The Beltway 8 Boys (True Story written 1.6.08)

They are young, and probably don’t know what it feels like to have. Have a house, new clothes, new shoes, fresh cooked meals. Yet as young as they are, they know very well what it feels like to work, because nearly everyday they stand at the corner of Westheimer Road and Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, Texas during the busiest times of day, pacing up and down the highway, risking their lives.

They walk in between cars that are waiting for the light to turn green; in their hands are green bowls that they use to collect whatever “spare change” the drivers in the stopped cars may have. Risking their lives for change; a penny, nickel, dime, and if they’re lucky a dollar, something so simple to you and me, lunch money, lotto money, toll money. Money that serves no real purpose in our lives, but as the saying goes, “what is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.

For months I would drive by the Beltway 8 Boys, a group of 6-8 boys, and their male guardian. The boys would walk up and down the feeder road of a major highway intersection, unembarrassed to ask for help, many people ignore them and give nothing, but would make a left to go to the Galleria Mall and waste money on a pair of shoes or designer jeans that they will probably only wear once.

Due to the traffic I would sometimes sit through 2-3 cycles of lights, and just watch people’s reaction to the boys. Some see them coming and quickly look away as if they don’t see them. Some play with their emotions, and pull out a hand full of cash, 20’s, $50, $100 only to dig through it and give them a dollar.

Every time I see them my heart melts. Their guardian is an older man, he looks like he’s in his 50’s, and has a posture of someone who has a real life understanding of the word struggle. He looks worn out, tired, ready to beak down at any moment and jump in front of the passing cars. But he doesn’t, he sits back and encourages the boys to keep moving. I can only image what he says. “Don’t stop, keep walking, we have to get as much as we can”. He is their rock, so he hides his emotions from them and stays strong.

I wonder why they are there, the very first time I saw them one of the boys tried to tell me, but the beat of my heart when I looked into his tiny, youthful, and innocent eyes drowned my hearing. I just knew they needed help, so I gave him my “spare change” and went about my way, saying to myself, “I don’t want them out here doing this”. For days I’d dream about them, and everyday I’d see them I’d give them what I had, the most being $5, because just like the rest of us I have bills to pay, right?

I’d find myself dreaming of being blessed enough to drive up to the light in a brand new SUV, with a briefcase full of money, and keys to a new house. I’d pull up at the light and tell them God sent me to do His will in your life, and then take them to a bank open an account for each of them, and hand them over the keys to the car and directions to their new house. A dream I know in my heart one day will come true.

Last week I received an unexpected check in the mail. I immediately went shopping, spent hundreds of dollars on clothes, and on the way home I was listening to my Dani Johnson CD “Conquering the Financial Kingdom”, which I do daily, and God convicted me. Why did I buy all this stuff? What good will these clothes serve me? How selfish of me! Everyday I pray for God to use me to do His will, and on Sunday January 6, 2008, at 2:20 pm He led me to do just that.

On my way home from Church, I rode up to the corner of Westheimer Road and Sam Houston Tollway, and there they were, my innocent friends. If only they knew how much I thought of and prayed for them. How much I cried for them. As two of the boys walked towards my car, my heart light up with warmth, and my eyes watered up. I opened up the envelope of money I had and gave one of the young boys a $100 bill. He said very softly, “Thank you, miss” and kept walking, not realizing what the bill was. As soon as he did, he ran up to the other little boy who was to my right waving the money. They both look at it in awe, pointing at me, smiling, waving, and their little lips reading “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! They run up to the rest of the boys and their guardian, as I drive by pointing and waving all yelling Thank You!!

I drive away in tears. Today was a day for first times. The first time the young boy didn’t make it to the back of the line asking for money, the first time I saw all their faces light up with joy, and the first time I really let go and let God use me. One man’s trash truly is another mans treasure. I can’t wait for the day to make my dream come true to that I may bless them. By the look on their faces they’ve probably have never seen a $100 bill, and I never thought I’d be able to be the one to give it to them. However we must not forget that through God, all things are possible. The day will come where the dream I’ve dreamed for them will come true.