Skip to main content

On a Brazilian bus.

Sorting though some papers today I found this. I wrote it in May 2006, and so as to not loose it I thought I’d post it here on my blog as a reflection on life and dignity. It was an experience on a bus in Brazil, but the reality of it can be applied to every society and nation. The poor and needy will always be with us- what will our response be as we encounter these individuals who deserve lives of dignity?

"The man got on the bus and was wearing dirty clothes. The bus driver let him on through the front door or the bus. As he started talking my heart got unsettled. He was begging for money. He wansn’t old or disabled, but his plea was to give him some money because he was unemployed and didn’t want to steal. The usual arguments came to mind: he’s an ablebodied man, he could work; what if he buys alcohol or drugs (although he didn’t smell of booze); what if he is simply lying…yet my heart was stirred and I felt such a compassion for this man. A compassion for the humiliation he must feel, the shame of being so desperate that he had to get on a bus of strangers and beg for change. I gave him a coin. I wanted to do more, but what? I hope he gets a job soon. I hope he can be given dignity soon. This is the reality of our Brazil.”

Popular posts from this blog

Small moments that mean a lot

Walking home on the crunchy snow that lights up a December evening,  I felt so thankful. The revelation that fellowship and being together is the best gift you can give someone, and realising that although it might seem small, it can turn into something big when a person feels seen and valued.  Yesterday I helped out with a crafts workshop for a group of lovely women volunteering for Crux where I worked before (well, in all honesty: they were making angels while I ate Christmas cookies, Quality Street chocolate, and chatted). I love walking alongside people in conversation, and realise sharing life for 2 hours can last so much longer in value and experience.  This evening we had our Christmas dinner for volunteers and people who are part of my current job. It was a delightful evening with many nations gathered around the same table…. eating the same food… and for a few hours creating a small fellowship moment that will become a good memory for the future. Often in my job ...

Taking in the familiar and a heart connected.

Amsterdam. It still has that muggy feeling in Summer, and a constant flow of people which if you stop to think about it, it's quite amazing that there would even be space to accommodate them all. But then I guess they are not all staying. Just passing through on their way to or from somewhere. It's always good for the heart to visit somewhere that was once home. The familiarity of streets and customs makes it easier to embrace what might be new as well as the joy of being reacquainted with old friends. Friends. So many of them to be found in this city, ready with hugs and good words that are uttered when seeing someone who was away again. Friendship. A treasure that cannot be bought. Cobblestones trodden by many, including myself. Sitting on a bench. Praying. Remembering the first time I stumbled upon this area lined with windows with red lights and curtains. An area which has come to represent no longer windows, but people to me. Some still behind a window. Others who have ...

So what is new in Kansas City?

“Not much”, I think is the answer. Although, that’s not quite correct, I’ve had quite an adventurous weekend (in the mildest sense of the word). Let me see, where do I start? Well, Thursday when I last wrote was really good. I got to join with a team for a bit in the evening, which was really good fun and it lifted my spirits as I am totally a team person! The whole week had been quite tense because of adjustments with our household and people coming and going. On Saturday two of the girls I shared with were moving out and since Friday night they were packing, my other housemate and I went shopping. We figured it was easier to not get caught up in the chaos that packing to move houses is. It was fun to go shopping, even if we only went to Wall-Mart and HyVee (big grocery and other thing shops). We got a few bits and pieces for the house to make it more homely and generally just had fun looking at all the stuff they have. We’d decided that when the other girls had moved we’d do a big cl...