Jeremy

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Religion > The Dump
 

The Dump

Yesterday, I went out on pastoral visits to the homes of some people who need a little extra help. One of those homes is on the edge of our city dump. A city dump in Mexico. You can only imagine. This lady's little strip of land and her partially finished, two or three-roomed home are inundated with all the putrid odors that emanate from the dump on a regular basis, depending on the direction and strength of the wind. Her yard is littered, no, cluttered with all the items she and her children have "salvaged" from the site. Junk. Literally.
She's living with, not married to, a man who has given her two precious children, eleven and thirteen years old. He is an alcoholic. He beats his wife. He beats his children. He spends what he makes drinking and she pays the bills and buys the food sorting garbage in the dump. To top it all off, she says she loves him.
He will not allow her to come to church. In fact, he doesn't allow her to do a lot of things. She is under no legal or moral obligation to stay with him, but she refuses to leave. Furthermore, she always takes him back after he runs out and "grazes in other pastures" when he gets bored with her.
The bright spot, in my opinion, is that her children are still in school. I told the eleven year-old boy to keep studying so that some day he could help his mother get ahead. I encouraged her to motivate them to keep at it in school. In my opinion, it's the only thing that will make life a little easier in future, if they live that long.
Contrary to my innate "fix-it" nature, these are cases in which one can only help in the areas in which one is allowed to help. I left her with 70 pesos (the equivalent of six and a half dollars), my prayers and well-wishes.
On a political note, I'm not big on social programs. However, in this case, I think this family could use some help. Unfortunately, her irresponsible husband would probably be the recipient of most of the benefit.
On a lighter note, I went to pray for a couple in our congregation who is very ill with the flu. It was pitiful, really. Four kids all over the place and mom and dad too sick to do anything. So, I took dad to the doctor in town and got him all diagnosed and prescribed, took him home.Thanks for stopping by, curious reader.

posted on May 3, 2008 5:07 AM ()

Comments:

Many victims of domestic violence do not leave for a variety of reasons, the main reason being fear. The most dangerous time in the victims life is when she tries to leave her abuser. His being an alcoholic only makes that fear greater, since he is already beating her and the children. Is there an agency there that you can report the abuse to? It breaks my heart to hear these stories, since I came out of that myself.
comment by hopefields on May 5, 2008 1:28 AM ()
wonderful post. Look forward to reading more
comment by cindy on May 3, 2008 7:16 AM ()
I bet that woman to whom you gave 70 pesos handed it over to that
no good alcoholic, and he went out and had a bender.The woman has no self respect or self esteem or she would shoot that lout. Enjoyed your
writing very much.
comment by susil on May 3, 2008 6:57 AM ()
I would like to take an iron skillet and whack that abusive drunken lout on his head! Abused women many times feel that they deserve all that the abuser dishes out--why is that. How can you possibly love someone who is mean to you and your children? You are a good man, Charley Brown!
comment by angiedw on May 3, 2008 6:44 AM ()

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