Sunday, September 02, 2007

Convenience Store crowd

While lots of people tried to make a living at the bustling Wholesale Fruit Market (油麻地果欄) early in the morning, a totally different scene played out several blocks away in Temple Street (廟街).

There was a crowd of mostly young people sitting outside a 24-hour convenience store. They didn’t seem to be doing anything. Some were talking, some were drinking, some were napping and some simply seemed dazed. They didn’t look particularly threatening. But I decided to play it safe and took the picture from half-a-block away. It looked like they had not slept all night, but still had no intention to go home.

A great number of lives are being wasted away. Whoever’s fault it is, it is a great pity. An Irish Salesian brother (who is now a priest, Father Newberry 李文烈神父), who taught me English in Form 2, heads an organization (協青社) formed to help such youths. He calls his work 執仔. I have tremendous respect for him and what he does because it takes great courage, dedication, and love. And I am sure it comes from God.




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