“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”
-Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet
This past week was a little crazy. Over the weekend we took a road trip (ok, train) to Budapest, this week we finished up ministry here in Romania, we got to go visit some gypsy homes, we’re currently packing up and saying goodbye and by the end of the week we’ll be in Moldova.
Walking around the gypsy community was tough. If you’ve ever imagined a third world home, this was it: wooden beams with cloth and plastic forming tent shelters, little to nothing to stop the rain and the snow (and remember, this is Eastern Europe, it’s not exactly tropical). We passed out food and were able to speak with them a little, but it was hard not to walk away feeling discouraged, seeing people with so little, shunned by society, who make their living digging through garbage hoping to find something worthwhile.
As we were leaving, one of the men said, “It is my son’s birthday on Wednesday. He is turning two.” The man was beaming, clearly a father proud of his little boy who won’t be little for very long.
Wednesday was also Abuelita’s birthday- she would have been ninety two.
The juxtaposition of these two events seemed tangible in a surprising way as I stood there, surrounded by picked over dumpster debris and makeshift homes, being eyed by men who lack every material possession and yet love their children with a ferocity that few could match. This little boy entered the world as my dear grandmother was taking her leave, both of them surrounded by people who loved them.
Abuelita had to fight many injustices in her life, just as this child- born into a gypsy family, shunned and even hated by his own countrymen- will have to fight. She was born into a world of wealth, but it wasn’t her money that brought her happiness, and neither will this little boy be able to rely on money for his. Her death has left a gaping hole in my life, just as his birth has created a whole new place in theirs.
Life on the Race is yet another juxtaposition. We’re living in this bizarre alternate reality that is so seriously, messily, soak- it- in- with- every- breath real. Life and death and the moments in between are all present here, but we walk like ghosts, seeing everything around us but only for a moment. We make connections and break them; we enter into life only to leave as quickly as we got there.
This two year old gypsy boy has many days ahead of him, some good, some bad, all known and redeemed by the Lord. My team is out of days in Romania, but we still have days left on the Race- some good, some bad, all known and redeemed by the Lord. My Abuelita’s days are over. There were many, some good, some bad, and her life was redeemed by the Lord.
We all walk different paths. We all have different lives. We all get to face the reality of death, but more importantly, we get to choose how to live our lives. And somehow, that’s enough.
L-R me, David, Kristin, Kacie trying on hats in Budapest
For more information on the gypsies, check out Dave's blog on the subject.
