old city loop

Monday, 3:40 pm, El Otro Camino.
After praying together in the "upper room" (office), six of us head out for a walk from this, our drop-in center in Barrio Santa Fe, a run-down and slightly rough area of Bogota. Walking down streets lined with motorbikes, taxis, trash, and dogs we get further away from areas I've been and enter the section called La Favorita. The streets get wider, dirtier. The graffiti is more prolific; some of it is beautiful. Catholic churches tower every few blocks; men stand or lie among the trash piles. A dog stares; a worndown woman hauls a sack full of whatever she has found. Smoke rises into the dusty afternoon light. I wish I had my camera; know I can't because it's not safe.
From La Favorita, we regroup at a plaza, pray, continue walking. This street consists of blanket shops. (In Bogota all the shops of the same nature are grouped together. I live near the 'funeral street' -- purely marble engravers and florists.) Walking up the street, we pass a side road full of police. This is called the Bronx. I'm distracted by the commotion and trying to figure out what happened. Carlos hears someone advertising marijuana. Apparently Andy looks past all that and sees a lot of kids on that long, dark stretch of the city. We'll pray for entrance to the Bronx to get to know the kids and families there.
Next we cross a large plaza, and a homeless man starts talking to us in New York City English. He's lying on the grass enjoying the sun; I answer his greeting as we pass. Waiting at the corner to cross the next street, he's behind us. Andy talks to him for a few minutes. His name is Joaquin. He lived in NYC for many years; now he's back in Colombia.
After the Bronx and our chat with Joaquin, we're halfway done with our loop. Now we head into the Zona de Tolerancia. The first street is lined with transvestite brothels. Two streets later we pass more brothels; these are actually women, I'm told. We don't see any children, thankfully, but Carlos assures me there are kids living in the buildings in this area.
Entering back into Santa Fe, we pass a green door from behind which we hear children's voices. I'm told this is where three of the students at Luz y Vida live... along with thirty-some other kids, and their families. It's a squatter invasion. In this neighborhood of abandoned buildings, getting routed from one to another is part of life, it seems.
As we continue walking, I recognize the park, and then we're at El Otro Camino again. We regroup inside, talk a bit about who saw children where, and when we'll go out again. Next time, it will be with hot chocolate and bread, to introduce ourselves. Next time will be Thursday (tomorrow) afternoon.