When I found him in the sewer, Marian had a steady flow of blood oozing out of his broken forehead. Though he was obviously dizzy, he was still conscious. I asked him what happened, and Marian told me that he had been playing hide-and-seek in the dark, damp sewers. He was fleeing from a friend when he suddenly turned into a water pipe, thus cutting open his forehead. I told him that he needed to go to the hospital, but he refused because he wanted to play soccer with the rest of the boys.
On the way to the field, I tried to convince Marian that he would have a large scar on his head for the rest of his life if he didn't get stitches. But Marian was no more likely to allow stitches than he was to accept the mark of the apocalyptic beast on his forehead. When we arrived at the soccer field, the wild boy ran off and completed two laps around the track. After his half-mile exhibition, Marian turned pale. Finally, he consented to go to the hospital…as long as I went with him.
We walked two miles to the hospital and went straight to the emergency room. Though there was no queue, we waited about an hour. None of the nurses wanted to treat Marian. He was dirty. He smelled. He was from the sewers. When I explained to the nurse what had happened, she abruptly replied, “And?! What do you want me to do about it?” I wasn't surprised by the nurse's reaction, as this is the typical sentiment toward street children. The children are on the street because they are bad. They live in the sewers because they are not fit for society. A scar on Marian's forehead would suit this “little beast.” The nurse could not see, however, that when society resigns these children to their evil environment, it participates in and perpetuates the very evil that it condemns. The blood pouring from Marian's head was not simply Marian's fault. Injustice and neglect have forced Marian to play in the sewers. His blood cries out for help, for change, and for justice. His blood trickles alongside the blood flowing from the crown of thorns.
Marian did get stitches. Today he doesn't even bear the scar. But Marian still plays hide-and-seek in the sewers - and the sewers cut deep scars that cannot be healed by simple stitches. Marian stands with those who need to be delivered from their evil environment, and who need to be offered a home where they can heal. We must stand with them, bringing forth the day when “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain…and [Marian] shall see His face, and His name shall be on [Marian's] forehead.”
