I celebrated Thanksgiving with a bunch of Peace Corps volunteers and some English teachers from the US recently. For the celebration I travelled to San Marcos de Ocotepeque, a fairly large town in an expansive, gorgeous valley. The view on the way there and in the town itself is absolutely breathtaking. We had quite a few passionate cooks present and they prepared quite the feast. There were 19 of us there and we packed the food down well. After most people left, the rest of us went on a short hike to a waterfall to swim.
That night, despite our prodigious leftovers, we went to get pizza and as we were waiting, a short crippled man walked up and signaled hello. This was unusual because normally someone in his state would be asking for money and he was not. It was apparent by his speech that he was severely mentally disabled. I decided to sit and relax with him while my new friends went to hang out across the street. This man shook my hand and laughed hysterically. Then he gestured at my friends and laughed some more. Because of his mental state, I decided not to be offended and enjoy a few good long random laughs with him. Conversation was pretty difficult and it proceeded a lot like 20 questions, with me asking questions and him enthusiastically bobbing or shaking his head and stringing together indecipherable syllables. The beginning, the middle, or the end of any string of communication was infused with a huge smile and a body-quaking laugh. He very clearly said ´fresco!´ which means pop or normally coke, and I decided I would indulge him. When I didn´t get one for myself, he refused to take it. After a lot of pleading, he decided he could hold it. He still didn´t drink it until I was gone, he couldn´t enjoy it if I didn´t also have one. After we had been sitting for a while, I noticed the hat that he was wearing said ´Jesus´ on it. I hung out with Jesus talking and laughing like crazy until the pizza was ready and my friends were ready to leave.
I was struck by seeing this crippled man labeled Jesus right in front of me, coming up not to beg, but to say hi, hang out and laugh. I was reminded of Jesus´ words that whatever we do to the least of these, we do to him. This man was not just materially poor, he was socially destitute. He always waved, made noises, and smiled enthusiastically when people walked or drove past, but most completely ignored him. I´ve been trying recently to recognize God in all of the people around me, no matter who they are or what they are doing. It was very powerful to be reminded that this man is also a child of God and to experience his wonderful humanity.
And in case you´re wondering, the box of bananas was finished with gusto in the preparation of banana bread, which I ate for breakfast J
"I'll have some of his spotted dick"
11 years ago
4 comments:
Thank you Michael for this beautiful reminder to look for God within each person we encounter daily. I've found it's easiest to do that when I'm in an unfamiliar place, but most difficult to do that when I'm encountering the same people day in and day out and when you know some of their past and it's just so easy to pass judgement. Thanks for calling me back to something which I wish I could say I always do, but clearly do not... Happy belated Thanksgiving! Sounds like you had a feast, both material and immaterially.
Hey Michael! What a really good story. Thanks for sharing it. Keep up the great SALTing!
Hey, just catching up, that's a wonderful story Mike. Jesus calls for us to care for the poor, but i wonder if we don't too often jump to meeting their economic needs, instead of recognizing and caring for their humanity first. Thanks for sharing.
Great story...I love thinking about you laughing with Jesus. Have a lovely Christmas, Mike.
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