solidarity walk

today was, by far, the greatest day yet. we got up early and did a solidarity walk. we took a taxi to starbucks in the 'nice' area of lima, and walked from there. the purpose of the walk was to symbolize our choice of walking away from things that we have in america and choosing solidarity with the poor (aka walking towards where we work).

i noticed a lot of stuff and journaled about it all but i really want to share just a few things. here are some snippits from my journal about the walk:

i feel like everywhere i go there will always be extremes. people spending 9 soles on a cup of coffee at starbucks and people starving and living on the street next to them. there is evil in this world and injustice is present always, but god is still good and is glorified when we choose to take a step in the right direction--when we choose to lessen the gap of those extremes.

about the transition from 'nice' to 'poor':
observing the area we are in now, i see graffiti, stray dogs, poop on the streets, etc. there (in the nice area), there was nothing like that...even the stray dogs know not to go there. they know they're not welcome and that there's nothing to offer them there.

even the smells are different in these two areas. the air in mira flores (nice part) wasn't fresh, but had no smell at all...it was stagnant. the air in la victoria however, smells of urine, trash, sweat, and pollution. the smell here is constantly changing as you walk. but the thing is, the smells are a direct representation of the life in these places. here, in the poor area, daily life is up and down...a constant battle. it's not knowing when your next meal is or where you're sleeping tonight. but there, in the nice area, people live in security and comfort, always knowing what's next...it's a stagnant and stale life...just like the air.

my last entry...it's about a park that they changed to keep out the 'bad kids'. they put a huge fence around it and gave it a facelift. they now have guards at the ONE entrance, and only certain people...the right people...can enter:
i feel like this park is how some people view christianity and the kingdom sometimes. it's beautiful and ment to bring joy and love, but it's been fenced off and there is only one way in. it's an obstacle now to get in, and there are stipulations (what clothes you wear, your skin color, etc.). sometimes we make the kingdom of god seem that way too...'until you get your act cleaned up and go through all the obstacles, you cannot enter.' when really god is saying, 'come as you are, climb the fence to get in, i don't care what you wear or what you've done, just come running to me and see the beauty and joy and love that is everlasting.'