India has a caste system. There are 4 caste systems and if you aren’t in one you are considered an “outcast” or “untouchable”.
You can’t really move up in the caste system only down. Arranged marriages usually happen within the same caste but if they marry across caste than they both move down to the lower caste. The cast is very important in Indian culture because it depicts the family’s financial status. The job you can obtain is connected with where you fall in the caste system. This system causes much discrimination in the country. It was so prevalent there and I found it heart breaking. I know people have to beg for money in every country but I have never witness as many as in India. It was overwhelming. Most of the people beg for a living as if it is their job. They even ride the same train each day and walk through the isles hopping to earn some money for the day.
I have heard stories of how some people will stage to look a certain way or borrow someone’s baby, make them look unhealthy and use them to help them earn more sympathy.
One day I was in a very busy part of the city and there were two women with babies that came over to my group. I began a conversation with them and admired the babies and so then they followed us the next few blocks pulling on our clothes asking for money for food. it was obvious to me that these women were not welcomed in any store. While waiting for the Uber, I decided to try to get them food rather than give them money directly. So I crossed the street and went to buy them food but they were angry with me because it wasn’t the food they wanted and they only wanted the money. The store man told me they don’t want food they want your money. Now the store man was annoyed with me for causing a scene and the women were yelling at me and the owner. I have no idea what they were saying but I just know I was extremely uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do and I knew I had caused the whole commotion. The Uber finally arrived after what felt like hours. As I went into the car the women pulled on my arm one last time and then she put her body (that had a baby strapped to it) in-between the door so that the door couldn’t shut and when my friend tried to shut it she yelled “baby! Baby!” as if we were trying to hurt the child. The Uber driver yelled something and began to drive away.
All this did was leave me overwhelmed and irritated with these women.
None of this made any sense to me. What was the right thing to do? What would Jesus have done? I know I am suppose to love my neighbor but HOW do I love these neighbors that may be manipulating, forceful and even dishonest? When I tried to help them it only made things worse and to be honest I kind of just wanted them to leave my group alone. But how did I just leave them the way that I did in the Uber? That didn’t feel loving at all.
I have had several more encounters with people that were even more uncomfortable than this one. I am not always proud of the way I handle it but I still refuse to not make eye contact with all of them and smile at them or wave. No matter how many times these situations happen, I refuse to see people as “outcasts”. No matter what, I want them to feel seen. I don’t ever want to see the worst in a person no matter how many times I’ve been lied to or cheated. It is far better to be cheated than to assume the worst in a person.
That’s what I think Jesus would have done. He would have seen the outcastes and touched the untouchables. Oh Lord, change my heat and help me see people more like you and teach me how to love them like you do.
