Crunch

Crunch Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: Crunch Read Online Free PDF
Author: Rick Bundschuh
Tags: Ebook
starved for human attention. So, don’t let it bother you if the younger ones want to be carried or touched.”
    Bethany and the rest of the team looked at each other silently, trying to imagine what it would feel like to go through such horrors—at such a young age.
    â€œCan they be adopted?” Bethany asked when she found her voice again.
    â€œWell, technically the true orphans can. But it is pretty hard to do in Mexico,” Maggie replied. “People ask that all the time though, and some really find their hearts going out to a particular kid and want to take him or her home. But it can’t be done easily or with most kids.”
    â€œSo, what happens to them?” Kai asked.
    â€œAh, that’s another tragic part of their story,” Maggie said sadly. “The parents usually come back to claim their child when the kid is old enough to work in the streets. We often run into the kids on the street…it’s not a pretty sight.”
    â€œThere ought to be a law against that,” Monica said from the other side of Bethany.
    â€œWell, you will find that things are done a lot differently here than they are in the United States,” Maggie said with a sigh.
    No kidding, Bethany thought. Even though the team had been through an orientation meeting before going on the trip, nothing had prepared them for this—for the cruel realities of children living in the grip of poverty.
    The orphanage was nestled in a residential neighborhood. The two-story, bright pink building was surrounded by a large wall, the top of which was imbedded with glass and barbed wire.
    Looks more like a prison than an orphanage, Bethany thought with a bit of dismay as the taxi parked in front of the door. She also noticed Kai’s tight grip on his ukulele as he studied the hand-printed letters over the entrance that read, “Emmanuel Orphanage.” A small frown was forming on his face.
    â€œThe kids are expecting us,” Maggie said with an encouraging smile as she opened the door of the taxi. “There is no school today, and they rarely get something as exotic as a hula show, so they are really excited.”
    As if on cue, dozens of small black-haired children rushed out to meet the group as they emerged from the taxi. They tugged on Bethany’s shirt, laughing as they grabbed the teens’ hands and pulled them toward the gate of the orphanage. Bethany felt her heart melt as the few that surrounded her studied her missing arm with concern, whispering to each other in Spanish before turning back to her with wide, compassionate eyes.
    They have it so much harder than I do. How could they feel sorry for me? she thought with amazement.
    Maggie bent down and quietly explained something to the kids in their own language.
    â€œ Tiburon ?” One of the little ones asked in disbelief.
    â€œSí, sí, tiburon,” Maggie replied patiently.
    Mouths gaping wide, the children passed the word on to the latecomers, each of whom stared at Bethany in awe.
    â€œI explained to them that you are a surfer who lost your arm to a shark,” Maggie said almost apologetically. “They’re just curious, and they really don’t mean any harm by it.”
    â€œSure, that’s okay,” Bethany said, smiling at the little group before she turned back to Maggie. “It always makes kids curious when they see someone missing an arm.”
    â€œThey all want to hear what happened, but you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
    â€œNo, I don’t mind at all. I like it when my story encourages others to learn more about God,” she said smiling shyly.
    Maggie gave her a grateful smile. She turned back to the children—now gathered in a thick group around the team—and explained that they would hear the story of the shark and see something special right from Hawaii.
    The children squealed with delight and hurried to lead the team through
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