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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Car Trip (07/18/05)
Everyone was silent as we piled back into the van, our rice and beans gone in a matter of moments. A slight breeze blew through the open door, carrying a pungent odor almost enough to take your breath away, yet it didn’t? As everyone got situated I watched a woman cooking 3 feet and a fence away from garbage piled higher than buildings. I smiled at her. She nodded in acknowledgement, and I wonder what she must be thinking and feeling about us? How does it make her feel when Americanos come and pass out rice and beans? Does it frustrate, or annoy her? Maybe she feels grateful? Does she feel shame that she is here in a dump and others aren’t? Does she feel proud and rejoice that she is able to cook a meal here, even in the midst of her surroundings? Unfortunately, being in this group setting, there was no freedom to simply to hang out and talk with her. I wonder how I would feel if I was living here?

As we continue to bump along the make shift road in silence, tears fall down my cheeks, softly. They roll silently and I let them continue, not even trying to wipe them away. I can tell there are more to come, so why bother? Not to mention there is a sense of connection to the dump in the tears. A deeper bonding because, these aren’t tears of pity, they aren’t even tears of sorrow like you’d probably expect. Rather they are tears of overwhelmed-ness. Blown away by the magnitude and depth of God’s love. As we drive by hundreds of people picking with bare hands through what others have deemed worthless, in the hopes of finding things that can be recycled. I see the magnitude of God’s love and providence for all of us. What stewards of the earth they are! We are infinitely blessed that they are saving space in our crowded landfills. I think about Buddy, a homeless guy that goes through the dumpster at work looking for cans. It breaks my heart that anyone would go through garbage for a living, but I also have a deep respect for their creative ingenuity. What a way to play the hand your dealt?

A flock of sea gulls raises in unison from the dump up into the sunny blue sky and God’s words keep ringing in my ears, ‘I love them’. I see Zephaniah 3:19-20 and I let the truth of how God sees them yoke me with the dump and those in it. Etching in my mind, how temporary our present circumstances are, in light of eternity with God. And I think of dancing with them in heaven some day, and smile.

We roll past a guy my age in a black hat sitting high atop a truck so weighted with boxes the bottom almost hits the ground. He smiled and it was as if someone threw a bucket of water on me. The haze broke, I was back, fully present in the moment. My face lit up as I smiled. He was eating from a little cup, yogurt maybe, and raised his hand with a spoon in it and made a peace sign. Our eyes locked as I returned it and we were both blessed in that moment. He had no reason to smile at me. Yet while filthy and sitting on a 10-foot stack of boxes he had pulled from mountains of garbage, he did?

And as we leave the dump, I’m singing that song, “you are so good to me, you heal my broken heart, you are beautiful, my sweet, sweet, song,…” just letting the song out in prayer. One after another my van mates voices join in. We join in this bittersweet rejoicing and praise to God, this spontaneous expression of deep calls to deep. Words seem limp and inadequate in expressing the magnitude of the moment and silence seems to isolate, so we sing. It bound each of us together, seeing this experience through God’s eyes rather than our own, and praising him in it. Covered in God’s truth, not the US and THEM word view we came into the dump with, but God’s truth, his love for ALL of us. It was easy to see that God’s love is thick around us all. And I rejoiced driving away from the dump – the last thing I thought I’d be doing.
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This article has been read 932 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Michelle Fout
07/25/05
Very provoking story. Good job of getting the reader into the scene with smells and sights. We all know what dumps look like, putting people in front of them and on them was very haunting then to bring in God's love, the "gleaning of the fields" makes me aware that I do not take care enough to leave behind good things to be picked up by others, to care enough to not make them wade through filth to get to it. Loved this story.
God Bless and Keep Writing.
M'Kayla Kelly
07/26/05
Hey, I was waiting for my chile verde to heat up and saw your title. Couldn't resist reading! A touching reminder of God's grace and mercy. I really enjoyed your story and hope to read more from you. Blessings!
Nina Phillips
07/26/05
Amen Michelle, I agree. We often don't realize the dump we live in until we walk that mile in another's shoes or with another. I like the Mexican food, I smelled the great odor of the title, and had to check it out. Very nice. God bless ya, littlelight
Shari Armstrong 
07/28/05
Definitely makes you put things in perspective. Thanks.
Beth Muehlhausen
08/01/05
Wow, this certainly prompts a "reality check." Amazing what is so easily taken for granted!
Sandra Petersen
08/01/05
"God's love is thick around us all". For some reason that phrase especially stuck in my mind this morning. Thank you for an article well worth meditating upon.
Deborah Porter 
08/03/05
Gretchen, you had me singing that song too as I read this story. It hit the heart. I also wanted to let you know that it actually made it into the semi-finals for the Car Trip Challenge - so be encouraged. You did well. With love, Deb (Challenge Coordinator)