I was walking my dogs in the park about three weeks ago. It was after midnight. This kid came walking up to me strutting kinda gansta-like, but he was only about 9 years old. I smiled and said hello and he stopped and paid some attention to the dogs. He tried to ask me some questions but my Chinese was too bad to understand. Nothing was exchanged beyond small talk. He was a nice kid. I could see he was dressed poorly, and I wondered where he came from and what he was doing out so late by himself.
I saw him again tonight. This time at the Geant store. He was eating the sample of the dried food. He’d eat a few bits, walk away, and then circle back for more. I watched him for about 10 minutes. He was clearly trying to make a meal on those samples. In the lights of the store I could see more fully what state he was in. He was wearing blue plastic flip flops but his feet were way too small for the pair he was wearing. They didn’t sit on the front of his feet but were held on by where the strap met his ankle. His filthy bare feet were hanging out over the front end. And he was as filthy right to the top of his head. His shirt, which was two sizes too big, was beyond washing. His neck -oh god- his neck was scummy grimy. Honest to god, he looked like he had never taken a bath or ever changed his clothes. I have never seen such a dirty and neglected child.
I bought him some of the dried fruit and gave him a little $. And he was so sweet and quietly grateful. He broke my heart.
What should I do to help him? What services are available? I am not positive, but I believe he is homeless. Advice please?
From the Taipei City Government’s English Website:
Homeless Service
Establishes homeless shelters and half-way houses (such as the Peace Home, a private institution also supported by Taipei City) to provide personal protection, family reconstitution, employment restoration, referral services and medical services for persons living in the open, begging, homeless, or those who have collapsed on the street and arrived at a hospital without identification.
I just ran into this kid again. He was in the park. I was walking my dogs and I thought I could see him at a distance. He was with a young well-dressed woman and was lighting firecrackers --big freaking firecrackers!! Two guys who had been playing basketball were standing next to them watching. I discovered these guys spoke English, so I asked them about him but they didn’t know anything. Apparently, the kid brought the fire crackers and one of their girlfriends was helping him light them. The kid told these guys that his grandmother sells them. I asked them if they knew anything about him, his parents, etc, but they didn’t. And they looked totally stoned-faced-stunned at my suggestion that he needed help. I asked them to look at his feet and they did, but they did not answer me when I asked them what they thought. They just stared off into the dark. They KNEW something was wrong, but playing oblivious is easier I guess. The up-shot is that they helped me arrange a meeting with this kid tomorrow at the store again. Hopefully and thanks to VW, I will have a social worker with me. But if not, at least this kid will get a new outfit and a toothbrush.
But I know he’ gonna need more than that. This sucks.
Many locals don’t like to get involved in anything like this, even when, for instance, there is blatantly obvious child abuse going on. You’re doing the best thing for the boy and that’s all that matters.
I’d like to chip in and buy this kid some shoes - I’m serious! Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with.
It’s great that you’re doing something instead of just pointing out the problem, as many would (including me).
I’m guessing we won’t get to neuter this one, though, right?
Yes, it’s the JingMei River Park. I met the kid up near its end, near the bridge to HsienTien. And the Geant Store is in back of the Jing Mei night market.
I contacted social services and they’re gonna send someone with me to talk to the boy tonight. I’ll be sure to mention your offers of help the social worker and see what we can arrange for this kid.
This kid didn’t show tonight. The social worker asked around and found that he did go to the Geant today but was there around 3:30. He spoke with a woman there and told her that he was going to go back at 8:00 but he never did. We looked around the area but with the nightmarket right there and all, it is a needle in a hay stack. The social worker said that a while ago her office got word that there were three kids living under the bridge in the JingMei River Park. She said by the time she found out and went there, the cops had already been and there was no sign of the kids. She said that this boy could be one of them.
I just found the kid again. This time with his little brother, who is about 4 years old I guess. The little that he was playing with a syringe. No shit. I couldn’t make this up. Needless to say, I took it off him. The kid was dressed in different clothes and was washed up a bit, but he told me he sleeps in the park. He’s suppose to meet me tomorrow again at 8:00. I’ll bring the social worker and hopefully get things rolling… Say a prayer to what ever god you believe in that he shows up…
Why didn’t you take him home, that way it would have been a guarantee that the social worker would have met him. Or did the social worker give you a celphone number to contact them?
I do not truly know if they are homeless. Last night when I saw the boy, he was dressed in different clothes and was washed up. So I think that they do have a place to sleep, but I think his family does not care about them at all. I feel he is severely neglected but has a roof over his head despite him telling me that he sleeps in the park.
Last night I lay awake thinking about this and how I could just scoop them up, but then the image of the family appears saying who the f$#@ is she to take my children comes into my mind. If they do have a place in which to sleep and someone is expecting to see them, I’d create a problem by taking them, and being a foreigner, I don
I will phone them tomorrow and see what can be done. I’ll let you know what happens.