Can You Hear Their Cries?

     Can you hear the prayers of the children? Can you hear them calling out for help? They are asking you, the one reading this, and me, the one writing this, to reach out and to give them a helping hand. They are asking us to love them, to bring them hope, and to encourage them. They are not asking for our money, or our offerings: they are asking for our time and our friendship.
     These children are not all in another country, or on another continent. They are right here, in our country, in out states, in our towns,and in our neighborhoods. They walk by us every single day. On the outside they look like any other kid; on the inside, a battle of confusion and anger rages on and on.
     "Who are they?" you ask. They are your neighbors, your students, your classmates. They are not all young children, some are teenagers. One is the quiet girl in the corner of the cafeteria.The 10-year-old boy with the charming smile is one. The little girl throwing a temper tantrum is one. The teenager who gets picked on at school is one. They are foster children. Their parents, the ones who are supposed to love them have forsaken them. They live with strangers, hundreds of them. They are constantly moving from home to home, from one school to another. They are not all rebellious, on drugs, and trouble-makers. Most of them have great character and big dreams. They want you to be their family.
      So, once again I ask you. Can you hear their cries? Can you hear them calling out to you to give them a helping hand? Will you just stand by and watch as they go through life without a family to love them or will you be a voice for them? Will you reach out and give them a helping hand? Will you be their family?