Rescuing children from a life on the streets

Here I am, 4800 miles away, far from my friends and family in California. I don’t think I had ever imagined what Christmas Eve would be like without them, and if I had, I don’t think I could have imagined this. No, I’m not sad nor lonely. Instead, as I look around the room this Christmas Eve, I think to myself, “There is no place I would rather be.” There is happiness and anticipation throughout. The children cannot contain their excitement! The overwhelming joy they are feeling as they are preparing to celebrate this day with their new family. What an incredible peace I feel on this Christmas Eve, knowing there is no other place in the world I would rather be, than here at Kaya.

However, I also know that not everyone in the room feels peace. The holidays can be a difficult time for our children at Kaya. The holidays can bring back agonizing memories for many of the children. Memories of when the children’s biological families failed them. Memories of binge drinking by their parents. Memories of being hungry and searching the streets for food. Memories of abandonment and sadness. Memories of waking to beatings on Christmas morning. Horrible memories for anyone to have.

But as I look around the room this Christmas Eve, I know that new happy memories are being made. I’m overwhelmed by the redemptive stories that each child represents. I look at three brothers, laughing together as the youngest shows off his new shoes. Just years ago these three brothers were all sleeping on the streets. Cold. Tired. Hungry. Today, these brothers celebrate Christmas as a family; safely at their home they call Kaya.

It is a rare and priceless gift to sit by and watch these children celebrate together. I can’t help but think of the new beautiful memories being made. Memories of a supportive and encouraging family. Collectively these children all tell a familiar story of their past. But today, they are now safe in a home full of love and have a future full of hope.

Overwhelmed by the grace of God, it was in that moment it struck me. This is what Christmas is all about, lives being rescued and restored with the Love of God that was born on Christmas Day. What a gift to spend Christmas with my Kaya family.

First Results of Census of the Homeless Population in Bolivia

A census of people who currently live in the streets in Bolivia was recently completed. This census was a joint effort between the Bolivian government and organizations that work with the homeless population. The Bolivian government provided funding and oversight and the organizations went to the streets to fill out the census. This helped assure that the information provided in the census was correct and allowed for the highest number possible to be counted. The official results and compete report will be released next month, but the first results were shared in a meeting last week. Below are some statistics that can help us better understand the population with whom Kaya Children International works:

The population living in the streets is young:

• 31.6% of those living in the streets are 19 years old or younger.
• 60.4% of those living in the streets are 29 years old or younger.
• The median age of those living in the streets is 23 years old; the youngest counted was less than 6 months and the oldest 94 years old.

Children turn to the streets at a very young age:

• 50% of those currently living in the streets first began living in the streets at 14 years old or younger.
• 18% of those currently living in the streets first began living in the streets between the ages of 5-9 years old.

There are second generation children living in the streets:

• 46% of the population living in the streets have children and 26% have children that currently live with them.
• 28.7% of those living in the streets between the ages of 10-19 years old have children.

Life in the streets is hard:

• 22% of those living in the streets have no documentation of any kind.
• 42% at the time of the interview reported some kind of illness.
• 49.5% don’t seek any medical care when they are sick.

The work that Kaya Children International and other organizations do is important but there is still much to be done:

• 40.1% reported that they receive some sort of support of which 92.3% said was from institutions such as Kaya.

Because they have no other option, children are arriving to the streets. As we can see from the statistics above, without any intervention, these children are having more children and raising them in the streets. Now, more than ever, it is time to stop this cycle. Each statistic represents individual people and stories. Kaya provides a new start, new opportunity, a new life. Each and every child who has found a home at Kaya is one child that did not have to be counted in this census. Will you join Kaya in rescuing children from the streets and restoring their childhood? Together we can make a difference….one child at a time.

The Children. They are the common thread that runs through our stories... about why we support Kaya; why we feel drawn to this cause. Children on the streets may feel invisible to most, but when we hear their stories and look into their eyes, we truly "see" them. By listening and caring, we've decided that these children, and their life stories, are important. And by taking action, we're doing something about it. Through our decision to give, we are changing their lives for the better, letting them know that they are not forgotten. 

One of our earliest promises was to "tell the stories" of the children whom Kaya is privileged to serve. So this Christmas season, we share with you the story of one boy, Angel, who -- abandoned by his mother -- spent his earliest childhood years living on the streets with an alcoholic father. The one wish he held onto was that he would, one day, be reunited with his brothers again. With your help, this wish came true. Please remember the many other children like Angel, living on the streets of Bolivia in severe poverty, beyond what most of us can imagine, holding onto nothing more than the hope that their lives might change.

Consider Jonathan. His mother, with whom he lived on the streets for years, was involved in the sex trade and contracted AIDS. When Jonathan's mother died, our friends asked Kaya to welcome Jonathan into our home because Kaya was the only organization they trusted to care for him. Or little Hector, whose mother died when he was just five. To help his father suppport the family, he left school at age 8 to earn money, watching cars. With Kaya's help, Hector now attends school in the mornings, and returns to the Kaya Center for lunch and academic support in the afternoons. 

When we hear their stories, we are reminded, too, of how our own lives sit in stark contrast to the lives of these young, struggling children. How blessed we are to have the means to help. So, please consider a gift in the amount that is right for you. It is your caring that makes a difference in the lives of the children!