That's a perfect description of my BIL, who's just retired from a county sheriff's department in CA. When he was on patrol and saw young kids running wild on the streets, he used to engage them in conversation and give them baseball cards. He said most of them had no father at home and had no experience interacting with a male authority figure. He always hoped he might make a small difference in the lives of one or two of them.
The really cool thing is your sweet love probably made a difference in the lives of many children. Goodness starts with one person... You’re blessed. Thanks for sharing.