For the past couple of weeks, the NightWatch team has been making a stop in the parking lot of a local hotel that is “home” for many folks who might otherwise be on the street. And a lot of them are back outside when their money — or someone else’s generosity — runs out. This week, the team saw a lot of kids at the hotel. We keep some toys on the truck to give to children, but last night, the kids didn’t ask for toys. Each of them had the same request:
“Can I have a blanket?”
I spoke to one of the team leaders today, and he was really touched by those kids. “We had toys, but they didn’t ask for toys, they didn’t ask for PlayStations. They just wanted a blanket,” he said. They got blankets. And toys. And the hearts of the team members, too.
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When I play Santa for the 4 and 5 year olds at my old school they often ask for socks, gloves and coats. Some ask for toys but not the extravagant toys other kids ask for. Most are happy to get anything at all.
But I’ll never get over the little boy who asked for a Christmas tree because he feared Santa wouldn’t come if they had no tree.
That is sad.
The saddest part is the 100 or so children I see are only a tiny tiny part of those who are doing without and my kids are better off than yours.