Not too long ago, those of us at the Simple Way were about to speak before a congregation. The person doing the introduction said, "These folks are a voice for the voiceless." And something inside me hurt. I gently corrected them. Everyone has a voice. I know many amazing people who have used the old "voice for the voiceless" line. But it just felt strange. Perhaps we are too quick to assume folks cannot speak for themselves. We are not a voice for the voiceless. The truth is that there is a lot of noise out there drowning out quiet voices, and many people have stopped listening to the cries of their neighbors. Lots of folks have put their hands over their ears to drown out the suffering. Institutions have distanced themselves from the disturbing cries. When Paul writes in Romans 8 that the entire creation is groaning for its liberation, he goes on to say that "we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly." This is the chorus of the generations of seemingly voiceless people that we have joined. And God has a special ear for their groaning, regardless of who else is listening. It is a beautiful thing when folks in poverty are no longer just a missions project but become genuine friends and family with whom we laugh, cry, dream, and struggle. One of the verses I have grown to love is the one where Jesus is preparing to leave the disciples and says, "I no longer call you servants...Instead I have called you friends. " Servanthood is a fine place to begin, but gradually we move towards mutual love, genuine relationships. Someday, perhaps we can even say those words that Ruth said to Naomi after years of partnership: "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried." And that's when things get messy. When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Holder Camara: "When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist." Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order, that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them."
Being here and seeing these people living like this makes me realize now more than ever that it's not okay. It's not okay that just because I was born in the U.S.A. I was given everything I wanted on a silver platter, while these people have nothing. It's not okay that while I get to chose what I want to eat every day, these people don't get to eat every day. It's not okay that I had a loving family that took care of me, and these kids roam the streets during the day. I want my brothers and sisters from back home to meet my brothers and sisters in Ecuador, because I think it would be a beautiful thing. I think when those of us who are privileged and pampered meet face to face with those that have nothing, something will stir up inside of us. I think life would be different. Life would be better for both sides. I wish you could all see the love that these people have. I find it funny that most people back home who have everything they want and more lack the kind of love that Christians should be known for, while these people have nothing but the most beautiful love I've ever seen.
While we're on the topic of love, go check out 1 John 4: 7-21. Okay? cool.
amor y esperanza.
-nicole.
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