Statistics

Marcos hasn't seen his parents for the last five years. He's been sniffing glue everyday on the streets of Sao Paulo for the last four years. But this escape from reality doesn't come cheap. In order to get this glue, that he puts in a bag and inhales for hallucenogenic highs, he needs to come up with money. He's seen some of his friends sell drugs. He's also seen some of his friends, mostly girls, offer their bodies to tourists and even each other, just to earn some extra cash. Alot of his friends are involved in gangs and they protect businesses and get paid some good money by bussinessmen. But not Marcos. He has his own deal. He has an agreement with military policemen, who give him drugs and then tell him to sell the drugs to tourists. So Marcos does so. He approaches the english speaking foreigners in his land offering them a little bit of extra excitement on their holiday. Most of these tourists are quite excited about the idea, and after the deal is complete, Marcos' "employers" appear and aggressively threaten to arrest the unsuspecting tourists. After a bribe is then completed between the tourists and the military policemen, Marcos gets his small share and makes it through the emptiness of another day.

Marcos is 12 years old.

His chances of making it past the age of 18 are getting smaller everyday. 

UNICEF estimated the amount of kids living off the street in Brazil at 12 million. Estimates like these, however, differ vastly between organizations. But the reality is that there are large amounts of kids who are constantly fighting each other and the government, trying to survive day to day. Their options aren't exactly desirable, and even just trying to put myself into their shoes, and really actually imagine what they have to go through... makes me feel like a skinny guy (which I guess I am) in a cage match with Goliath (which would suck - that oke was hayooge.)

At the Passion conference in Atlanta this year, pioneered by Louis Giglio, they did a huge campaign to raise awareness for human slavery. At the end of one of their videos there was a slogan that read, "It's time to stop reading statistics and time to start changing them." The statistics that I've come across from Brazil really hit home with me. I do know that there are equally scary and horrific stats from places closer to home (we're in Africa, after all). But every child that is a slave to the street life has a heart longing for love. So it shouldn't matter where it is that we make a difference, as long as lives are being treated equal to their true value.

So what did I do this week to get closer to my dream? Well, I was kinda overwhelmed and intimidated at the attention my first blog post received, so I spent some time regretting how weak it was. I also pursued my visa a couple further steps with my friends at the ABBA house in Sao Paulo, and attempted joining organizations that help support missions like this.

Next, I'm going to take to the streets of Joburg. I've decided to give away the majority of my possessions rather than sell them. I figure this will get me face to face with the poor, and increase my capacity to love them. If not, I at least hope I can make a few beggars on the streets of Joburg smile, and get them clothed. It's easy to give and walk away, but to engage a conversation with someone undesirable could change my whole life. Or so I'm told.

*Shoves hand in the air* To the streets!

//edit: so there are problems with the e-mail button, and it's not sending to anyone who's subscribing. If you want the blog for now, send me a mail, and I'll add you to my list. :)