Paper Frogs

My heart has been extremely sensitive to the homeless and the beggars on the streets of Bogota recently. This summer I've spent a lot of time on public transportation and walking to and from my tutoring classes. I've always seen beggars, but for some reason, it has hit me harder this summer.

As I walk to my tutoring classes where I'll be making more money in one hour than they need to eat that day, I get extremely uncomfortable. And my heart hurts knowing that giving them some change won't really produce any change. Buying them lunch or getting them a bag of rice won't break the chains of poverty they're bound to. My heart hurts.

I guess its as simple as that.

My heart hurts.

Today as I was paying my fare on the bus, I noticed a man was handing something out to people sitting down. I didn't think much of it, because this happens often. People get on buses and try to sell little toys, pencils or candies. But when I sat down I realized that he was handing out folded pieces of notebook paper. He began talking and my heart broke. He had a severe mental handicap and was trying to sell "paper frogs"... four of them for twenty cents.

Twenty cents.

I gave him what few coins I had and whispered a prayer.