For those of you who check our blog to see pictures of our little man (Grandma) I promise more are coming. But now I have some thoughts to get off my chest. Yesterday I visited our friend Galant, a refugee from the Congo. He has been trying so hard to follow the rules imposed upon him by the government, learn English, go to church and basically survive in the hostile environment of Hong Kong. Yesterday he was feeling discouraged and run down at how difficult life is. After escaping Congo with nothing more than his life and cousin, he has been greeted in HK with imprisonment, slow bureaucracy,discrimination, and language/ cultural barriers. Apart from the help our church gives him, Galant is given around $100 a month and is forbidden to work. Survival in this expensive city is just not possible on that.
After hanging out with Galant, I skipped off to my job where I am filling in teaching a couple classes at my friend's dance studio. It struck me on the train that in 2 hours of twirling and skipping around with three year olds I can earn what Galant is given in month. How wrong is that! The only reason I can get paid so well in this job is because I am a "native English speaker" and the only reason Galant is in his position is because he is from the Congo. The injustice truly breaks my heart. Well, I guess those are all my scrambled thoughts for now. Tell me what you think. . . .
2 comments:
It is so hard to know what it is we are supposed to do in these situations. We are so small and the world is so big. I do believe God puts these people in our paths for a reason, I don't think he expects us to fix it or to feel guilt but that he wants us to be aware. He wants us to love and to sometimes do. I don't know, it's a tough one but I do know that it is good to talk and pray and think about it. Even now, our country is going through this whole economic crisis and it's hard because I realize that most people around the world live with economic worry every day... I don't know, you totally have me thinking! : )
Yeah Christine, what you are talking about here is totally what I've been processing after reading, When Invisible Children Sing. And I don't have answers to it. Injustice is present... being aware of it, praying, and acting in some way with it is a good start.. but why and all else... hmmm
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