What happens when...

help doesn't come?

Let me tell you...

I already told you what happened to Patrick.  His story isn't unique.  It happens all the time.  Far more than it should.

But what happens even more frequently is...

they get taken to prison.  If the boy is small and young enough(doesn't look like he is over 18), he will go to a remand home(child prison).  These places are terrible places and the kids will tell you horror stories of things that have happened to them there.  I think every boy in the house has been to the most notorious one, at least once, and some several times.  They get picked up, not for doing anything wrong, just for being a kid that has no where to live except the streets.  It is worse when something big is happening in the city, like someone important from another country is visiting or an important conference.  Then they will do sweeps of the streets to "clean" them up.  By clean, I mean get rid of all of the street kids.

So what happens when a boy is bigger in size and looks like he is 18 or older?  They get taken to adult prison and since they cannot prove their age, that is where they remain.

Today, I found out that is what happened to a boy.  He has been there for at least a month, but probably longer.  He is alone, probably scared, and sure that no one is ever going to come and rescue him.  At least in the remand homes, the boys can get a chance to escape.  In prison?  Not a chance.

Please be praying that we can get him out with the help of a friend.  It won't be easy.  The last time I was involved with getting a kid released from prison, it took several weeks and then court dates for months.  Please be praying for him while he is still in there, that he won't lose hope.  Please also be praying the process is easy as we try to get him and that the effort would be successful.