Most of the kids have come to CECRISDEFA to find love for the first time in their lives.

When I interviewed Javier with founder Robert Benson back in June, we asked him to share any thought with his sponsors in the United States. His answer was, “I hope you all are as happy as I am now.”

Javier was referred to the shelter by the government’s Family Minister out of very bad conditions.

His parents were buried alive in a flood caused by Hurricane Mitch. Since he had no other relatives, several families in his town would pick him up and look after him until they got tired and sent him back to the streets.

He was only six years old at the time. He thought his fortune had changed when a “good Samaritan” wealthy family from Managua took him to live with them. He didn’t know he was going to be mistreated and rejected by this family.

In the end what the social worker suggests in her report is that this family wanted to have a little slave to serve them. During his stay with this family he came out to the yard to play with the dog, a Rottweiler, that attacked him and bit his face. He lost his left eye at the hospital.

He was finally admitted to CECRISDEFA, and within two months I was able to see radical changes in his attention and his speech. He is even chubbier now.

The first thing Javier does now when he sees a newcomer is to hug and kiss, only later asking, “What’s your name? Did you bring me a toy?”

Once you know what little Javier has gone through you really enjoy his sweet laughter when he’s chasing bubbles in the wind. This is one case of the many I could mention, but God has been gracious to help these kids through a solid Christian organization in partnership with Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and Christ for the City International.

There still are many kids in the streets, but at least we have saved twelve so far.