Seized by needs

Our clothing tailor's son has bowed legs. I (Jeff) am not sure if you read that and thought, "you have a tailor? Wow, that must be nice" or if you noticed that his son, Alpha, has bowed legs and can't run like most 10 year old boys.

Or if you were here and saw that all the slums and dumps are constantly on fire because everyone burns their waste — plastics, trash, leftover tins, and whatever else — what you you take away from that event? This is normal everyday living. There's so much smoke that I wake up on the ship with the air filters and still smell plastic smoke. I get to complain about this, but people live here — people live in the dump (to be absolutely clear, I'm not speaking metaphorically. I mean the "dump" as where the city takes its trash, just like our own cities or towns).

It is really hard to not be overcome by guilt every day. We can focus on just the wrongs, injustices, and hurts. We can see how we live in luxury and are infinitely better off than this gentleman in the wheelchair at the gas station asking for a conversation and help. What do you do in that moment? 

What if that was the third or fourth (I lost count that day) person who came to you in the last 5 minutes? How emotionally tired would you have been after seeing the need of the old woman with a cane and distorted foot, or the other woman who asked for help?

I encourage you to further explore opportunities you may already be loosely connected with — or, if none exist, then to explore opportunities. It doesn't have to be Mercy Ships. It could be a food pantry, local mission, or homeless shelter. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the needs. There is need back home, but we're simply desensitized to most of it. I share this not to create shame, guilt, or even action. Nor am I any better than anyone else. I had a conversation with a friend tonight where he reminded me that friends back home told him "Wow, that's so great what you're doing. I could never do that." I question that. There is not two tiers of people such as those who can move away and take on a title such as "NGO worker" or "missionary" and then "everyone else". No, we all encounter need on a daily basis. We all have the ability to become overwhelmed and want to hide under our bed covers; it is a lot easier to pretend it does not exist. 

I don't have answers. I do know I am getting better at embracing sadness. I'm getting comfortable having a conversation with a complete stranger, praying for them, acknowledging them as a person (vs as a "thing" or being invisible). By doing that, I am giving them something that we all long for: dignity. Perhaps that is what I want for you: to be able to mourn with those who mourn and to give dignity.

So the next time I see Alpha with his bowed legs, I will continue to acknowledge him as a person. I also will not give a handout to the next person who asks but neither will I brush them off as if they are a nuisance. They are not. They are human (made in God's image) just like me.