Under the Bridge

           At first glance, everything under the bridge seems to be in a state of decay.   Its expanse crosses the putrid, sewage-filled river that divides the central business district of Tegucigalpa from its sprawling, teeming outdoor market.   The thousands of vendors in the market use the river and its small floodplain as a dumping ground for all the trash, rotting vegetables, and animal parts that are leftover from each day’s sales. 

          Amidst the trash under the bridge, there is human decay as well.  Sixty to seventy kids rot their brains by sucking in the fumes of yellow shoe glue out of leftover soda bottles.  As the daily life of this capital city flows across the bridge above their heads, the addiction to yellow glue takes a hold of these kids and brings living to a standstill.  Life is distilled down to the next rushing intake of yellow glue into their ever-craving bodies.

          The Micah Project has been working underneath the bridge throughout 2007.  On weekends, our young men take food, sport equipment and first aid supplies and spend a couple of hours with the street kids and youth.  Slowly, we have come to know their names and stories, and they have come to trust us.  In June, two of the young boys decided to leave their lives under the bridge and join the Micah Project!  They are Marvin (pictured on in the top right picture on the soccer field) and Wilmer (pictured below in a red shirt holding a water gun).   It has been a huge blessing to be a part of their lives as they take daily steps to distance themselves from the yellow glue and the call of the streets.  Others show up at the door of the Micah House every once in a while, needing food, or medical attention, or just someone to talk with.  Often, we are moved to tears by our desire to help them beyond what we are able to do.  We appreciate your prayers as God calls us to play an increasingly big role in the lives of these precious children!