I’m a little lost for words today......., but somehow I need to let off some steam.
My expectations for this year were many and optimistic......, they also included Roney and Claudiney, two of the street kids I have followed up closely during these last few years and who at the beginning of this month had been sent to a drug recuperation centre by court order from the local children’s judge.
I’m still trying to figure out why................???
After speaking to them both over the phone a few days after their involuntary internment, I realized that my trip to the coast to catch a short week of holiday together with some of our neediest kids was not going to be a comfortable one considering that both boys probably needed a lot of extra attention following this rather unexpected decision (my trip was planned to include Roney and Claudiney, but due to the court order of internment they were unable to come along).
Last week on my arrival back home, the local Department of Homicides
called me and asked if we had registered any missing children the last
couple of days. They needed to identify two young boys who had been
found beaten and strangled not far from the small holding where I
lived for the first decade of my work recuperating street children. My
most uncomfortable memories from that decade were all the dead bodies
I had experienced (32 in all) along the dirt track leading up to our
home, which seemed to be a historically popular dumping ground since
the days of the military dictatorship and obviously continued to be so
for whoever felt they had the right to take the law into their own
hands.
As I had an extremely busy agenda for the next few days (including a
visit to the shelter where Roney and Claudiney were being detained) I
suggested to the police that they visit a few strategic places with
some photos of the victims to see if someone would recognize them.
Offering little thought at all that the victims could possibly be Roney or Claudiney due to them having been interned, on Sunday I went to pay them the visit I had promised before having left for the coast, only to discover that the boys had already done a runaway. I hadn’t really expected them to stay there for long, which seemed pretty clear from the phone conversation I had with them a week earlier, all the more reason for me to visit them as soon as I arrived back home.
Today, the police called again to tell me they had finally identified the two dead kids, but were now trying to find a third missing child who seemed to have escaped the killer’s cold-blooded actions. Roney unfortunately had not; he and another street kid, Júlio César, were the two victims!
There are many things I find so very hard to accept in my work with underprivileged kids in this country. In the first place, I find it hard to accept that street children exist at all in the 21st.Century, especially in a society that is among the world's top 10 economies. Then I find it hard to digest everything that follows as a consequence of this negligence, this indifference, which sometimes makes me feel so sad and today, so sick! I really can’t find the right words to express my anger and my frustrations..........
I once quoted Albert Einstein under one of Roney’s many special
portraits in my Flickr photo stream. I think I’ll do so again:
“The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are
evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”
# IMPORTANT NOTE:
On June 27th. we also lost our beloved Claudiney.
I'm still trying to figure this one out.................... . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . and I'm gonna miss the both of you.
soymamen, Ana Maria Santeiro, and 156 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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rich_2005 52 months ago | reply
I feel in my heart these two boys were taken into God's kingdom in the arms of Jesus Christ, and one day you shall see them again :)
Karen Faire's Art 50 months ago | reply
Thank you for your heart. Somehow I think that Christ loves and grieves with you. Grief is a love word. So sorry.
DGL2007 49 months ago | reply
Hi Greg,
I am so sorry to hear the loss two of your beautiful kids. I am appaled at what a see here on many occasions as I also live in Sao Paulo and been ( in my own simple way )helping street children downtown around the Paulista. I've been saddened on many occasions to see how police where treating these kids and young adults. I'm admirative of the work you do and pray that you never lose hope that things can get better. I am sure that during this grieving period for you and the hummingbird project, the spirits of both Claudiney and Roney will continue to give you the strenght you need to pursue your mission. Muito obrigado Greg for all the work, dedication, hope and love you give out to theses kids.
Daniel
wiggiewormdog 49 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called sad world, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
ooh mamma mia 48 months ago | reply
I have no words for this cruelty...only thing I can attribute is...money mey help ! Sad but true...
carf 48 months ago | reply
@ooh mamma mia,
Money always helps, because without it we cannot do all the work we do for the many other at-risk kids in Brazil.
Thanks for your concern!
MermaidShoes 45 months ago | reply
I first saw the portrait "Do I believe in God" about a year and a half ago. Since then I have told so many people to look it up and I hoped that seeing this beautiful child fight to survive would make people see the change we need in this world.
It puts me at a loss for words and makes my heart ache to see how this boy's story has ended. I cannot say enough to express the sorrow I feel for this tragedy. Maybe this will bring about some recognition of evil. Then we can stand as humanity and see what we can do to change it.
I'm sure that now he is watching over you. May he sleep without fear and pain.
carf 43 months ago | reply
This print series is a tribute to Roney by the French Stencil Artist c215.
10% of the proceeds will be given to our Children At Risk Foundation.
The print is available in a limited edition of 35, which have been reworked by the artist, making them one of a kind.
Available on Pigments Editions
Big Red Angel 42 months ago | reply
So very true and moving. I cannot imagine the pain and reward that goes along with your dedication. I ask this question every day. How can a person live with so much while other people suffer. I do feel a sense of hope though and I hope you do as well. Good always rights the world. It may not always be on our time table, but it does prevail. I also feel so much for people and especially children in need. It is our place to try and steer others in this direction. :-)
Traciѐ 41 months ago | reply
God Bless You!
sgbaughn 37 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called "The Living Face", and we'd love to have this added to the group!
OneDayasRobot 35 months ago | reply
;(
cocoesperanza 23 months ago | reply
Roney & Claudiney ........... with love you are living with us ...
So sorry you are not living here with yourselves.
*Pat-The-Cat* [deleted] 22 months ago | reply
i'm so, so, so sory... i was getting chocked up after i read those words.. i looked at the pictures and then i started crying... :'( i am a sensitive person. i'm sorry i cant say i know how you feel, because that would be a lie cause i've never been through what you have... but i can say that you touched my heart and i'll pray for you all :(
*Pat-The-Cat* [deleted] 22 months ago | reply
those are beautiful kids right there.. i will pray for them
tia196 15 months ago | reply
Durma com os anjos crianças... justiça seja feita não pela mão do homens mas da quela que esta acima de tudo e de todas as coisa, como tive o prazer de ter vcs em minhas mão também tive a tristeza de ver vcs partindo aos poucos .
carf 15 months ago | reply
Obrigado pela visita e voltar logo falando mais sobre nossos queridos, Roney e Claudinei.
- Gregory
Azli Jamil Photography 13 months ago | reply
more than 6 years later, they still cross my thoughts.
indian nomad 13 months ago | reply
As with many other people, your photos of Roney were the ones that drew me to your stream.