My mind has been running all weekend. My Friday ended in a meeting with a single mom who is currently living in a shelter. She has three girls and left her abusive husband nearly a year ago. The court proceedings are just now on their way and the custody hearing was a week ago. Thanks to the wonderful judicial system of California (a no-fault state) this father who has both physically and sexually abused his children will get joint custody. The children are terrified and all I could do through the course of my meeting with this woman was fight back my own tears as she disclosed the information leading to the deterioration and dissolution of her marriage.
I am slightly comforted by some words I read of Nouwen's this weekend who said, "The mission of Jesus was not to wipe out all human sorrow and take away all human pain, but to enter so fully into our world of sorrow and pain that nothing human would remain alien." Jesus did not come with the intent of being the magic genie who would do away with all injustice--that is what we are to look forward to, but in the midst of pain and suffering the kingdom of God can still be present, moving, and real. I have the tendency to want to solve every problem that I come into contact with, yet that is not what we are called to do, we are called to be present and in community with those who are suffering.
Perhaps a highlight during my weekend was a conversation I had with one of the residents of a homeless shelter I work at. He is an 18 year old immigrant from Chiapas. I was quietly reading outside when he came and sat down next to me and asked me to read a poem he had written. It was about jealousy and how that ruins relationships between men and women. He told me he felt it was a disease within the machista/Latino community. He had witnessed his father abuse his mother because of his own unfounded jealousy. This young man had also seen and experienced domestic violence with several other family members and friends told me that he didn't want to fall into that trap. He believed in communication between involved parties. He said that was something he never witnessed growing up or with friends. Though he has never experienced good communication between people it is something he is so desperately seeking to learn.
Since I met this kid I have been impressed by both his integrity and his tender heartedness. These boys that I have the privilege to work with never cease to amaze me by how "together" they are in spite of their backgrounds.
I am slightly comforted by some words I read of Nouwen's this weekend who said, "The mission of Jesus was not to wipe out all human sorrow and take away all human pain, but to enter so fully into our world of sorrow and pain that nothing human would remain alien." Jesus did not come with the intent of being the magic genie who would do away with all injustice--that is what we are to look forward to, but in the midst of pain and suffering the kingdom of God can still be present, moving, and real. I have the tendency to want to solve every problem that I come into contact with, yet that is not what we are called to do, we are called to be present and in community with those who are suffering.
Perhaps a highlight during my weekend was a conversation I had with one of the residents of a homeless shelter I work at. He is an 18 year old immigrant from Chiapas. I was quietly reading outside when he came and sat down next to me and asked me to read a poem he had written. It was about jealousy and how that ruins relationships between men and women. He told me he felt it was a disease within the machista/Latino community. He had witnessed his father abuse his mother because of his own unfounded jealousy. This young man had also seen and experienced domestic violence with several other family members and friends told me that he didn't want to fall into that trap. He believed in communication between involved parties. He said that was something he never witnessed growing up or with friends. Though he has never experienced good communication between people it is something he is so desperately seeking to learn.
Since I met this kid I have been impressed by both his integrity and his tender heartedness. These boys that I have the privilege to work with never cease to amaze me by how "together" they are in spite of their backgrounds.
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