Become Vulnerable. And Learn

29 Feb Become Vulnerable. And Learn

I read a great article the other day about learning from people in the margins of society. In the article the author uses the phrase, those on the margins, to describe people that essentially are not thought of with much importance or with much concern. Philosophically these are people of different races, economic standards, even health. We see Jesus ministering a lot to people on the margins of His society including women, tax collectors, lepers and so on. To say a central matter of importance to Christianity is to engage people on the margins of society is an understatement to say the least.

As I read the article, I read it through the lens of the activity of this past week. Tuesday we watched news coverage, what little there was, about eviction proceedings in an area of San Pedro Sula. The area, known commonly as Los Bordos, houses a countless number of families and has been a vital point of ministry since Sparrow Missions began. Sewing clinics, tutoring, food distribution, and most recently the opening of a school for those precious children to learn are just a few of the things that have happened in Los Bordos. Now some of those families are gone, and a large number of families yet to be impacted are gone as well. It will take a while to know exactly who is still there and who is gone, and will also take a while to see if others leave in anticipation of something similar occurring in the future. Not to say that it will, but think about it – would you stay in an area where you just saw neighbors, friends and maybe family evicted? It would be a difficult decision to make.

As I read the article, I thought one thing and one thing only. What did I learn from my friends on the margins in San Pedro Sula? In no particular order of importance, here is what I’ve thought about the last couple of days. I learned what it means to be content, through the smiles and laughter of children living in conditions that are truly less than adequate for human life. I learned what it means to be a giving person, as I have watched numerous times people offer pieces of fruit, a bag of water, or some other form of life-sustaining item to others who really did not need it to survive. I learned what it means to worship, truly worship, in the midst of circumstances where one would wonder if there was a God worthy of worship or not. I learned the value of community, as so many people told us it was foolish to construct a new building or to leave new sewing machines there for surely the “bad guys” of the community would come and destroy or steal, yet the members of that little section of Los Bordos banded together as one and prevented such actions from occurring. I learned how powerful a hug is and how much power laughter contains. I learned the smallest of actions matter, as for example I watched my then 7 year old daughter Kenzie pass out a crayon or 2 with a coloring sheet and sit down and color with children she had nothing in common with.

There is more, but you get the point. I would daresay I have learned more about mercy, grace, love, and being content in the small amount of time I have spent in Los Bordos than I did in all my bible college classes combined. There are people on the margins where you live, I guarantee it. You may have to look for them or they may be right in front of you, but they are there. The question is, will you be vulnerable enough to learn from them? I remember the first time in Phoenix I actually sat on a sidewalk and ate lunch with a homeless person instead of just buying them lunch and driving off. It changed my life. Engage those in the margins. It’s for your benefit as much as it is theirs.

God Bless, Steve Rose