Homeless Youth: Society's responsibility.
Imagine a young boy raised by a father who comes home after work and is abusive to his children and wife on a regular basis. The young boy grows up to despise his father, and by the time he reaches his teenage years, is ready to make something happen. Abuse shelters are available, but sadly he's learned not to trust adults. He could call the cops, but the last time his mom called he returned home a day later only to find her more battered than ever. So he decides what he needs to do, run away from home and finally be free from abuse.
According to a recent study by the Mobile Health Team serving local shelters and drop-in centers in Hollywood, 76.7% of runaway youth reported histories of abuse and neglect.
In San Diego there are very few organizations that focus on homeless youth. Among those organizations is a group called Street Angels Ministry (SAM) sponsored by Missiongathering Christian Church. SAM gathers twice a month and puts together backpacks filled with supplies for survival on the streets, then takes them to the streets where they meet youth in need and provide them with goods to simply show grace through our actions. To try to let individuals know that they are loved and cared for despite their situation. When a backpack is handed to a teen, it is simply one stranger saying to another, 'I don't know you, I don't know your story, I can't understand your struggles out here- but I love you.'
It is easy for society to say that runaways don't deserve help because of their choice to be on the streets. In reality, until we as a society find a way to prevent homelessness, it is our responsibility to help them and love them. We hear the words of scripture echoing in our heads, "Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed... some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!"(Heb.13:2) Homelessness is an issue that will take much planning and action to completely resolve, but if we do what we can each day- if we treat each teen we see on the streets as if they were an angel- then the simple grace we share with others will transform their hearts and perhaps ours to encourage and fight for change.
