Alone and Addicted

I have seen a terrible thing. Yesterday as we were driving in a taxi (at 10 AM!) I saw through the window two young boys sitting down against the wall. The older boy, who could not have been older than age 11, had a plastic chip bag that he was puffing in and out. I observed that the more he puffed the bag in and out, the heavier his eyes became. This young boy, living on the street, was getting high on shoe glue.
My heart stopped when I found out exactly what he was doing. I could not believe. I have never seen this before and became deeply upset.
Then this morning we were walking on our way to breakfast and a young boy approached us. He was begging for money. Dirty as could be and mumbling as he held his hand out to us. Then I saw to my left a group of young boys who had been sleeping on the street together the night before. This young boy was probably one of their friends. Once again I was reminded of the terrible condition of the young children who make petty money and use it to buy shoe glue. How could anyone would sell them the glue? They know what the children are going to do with it!!
Can you imagine seeing this with your own eyes? These kids have NOTHING. No parents, no money, only one change of clothes, no food and no bed and are filthy dirty. They are addicted to getting high and are sleeping on the streets. And they see a foreigner and run after them begging them saying things like "I have no food. Please feed me."
I have a younger brother, Nicholas, who is about 11 years old now. I can not IMAGINE him on the streets like this. How could he provide for himself? Who would look after him? He would have no one to show him love, but his friends who were in the same position he was....alone and addicted.
Its such a sad thing to see here. My heart is breaking for these children. Still I am deeply disturbed by what I have seen...