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The $1 donation

January 14, 2009 | posted by Lars under reflections, united states

I wrote this in my journal on Sunday about our time at Rutba House, but am only now getting to post it because of a combination of our internet access and schedule.  For a bit of context, though names have been changed, Jamaal is a child at Rutba House, Zane is a lifetime Walltown resident, and Rutba One is one of two houses Rutba folks live in.  More will come about our current affairs - and there is much to share! - soon.

I have to tell the story about Zane, and with it the story of Claire.  This evening, after supper, Jeff walked into Rutba One, as he had several times before throughout the weekend.  Zane is a slave - to alcohol - and his master makes him shoplift and steal things like Super Soakers to give to Jamaal.  This time, he came bearing no such gifts, but he was drunk; and this time, the conversation turned to the guests - us - and our journey, which was incredible for Zane to comprehend.  He kept asking, “‘ey… ‘ey… how you gettin’ there?” and whether it’s farther than Colombia, and warning us that there’re a lot of crazy people out there.  At one point, though, when the concept connected with him, he said, “‘ey… man…” as he dug around his pockets to pull out three crumpled ones.  “I ain’ rich,” he said, “but take this,” as he offered me one of them.  “You’ll need it.”  I took the dollar and thanked him for it, trying to fathom this gift.  Not two days earlier, Jon & I had played the receiving end of a similar situation with our host Claire, who handed us each a sum of cash, insisting, “you might need to get a hotel room… you know, with his leg and all.”  Accepting these gifts are humbling reminders of the economics of providence, which have supported us both serendipitously and lavishly already, less than a week into our journey.  We are provided for - and that, well - and we are reminded of Christ’s words, “freely you have received, now freely give.”  May such abundance always flow through our lives.