Johnathan

The Greatest Conversation Ever Written

No, you can’t eat nothing! Now take yo' behind upstairs!
Please can I have some food?
Heck no! Boy, what’s yo' problem?
I’m starving and you said I could have some food yesterday.
Well, I changed my mind! I know you not cryin'.
No! OK! OK! OK!

I don’t want to ever hear you cryin' again.
OK!
Go back to your closet!
Yes, ma’am. Can I just use the bathroom first?
Heck no! The social worker is here, get the door.
OK... Hi.
How are you doing ma’am?
I’m doing fine.
Your son is getting so big now, how old is he?
He’s four.
Well, young man, are you enjoying it here at your new foster home?
Yes.

“That was me when I was four years old,” said Johnathan to the crowd at the Vigil. “I’ve been going from one place to another, in and out of abusive homes ever since. It was like I was a recycled can, going through 20 places before finally being thrown away,” he stated.

At eight years old, he was adopted into another abusive situation. The abuse continued for years and all he knew was that, at all costs, he had to get out of that house. “I tried killing myself, drinking hazardous products, but I’m still here. God had another plan, it was only in the making,” said Johnathan. He finally ran away at age 16.

“I slept in parks, I slept in abandoned cars and on top of vacated buildings. I was starving,” he said. At age 18, he took a walk down Martin Luther King to find his new house: Covenant House.

“You can come here as I did with no money, no clothes and no shoes. You can smell and be starving, coming from one of the worst situations ever,” said Johnathan. He stated he receives three meals a day, a bedroom to sleep in, job placement and is currently attending the Covenant House Life Skills Center to obtain his high school diploma.

“They treat you like they’re your real family. That’s how much love they have for you here. And it’s the only love I received from anyone,” said Johnathan. “Coming here was the greatest day of my life. Thank you.”

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