July 5th, 2016 – I know you may be reading this title and thinking “how can there be love in being abandoned?” However, I have seen an abundance of love at Maxfield Park Children’s Home over the past week.
This home is for children who are homeless, often abandoned or abused. When I arrived at Maxfield, I knew the children would be close, but not as close as a traditional family. As a young man that is blessed with both a mother and a father, I know sometimes you need your parents. However, with the kids at Maxfield Park, some may never get to witness the love of a parent, the comfort of having a father to protect them from bullies, or a mother to cook for them. Just thinking about it just makes any kid blessed with a mother and father to really appreciate the love they already have.
I am pleased I have been able to see “The Love in Abandonment” because the kids at Maxfield Park love each other like a true family. Even though they are not related, they protect each other like any siblings. Their love for each other may not replace the love from a parent, but it does give them a sense of comfort to know that you have a brother to protect you. I asked one kid about his feelings for the kids at Maxfield Park and he replied ” We are all one big family… even though we have different parents… we have a common struggle.” Instantly I inferred the love from a parent.
He also shared “However, it is also scary… because at any point one of your best friends can become strangers.” I asked what he meant and he was talking about the suspense of a parent coming to receive his or her child. Because of the relationships he’s been able to build with the other children, he’s become attached and although he would feel joy for his comrades to be able to go “home”, he would miss them dearly because “home” to him is the place that they all are. The love at Maxfield Park is powerful, it allows children who may have been deprived of love before they came, to experience love and in abundance.
The older children look out for the younger children and the younger children look up to the older children, basically following their every prompt. Even though we were strangers to these children after a few days past they opened up to us and allowed us to feel the love that they have for each other. One of the youngest children, who has been at the children’s home for almost 2 years, had so much joy. Every time he would see me, he would literally charge at his unit door in hopes that had come to play with him. It seemed as though I was doing a great deal for him, but really he was doing a lot for me, as the days have progressed, I have become the one who charges off of the bus to go and find him and receive his warm embrace.
Elijah D., Eastern High School