57/365

We were over in Reynosa on Tuesday, visiting friends and ministries that we work with. At an intersection, a little boy, maybe 8 years old, approached our van, selling gum. This is exceedingly normal. It's not very good gum, just tiny packages that are 4 sugar coated pieces- sometimes we buy it and sometimes we don't. This day my husband declined.

The boy muttered something mostly under his breath, probably a curse, but looked so sad, almost like he was about to cry. And he was mad. He banged the side of our van with his balled up fist and then went back to the street corner and sat down. We waited out the traffic light and then started to move forward. He pitched a small rock at our van as we left.

The entire incident lasted all of 3 minutes maybe, but it made me so sad. What to do? The kid is probably being extorted by some thug, if he doesn't sell his gum he faces consequences. But then, we keep buying gum and he keeps getting abused.... The boy sits breathing exhaust fumes all day, dodging crazy traffic in a Mexican intersection. He really is the "least of these."

It seems so small to say "next time I'll buy the chicles"...