A post by Peregrine

In the face of the ugliness I know is more visible, I ask myself, “What do I find beautiful in our city?”

Yes big gorgeous cow eyes everywhere, living with gecko friends on our walls….but deeper underneath there is more, more I believe anyone will see and appreciate and be humbled by if we look closely enough.

In my best moments I see the strength of the poor, their hospitality, generosity, deep faith. It’s so true and yet I struggle with romanticizing these ideals when we know the other side is also there. Yes, we know there’s great self-protectiveness, violence, grasping for more, hopelessness, and fear.

Not as much as is in my heart though.

The most beautiful thing I’ve seen here and been reflecting on lately is the adaptability and resiliency. It’s a requirement in such a densely populated place. So we adjust to one another; we understand our neighbor has the same needs and we make a little bit of room. Now, in my best moments, I can give up a bit more of my own self-protectiveness, fear, and grasping for more to become one of them, generous and hospitable despite uncertainty and lack. It’s freeing to be one among, empowering to feel myself stretch and not tear.

I pray all my friends in the West, with your world being turned over by COVID-19 right now, may grow not in self-protective fear but in the increasing freedom of trust, daring to serve those more in need by choosing the path of Christ who was God but chose to become weak. May we taste joy in freedom and being a bit stretched, a bit more flexible… And trust God’s goodness.

Pray for us too as we do not know what the situation will become here, and seek to be sources of hope and light.