Read Online Bogota Blessings by E. A. West - Free Book Online

don’t have romantic flings, as you call them.” Mateo led her through an open doorway before she could respond. “This is the common room.”
    Kayla took in the comfortable furniture, television set, and packed bookshelves. The wall to the left of the door caught her attention, and Mateo guided her over to it. Photos of children and teens had been tacked to the wall, creating a collage of faces, some smiling, others more serious. Above the photos, large letters painted on the wall read, THE REASON FOR OUR MISSION.
    “These are photos of children the mission has helped,” Mateo said, his voice soft. “Some have gone on to work with street children. Some have married and are raising families. Most of the faces here are what we refer to as the success stories.”
    Kayla studied the photos, torn between joy and confusion. “It’s amazing to see evidence of how many street children the mission has helped over the years. You guys are doing important work. But I don’t see how these photos are supposed to help me understand why it’s OK that your leg hurts enough to make you limp.”
    Mateo released her hand and moved to the right side of the collage, tapping a picture about halfway up. “This is the one you need to see to help you understand.”
    She joined him and peered at the image. A young man stood with the aid of crutches, his left leg missing from the knee down. Moisture stung her eyes as she took in the long scar on his face and the unmistakable signs of a hard life in his dull brown eyes and sad countenance.
    Turning to him, she found him watching her intently, searching her face. She laid her hand on his arm. “I get it now. Catching me probably hurt like crazy, but it didn’t do any damage, did it?”
    “No. My prosthesis is still in one piece, and so is what is left of my leg.” He thumbed a tear from her cheek, his hand lingering. “Why are you crying?”
    “Because that photo makes it clear you’ve been through something horrible, something that changed your life forever. It breaks my heart to know that such a kindhearted man had to endure it.”
    “You don’t know what happened.”
    “It doesn’t matter. You obviously weren’t very far into adulthood when that was taken.” Kayla followed the urging of her heart and reached up to touch the scar on his face. “This is completely healed in the photo, which means you were probably pretty young when it happened. With the little you’ve told me, I’m guessing it’s the result of violence, which affects a child for the rest of his life.”
    Mateo took her hand and led her to one of the sofas. Once they were seated beside each other, he spoke softly. “I was seventeen when I came here, when Carlos took that picture. He and Maria have been like parents to me ever since I arrived, and they are the only family I have. My mother turned me out into the street when I was seven because she could no longer afford to feed me. By some miracle and the kindness of strangers, I was able to survive much longer than many street children. Then when I was thirteen, the FARC kidnapped me and forced me to fight with them.”
    A shudder ran through him, and Kayla put an arm around him, silently praying for his comfort. “What happened?”
    “Too many hellish things that haunt me to this day.” He glanced at her, his eyes filmed with the sheen of tears. “That is why I try so hard to keep the street children away from the rebels. No matter what promises the rebels offer, the reality is much worse than the children can imagine.”
    She wrapped him in a hug, holding him tightly. “But you survived and got out.”
    “I almost didn’t.” He drew in a shaky breath and slid his arms around her. “We were in the jungle, marching as usual, when something exploded. I was the closest to it. My commander and the others, they examined my injuries and decided the wounds were too severe for me to survive. So they left me there, in pain and bleeding to death.”
    “God