Skip to main content

The reality of a world that is not kind.

It caught me off guard. I wasn’t intending on getting into the subject of suicide, but when she said: “Someone told us about a girl who felt so ugly she took her life”, I realized this was a subject we needed to talk about. I was sharing about my job with the crisis hotline with a group of 10 year olds. Children I imagine are living in safe and protected homes (but I don’t know). I was planning on talking about subjects I thought were more appropriate to their age group; thinking (and hoping) that bullying and self-image would be heavy enough. And then I am sat there having to re-think my strategy and find words to be real with these 10-year old, without traumatizing them by a reality they should not have to think about.

Thankfully these were children who were good at reflecting and putting words to their thoughts and feelings. And we made it through our time together, not with all the answers, but them with a slightly deeper glimpse of the dark reality of our society.

The conversation with them has stuck with me. Making me think of how sad it is that children have to be exposed to realities they should never have to process. And yet, so many children in this world are living unimaginable things which they should never have to encounter in their lifetimes.

The conversation made me wonder how we can raise children in a reality where they feel safe, valued and love, yet at the same time prepare them to live in a word that is not kind. A world where for some, life gets so hard they can’t imagine continuing living. How do you prepare a child living in a safe home, to step out of that place and bring hope to someone whose reality is so different?

I don’t have the answer, but after being faced with so many children whose realities are so rough, I realize that there is also a challenge when faced with children in good homes. And the challenge is to raise them to grow up to be men and women who don’t just stay in a safe bubble, closing their eyes to the suffering around them, but ones who walk in kindness and bring others into safety and value. And I hope that these 10 year olds will be that light in someone’s darkness.

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 ...
Read more

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 ...
Read more

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...
Read more