sometimes God has a kid's face

i went to the library at 11 tonight and got five books- four of them i'd planned on getting for my philosophy of ed paper that's due in less than a week, but the other one- sometimes God has a kid's face- i certainly didnt plan on getting. but i've been reading and now it's past midnight and i'm about halfway through it. wow. talk about God saying something to my heart. this book is about america's exploited street kids, and a man- a priest- who left his parish to be of service to the children of the most horrible part of the lower east side of new york city. he got a slummy apartment in the slummiest of places- and before he knew it, children from all over were knocking on his door in the middle of the night pleading to sleep on his floor... for a place to stay for a night... to get away from the drugs, the sex, the exploitation, the stealing, the hunger, all of it. this priest- thus far- has been used in so many ways... by God... just amazing. i guess i always have to question why we as a nation let there be places where children are allowed to be faced with all of these issues. why we allow them to live every day feeling as though there is no hope for them- when truly, there is... it just can't be found where they are at. God, why? i can only pray that someday- just someday- i can make a difference in the life of at least one child who has seen nothing but darkness... to show him or her that there is, indeed, light... oh, to be of use in this way. i don't care where i am; whether it be in a nice suburb, a small town, overseas, or in the slums. just to be used like this. wow.

other thoughts have abounded tonight but this is all i'll write about.
i definitely have a lot of things to pray for/about before i fall asleep.
one of them will be my giving thanks over and over again for the life that i've been fortunate enough to lead. clean clothes. shelter over my head. food to eat, water to drink. a car, and money for gas. friends. family, and church family. freedom. God, i am so blessed...