Little boy lost

I first saw them as I was sitting in my vehicle in the parking lot. Father and son walking toward their car. The tiny boy was about the age of mine, and was beautiful with his sweet light colored curls and impish smile. His father stared blankly ahead. The careworn face, dishelved hair and dirty clothes suggested it had been days at best since he had seen the clean end of a washcloth. They walked closer and approached an old, beat up car parked close to mine. The inside was littered with trash, cigarette butts, and clothing. The door was opened and the little boy was carelessly tossed inside along with the purchases made from the store. No child restraint... not even an attempt at a seatbelt. The man paused outside the vehicle for a moment, and the tiny boy stuck his head out of the window to say something... perhaps to ask a question? Profanity and anger spewed forth from the father's mouth- met with a look of terror on the face of the child. His sweet, dirty little face crumpled into tears as his father looked away and lit up a cigarette. I tried to smile a reassuring smile at him through the glass, but he never saw me. Every fiber in my being wanted to throw open that door and enfold that tiny creature into my arms and murmur sweet words as I held him close. The very thing which I, of course, could not do. As they sped away, I prayed for him. Prayed that somehow, someway, this little boy would find Jesus. That against all odds, he would know that he is loved. That someone cares for him more than anything. I prayed that he would find a light in his world, and that someone would point him to THE way. I thought of my own sweet 3 year old boy. I thought of how he is tucked in at night with kisses and stories and prayers. I thought of how he hears "I love you" many times each day. I thought of how he has a mommy and daddy that love him more than anything. I thought of how he has someone that cares about his safety and welfare. I thought all of these things and wiped more than a few tears from my eyes.
I don't know why I witnessed that scene today. I know it has bothered me more than a little. I know it has made me think of all of the sweet innocent children in our world that suffer every day, right at our own doorsteps. I don't know why it happens. I don't have the answers. But I do know that there will be a little boy, an older boy, and young man and then a grown man that I will pray for every night when I look at my son.. and I will pray that he finds the truth.
Happy Monday and
Much Love,
Jennifer