There are moments in your life that take your breath away because something is so wonderful and amazing you are completely overwhelmed. I've had those moments before and it feels like you are literally being swept off of your feet, like when my boyfriend, Stephen (I'll tell you more about him later) last came to Florida to visit me. It was something out of a movie when he came off the airport shuttle, ran up to me, dropped his bags, and kissed me right in front of the entire airport. Now that, that is take-my-breath away amazing. However, there are other moments that take your breath away by shocking, horrifying, or depressing you. I have had many of these moments before and each one stays in my mind like a bad, catchy song (think Party in the USA). I have had most of these moments while traveling in developing countries and seeing the poverty and dispair of the people, especially the children. A few days ago, while in Shenzhen, I was on my way to the markets to get a new suitcase to send home more crap I had accumulated. I saw a mother and a baby, sitting on the ground and a few people nearby. I thought nothing of it and kept walking. On my way back to our hotel, carting my new $15 suitcase, I came across the woman and baby again and was faced with the reality of what was really going on. The woman was picking through a trash can, eating what was in it, and having her baby sit next to her, sometimes eating some of the trash or playing with it. It honestly stopped me in my tracks for a few seconds. One thing that never fails to upset me is seeing a helpless child suffer. Would that baby even make it to see another year with the obvious malnutrition and horrible sanitary conditions in which it lives? And secondly, would it be even more worse if that baby did grow up to have health concerns and developmental issues while entrenched in poverty and dispair? I don't know the answer to that and I felt glued to the ground as a myriad of emotions washed over me. Anger at a mother doing this to her child, humility and shame for the suitcase I bought that would feed this family for weeks not including the many silly souvenirs I had bought, dispair in knowing that something so awful as feeding a child literally trash happens in a country with the second largest luxury goods market and a government who is supposed to "care for" its people, and finally, confusion for what I could even do. Do I give money as we are told not to do because so many woman and families use suffering children to lure in tourists? Or, do I keep walking, with my head down, ignoring what I saw in front of me. Or, finally, do I keep walking, say a prayer for this mother and her child, and vow to take action in my own way and do my part to help children like the one I saw on the ground, sucking on an old chicken wing, playing with dirty styrofoam? Your decision may be different from mine, but I did take the last option. I am honestly still unsettled by it and am not 100% sure I made the right choice.
However, hindsight is always 20/20 and to this day, I wish I would have bought the mother some bread, fruit, and water and showed her the love and compassion I had in my heart and mind. As a Christian, I am commanded to show love, compassion, and mercy to everyone, not matter who they are or what they have done. And the key word there is SHOW. Many times, I feel like I think like a good person, but do I act like one? Do I truly express my divine love to everyone I meet? Many times, we get caught up in our own daily lives and when we are stopped in our tracks and our breath is taken away, we have only a few seconds to make a decision and act. And many times, we keep walking and say to ourself, what a horrible thing, I will pray for them. However, you can pray until the cows come home, but it is our actions as Christians or even as world citizens that make the real difference. So, I have challenged myself to do more doing than saying and more acting than thinking. Going and getting that woman some food might have been an inconvenience or used up some of my precious souvenir money, but it would have been the right thing to do, no matter your beliefs. Through traveling, I have seen my fair share of dispair and poverty and have had the pleasure and honor of giving my own time, service, and resources to those in need throughout the world. But, I am realizing, giving of my time, service, and resources is not just a one time thing. You can't schedule being a good person into your life. It's something you have to be ready to be at a moments notice and not just when it's convenient or looks good on paper. This is my public promise to try, every day, to spread God's love and be a better, more compassionate person to every single person I meet. That does not mean throwing a bible into someone's face, or even ever mentioning the world "God", because to me, the people who are truly in touch with God and His love, are the ones who carry God within them and without even saying one word, God's light and love can be seen in their actions, words, heart, and mind. So, regardless of your religious or spiritual beliefs, I ask that you don't keep walking with your head down and eyes averted to those truly in need, but stop and think of any deed you can do, big or small, to show love and human compassion. I'm not saying start giving away money on the street, but perhaps give some food, water, or even some words of encouragement and love to them or, sign up for an hour a week at a soup kitchen or mentoring at-risk children. One minute, hour, or day of your life could end up completely changing someone else's and change the world too.
