At 3 a.m., a barefoot little girl knocked on our door—what brought her there alone left us completely speechless

her arms was a teddy bear.

The stuffed toy—its original color impossible to tell through layers of dirt—looked just as worn and battered as she did.

She was trembling.

Not only from the bitter cold of the early morning, but from a fear so deep it seemed to radiate from her small body.

David stared at her for a moment, then gestured for me to come closer.continue reading …