys beat up the other and throw him down and pull his hands to his back. Then I noticed that both kids were laughing; it was just a game of cops and kids. How many times we have seen these trucks pull up to the children's jail and unload their unlucky cargo, handcuffed kids being pushed through the iron door's to be added to the 150 kids already stuffed into one big room.

I had thirty more minutes of driving to think over the evening and what I saw tonight on that hillside and what I have seen in more than twenty years here in Tijuana.

The problem with anger and violence among the youth of Tijuana is definitely growing. Kids fueled with cheap drugs are out of control with no solution in sight. Stealing is simply a way of life. This makes my heart ache. I have spent so many years talking and listening to these very kids. They're not really bad kids, just products of a screwed up society. Most are redeemable! Now to get society to believe this. Now to get Christians to believe this!

How many times I have driven away from that jail with a heavy heart asking myself that dangerous question. Who cares? Who really cares?

Redeeming messed up and abused kids is such a lonely quest.

Last night I was hugged by several former street kids at one of the orphanages. Kids that were off the street now have a bed and good food and are patiently treated with love and discipline. Redeemable? Of course. But it depends on the answer to that dangerous question. Who cares? Who really cares?

We are doing what we can and thank you for helping us redeem as many of these "throw-away" kids as possible.