Over the Tracks

When I walk to Basketball or look outside my window. I can see the broken down neighborhood just over the tracks. The buildings are old and worn down, the streets are slanted and covered with potholes. Yet the people are happy. Walking up and down the streets stopping at every window they see a familiar face in. I like walking through the neighborhood, smelling the fresh fruit when I pass the fruit stand, the meat at the butcher or the pastries at the pastry shops.


                                                              Over the Tracks


It's amazing how little kids can be so nice to you in broken-down neighborhoods. They come up and hug you and you don't even know them. The fifth graders at school never do that. They walk around the school and think that they are the coolest ones there.
Would you believe it or not if I told you I share to the kids over the tracks, by being a pirate. I know what you are thinking, you are picturing me in a pirates costume with an eyepatch and would probably pay to see me. Honestly, it is a little embarrassing walking through neighborhoods dressed as a pirate. Faces turn, people laugh. If I a saw a girl my age dressed as a pirate on a Sunday I would probably laugh to. I have to ask God why am I doing this, but then I realize that I am doing this for him. That's about all the inspiration I need.
You see, I am the bad guy in this skit, along with other pirates. I try to tempt kids in the neighborhood that are watching to be lazy. Then the "Soldier of the King" beats me up and so on. It is a simple play that they understand.
 I have so much fun in these poor neighborhoods because after the skit I get hugged a number of times, yet I also get attacked by sword balloons. I get to experience with them the most fun they have ever had, even when I am a pirate.
Sometimes it isn't the kids that are listening the most, but the people in their apartments looking down or the little old gypsies, even some of the teenagers and troublemakers.
I would rather go to a neighborhood to be a pirate than going and seeing a movie. And that is saying a lot since I love movies.
Sometimes I don't teach the kids they teach me even when I don't even realize it.
My cousins were here for two weeks, and we went to two of these events. They showed me that even when you don't know a word of Portuguese that you can still love on these kids like never before. Who knows you could've given them there first Bible, hug or basketball.
I always pray that there will be children right over the tracks that are opening there bibles for the first time, wondering if someone really does care enough to die for them. Rejoicing after they find that the answer is yes, someone does care enough to die for me.