Homeless Children—Why So Hard to Help?
ON OCTOBER 14, 1987, little Jessica McClure became trapped 22 feet [6.7 m] down an abandoned water well in the United States. For 58 agonizing hours, rescue workers pounded their way through solid rock to reach the 18-month-old girl. The incident captured the headlines and hearts of the whole nation, and television coverage kept its audience spellbound until Jessica was lifted alive out of the dark hole.
But Jessica had a home. Strangely, though, the plight of children who are homeless does not arouse the same interest. Could the reason be that their condition is linked with poverty? Analyzing the condition of the needy ones, a writer for World Health, the magazine of the World Health Organization, declared: “The poor in the cities are not real citizens of their own countries, for they have no political, social, or economic rights. The poor age rapidly and die young.” Thus, profound changes in the way governments and people view the poor are needed before a country’s economy will provide sufficient food, clothing and housing for them.
How Some Can Be Helped
The ideals expressed in the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child are indeed noble, but why do they seem unattainable? (See box.) Generally, people like children and want the best for them. Besides, children are important for the future well-being of a nation. In the Latin America Daily Post, James Grant of UNICEF says: “After all, it is the children who must eventually lead their countries out of economic stagnation.” A report shows, continues Grant, “that spending on basic health care and primary education can lead to significant increases in productivity and economic growth.” Countries like Brazil are acutely aware of the negative image conveyed by the condition of street children and related violence. Fortunately, in Brazil efforts are being made to solve the problem by means of charity, foster homes, orphanages, and reformatories.
Some governments are seeing the value of supporting the housing initiatives of poor families and communities rather than simply building houses. In this way, the poor themselves become a resource for change.
Thus, besides receiving assistance from various agencies, poor families should be willing to do their part. A family does much better economically and socially when it sticks together and tackles its own problems. If needed, all capable members can contribute to the family budget.
How Some Have Succeeded
Some homeless children have been able to escape from that condition. Consider the example of Guillermo. Before he was born, his family lived in a small village but because of poor economic conditions moved to the capital. When Guillermo was three months old, his father was murdered; then, a few years later, his mother died, leaving the children with the grandmother. Thus, early in life, Guillermo became a street child. Day after day, for five years, he sought out restaurants and bars, asking for food and money to care for the needs of his family, walking the streets late into the night. Kind persons who got to know him on the streets taught him the basics of personal hygiene and conduct. Later, he was picked up on the street by a governmental agency and put into a children’s shelter, where he received food and schooling. Jehovah’s Witnesses helped him to see that the Creator was interested in him as an individual, and they attended to his spiritual needs. Impressed with the sincerity and friendliness of the Witnesses, Guillermo said later: “Who would help a youth who had grown up practically without direction and discipline? Only the loving brothers gave me such assistance, besides financial help.” Guillermo was baptized at 18 years of age. Now he serves as a member of the Watch Tower Society’s branch office staff in his country.
Then there is João, who while still young was kicked out of his home along with his brothers by their drunken father. But a grocer hired João. Being diligent, João prospered and soon gained the confidence of fellow workers and others. Now he is a happy man with his own family. Also consider 12-year-old Roberto. He too was thrown out by his family. He went to work shining shoes and selling sweets, and later he worked as a painter. Willingness to learn and to work helped both João and Roberto to overcome many barriers. They recall moments of anxiety and insecurity as homeless youths, but they were fortified by their study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. These few examples show that children are normally quite resilient and, with the right assistance, can eventually overcome adverse circumstances, even abandonment.
In addition, when young ones receive parental direction in harmony with God’s Word, stable families result, and problems such as abandonment and child abuse do not arise.
Why Man’s Efforts Fail
Nevertheless, the existence of millions of homeless children points up man’s failure to solve this grave problem. The director of a child welfare agency was quoted in Time magazine as saying: “A person with psychological disorders and mental impairment, a sick person—a sick, fragile population—cannot act as an agent of development.” The same magazine forecast that as a result of this, one Latin-American country would be “burdened with millions of adults so undernourished, unskilled and uneducated that they will be impervious to any kind of civilizing process.”
In view of this, do you think that the effects of malnutrition, sexual abuse, and violence can be solved solely by human means? Do you feel that any man-made program can recover all the street children after they have struggled to survive in the streets among aggressive, ruthless individuals? Can you envision a program for educating parents to act responsibly toward their offspring? Sad to say, human efforts, however sincere, cannot entirely solve the problem of homeless children.
Why? Someone or something is preventing this problem from being solved. Interestingly, Jesus identified a person, whom he called “the ruler of the world.” (John 14:30) He is Satan the Devil. (See page 12.) His insidious influence over mankind is the principal hindrance to solving these problems and achieving true happiness. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Therefore, the removal of this invisible creature and his cohorts is imperative if righteous conditions for all homeless children and underprivileged individuals are to be attained. So, then, can we count on a world without street children and misery? Is there a real, lasting hope for homeless children?
[Blurb on page 6]
‘Who would want to help a youth who had grown up without direction and discipline?’
[Box on page 7]
The UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child:
◼ The right to a name and nationality.
◼ The right to affection, love, and understanding and to material security.
◼ The right to adequate nutrition, housing, and medical services.
◼ The right to special care if handicapped, be it physically, mentally, or socially.
◼ The right to be among the first to receive protection and relief in all circumstances.
◼ The right to be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty, and exploitation.
◼ The right to full opportunity for play and recreation and equal opportunity to free and compulsory education, to enable the child to develop his individual abilities and to become a useful member of society.
◼ The right to develop his full potential in conditions of freedom and dignity.
◼ The right to be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace, and universal brotherhood.
◼ The right to enjoy these rights regardless of race, color, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, and property, birth, or other status.
Summary based on Everyman’s United Nations
[Picture Credit Line on page 5]
Reuters/Bettmann Newsphotos