It seems that a recurring theme in my latest posts has been about the crime rate in my current neighborhood. I don’t mean to alarm you, but I haven’t been exaggerating when I say that I am in a very dangerous area. A conversation I had buying lunch one day this week confirmed that for me.
My friend and teammate, Gabby, asked the nice lady at the restaurant if she knew which bus line would get us to La Pintana the fastest. Through Google translate and broken Spanish, we managed to get an answer. Our cashier was confused though and we could hear her talking with the other employees in Spanish. Over and over again we heard them repeat “La Pintana?” to one another and look at us as we waited for the food to arrive. Eventually, the girl with the best English came over and said: “Are you sure you mean La Pintana?”. We repeated the address and said, “Yes, we’re sure!”. Immediately she asked another question. “Why would you want to go there?”. When we answered that we actually live there, she was confused. One thing that is associated with being white is having money and money is definitely NOT associated with La Pintana. Fortunately, this opened the door to explain why we want to live in La Pintana right now! I was able to share that we were Christian missionaries serving Jesus Christ through working in a special needs school, living in Casa Esperanza and embracing the culture of Chile. Even so, it was hard for this cashier to understand the concept of choosing to live in an area riddled with abject poverty.
After that conversation, I had to ask myself the question; why do I want to be here?
Here is my answer.
I want to walk among strangers and show them Jesus. I want to sleep in a room with seven other women so that I might understand raw community. My desire is to communicate with non-verbal children through smiles and patience. My heart is for the women in this house to know what it feels like to be loved by a good Father. If we’re really going to be like Jesus, we have to be like him when he was in the company of tax collectors and prostitutes. As people who chase the Father’s heart, we have to chase Him into the ghettos and seek out those that have been cast aside by society. Instead of shuttering the windows and barricading the door, prepare the table and set out a meal for your neighbor. This is why I want to be here. This is why I can smile when Tio Jose asks me to shovel one more wheelbarrow of sand across the driveway. This is the reason I walk without fear. 
This why I can laugh with Maria Paz and sing along to Rick Astley while we cook lunch for 25 people! Because he first loved me, I can freely love them.
I have a prayer request for you! One of the girls in Casa Esperanza has been harassed online by people from a sex trafficking group and the perpetrator has made it known that they know her schedule and personal details. Please pray for safety and the Lord’s protection over Casa Esperanza as well as this young woman.
