Where do they all come from ?

 Walking past the homeless,  I would often wonder where they came from. I would see the evidence of alcohol and drugs and think what a shame that they have chosen this life.  But I have come to realize that it is more the case of what came first the chicken or the egg.   

I have come to learn that a very large percentage of the homeless started as kids that graduated from the orphanages, un prepared, no where to go and no safety net .. We know that this, if left unsupported will be the fate for 80 % of those coming out of the orphanage system. 

They for the most part did not become alcoholics and then loose everything winding up homeless.. they had nothing , where homeless , hungry and cold , and vodka not only give temporary relief to the pain, it is also cheaper to buy than water, and the pot grows wild on the sides of the road.

So here is the question that I have ... mostly for myself but it may make you think as well .. At what point do we stop caring .. Lets follow the progression.  A new born baby found in a bus shelter .. instantly people are stepping up to help.  A few years later in the baby house,   It looks like its doing ok , a little less urgency to help .  Then the baby becomes a teen and is in an older orphanage .  Maybe send help in special occasions but becoming forgotten . Then leaving the orphanage and trying to make it .  A few organizations do what they can to help, but there are just so many and it relies a lot on the kids willingness to do their part and make the right choices. (which they were never taught how to do )  

 Then finally they become full adults' living on the street and people look down on them and are discussed by them because of THEIR bad life choices.   Emma said to me once about the mens home guys   "Dad they are just little orphaned babies in gross old men bodies "  and she was right .. they are still the same orphans with the same dreams .. struggling just to live.  

This is why I am so blessed that we are able to continue to help them at every stage of life . I do believe, and have seen it happen that their is a way to pull them up out of the muck and the mire.  The difficulty is that there are so many and the resources are so few.  But if we start by doing what we can do, before long we will be doing what others said could not be done.  Today what we can do is bring more clothing and resources to a shelter that is working hard to reach out to these little kids in old person  bodies.