Saving the World

I work at a school for children below the poverty line. Some of the families are just under the weather, some come from broken homes with broken hearts, some are creating bridges from unhappy homes to happy ones through foster care and adoption, and some have court orders to attend or they'll lose their children.

The foster father of a very cute and quite student at this school explained that one of the hardest things they faced when taking in this little boy and his two siblings, was teaching them that food did not come out of the garbage can. This 3-year-old boy was so afraid of being hungry, the father would find him shoving handfuls of flower and sugar in his mouth, and gnawing on cans of food.

Another young boy in the class is so scared of being left alone, he follows the teacher, holding the back of her shirt, around the room.

Some days, mothers come in crying.

I've seen bruises.

Some parents eat dried out school chicken nuggets by their children with a deeper look of hunger than even their 4-year-old shows.

I see their aching want as parents to give the world to their children, but not being able to give them food.

It hurts my heart. I want to make everything better.

In my dream, I changed my house into a very large and loving foster home.

I saved all of the kids from harm, and hugged them till the overflowing warmth of my soul covered them in a life-long protective blanket.

We ate, laughed, and lived without worry. I just wanted everyone to be happy.

Why can't I save the world?