On Tuesday four boys from Ingrid Chawner ran away. They were some of the smallest children that we have at the centre at around 10 years old. The boys were some of my favourites as they had just arrived at the centre shortly after I started there.
When children run away from Ingrid Chawner the next day someone from the centre, plus a volunteer, will normally go to look for them on the streets. The boys were all good friends and had run away after school on Monday. School had finished at around 10am as they were on the early slot which starts at 6am. We think they walked into the city which could have taken them at least 1.5 hours as Im sure they would not have had enough money for a chappa!!
The centre didn’t advise us that the four boys had run away until around 10am which is late because by the time Sarah and I got into the city using a chappa it was 11.30am. The boys had probably left the overnight centre that they may have stayed in and been on there way to do whatever street children do whilst on the streets. Sarah and I WALKED allllllllllll day to find this kids. From 10am until 3pm with no lunch. I got very emotional at one point as it was my first time doing this part of the job. There was one little boy called Antoninio who was around 9 that wasn’t from Ingrid Chawner but Sarah knew from doing street visits before and just being around town. We asked if he had seen our four boys from Ingrid Chawner as maybe he could point us in the right direction. He looked like he had some learning difficulties but could understand everything we were asking. Before we had approached him he was about to scrabble under some decking of a restaurant that that is currently being refurbished. He had his few belongings underneath this decked platform and it was just so dark. Sarah called him out with a ‘tssst’ and he turned, looked and came running out toward her. He gave her a massive hug and just wouldn’t let go and that’s when we started asking him if he’d seem our boys. I didn’t want to leave him as he was just so small but we had to continue our search. That was what made me cry and it was building while we were talking to him but as we left and waved goodbye I couldn’t keep it together. A child of 9 sleeping under a decked platform in the dark and we had to leave him as we don’t have the authority to just ‘take children’. I felt like people were just walking past him as if he was invisible and it just broke my heart. I know people care but it was just too much for me…..our boys were walking about in the same position as this little boy and the thought of that just made me well up. All these children maybe used to the streets but at the end of it all they are just children. I just feel so protective over them and if any harm came to them I would just be so upset but this is the nature of the job. I have to be committed but not attached to these kids as there lives are already so chaotic at such a young age.
Sarah and I did not find any of them but where told that two had been collected by 2 members of staff from Ingrid Chawner from a centre which allows the boys to wash and get a hot meal in the city. The other two boys didn’t want to come back to the centre and so I believe they are still on the streets. It makes me sad but what can you do. You cannot force these children to see that being on the streets is only going to last you so long. They are small and cute right now but we all grow, we all get older and then people start looking at you with different eyes and you are no longer cute because your now are a young man and you need to be shown that there is more to live than the streets.
Oh, my people! I have to go…..its 7.30am and Im still in bed in my PJ’s. I need to leave in 15mins so Ive got to dash. We are having a leaving party at Ingrid Chawner for the volunteers who arrived before me. Their 12months is over so we are having a BBQ and a bonfire to say a goodbye. That will be me in 6 months time….. time is FLYIN
Today is Friday and yesterday I was at work at Ingrid Chawner. It was a good day and I saw all four of the boys that ran away. It was brilliant they had returned to the centre. We had a brilliant day. We played BINGO all day with cool prizes and then, because it was the finally day of some of the German volunteers, we had a massive BBQ. The boys had a brilliant time. Singing and dancing and it was just so nice. It made me think how hard it would be to leave them when my time comes…..
1 comments:
wow...that sounds so heartbreaking. I can totally understand it all just getting too much. You are making a difference Kam, just remember that. There are children who are safe at Ingrid Chawner under your care that would otherwise be out on the streets in danger. Its a drop in the ocean but it is a drop all the same. Keep up the great work! We miss you x
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