Gypsy kids tonight on the tram

Gypsies have a bad reputation in Eastern Europe. In Hungary, 44% of Gypsy Roma children are in special schools and almost 3/4ths of gypsy men and women are unemployed. They are known for being destructive, violent and non-conforming. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I just haven't bought into it, though experience should tell me otherwise. I had one gypsy student last year who was SOOOO hard. I loved the kid. REally, I did. Beni had so much going for him if he could just get it together. Well, he couldn't or he didn't and his reputation proceeded him.

I have a soft spot for hard kids. I used to be one in junior high and most of high school. Dad and mom were always getting calls to come get their daughter out of some predicament. So yes, I believe in people changing and God doing miraculous works. One of my favorite books is "The Cross and The Switchblade", how David Wilkerson got his start in New York working with gangs.....But I digress.

Tonight I experienced the second most disturbing tram ride of my life in Hungary. In between the high school club and meeting up with Anett tonight, I had to rush in and out of my flat. I tucked my keys away in a side pocket of my bag and forgot about them. I met with Anett and came home.... When I rounded the corner home, I searched for the keys. I forgot I had tucked them away, so I headed back to Nyugati station thinking I would have a long night looking for keys....

But, once I got to Nyugati, I remembered they were in my pocket and I started home again. Back and forth, back and forth....As I waited for the tram, a group of junior high/high school gypsy kids came and sat literally right next to me. They were loudly bantering back and forth, hitting each other, yelling (3 girls and 3 guys), even throwing punches. The girls were dressed a bit scantily for being 13 or 14. I think they were on drugs too cuz' their eyes had that glazed look. Anyways, one of the guys started pulling this girls hair and swinging at her, treating her like an animal. It really disturbed me and I was about to say something but I was just hoping they would stop. One girl pushed the other girl down and ran off. It was crazy! I was trying to muster up my words of what to say (language barriers suck).....

The tram came so we jumped on and again they were right by me. I was watching my bag like a hawk, as they are known to steal things. Anyways, they kept right up and finally I couldn't take it anymore and I said, "Beszeltek angolul??" which means, "Do you speak english?" to this one guy who was picking on the girl. Then I just said, "Don't treat her like that. She's a girl. What's your problem?" (in English...) All of them mocked me and had this attitude, even the girls. Wow. And I had a crowd of people who ride the tram and never see things like a dumb American try and "help". Needless to say they quieted down a little but not much. I got off at the next stop but OOHHHHH how I wish I spoke the language. I would have taken those kids aside, given them a hamburger and chewed their ear off about Jesus.... It was obvious they were trouble makers because they're neglected. You can't fix the whole world, but I just pray God goes after those kids. He knows their names. I don't. I wanted to intervene and show the love of God. So tough with a language barrier. Frustrating and discouraging too...Not that anything would have changed but sometimes it just takes one moment, one comment, one something for someone to wake up and smell the coffee.

These kids need a "one moment." Lord, bring it.