I stopped at a gas station on the edge of the Navajo reservation. For the first time in my life, I looked different than those around me, and I understood the word minority.
Whispering voices and tiny footsteps shuffled and followed me out of the building and towards my car. I looked over my shoulder and saw four, young boys.
One set of dirty sneakers kicked rocks. The others stood in a cluster. All stared at the ground.
“We heard you were coming.”
More rock kicking.
I nodded. I bet they heard. I heard about them too.
I heard many refused their culture and dismissed their history.
I heard their parents drank anything containing alcohol, even hairspray.
I heard little joy resounded in such an empty place.
I heard education held little value here.
“My mom bought me a shirt to wear on the first day. It says Reebok. You can see it at school.”
The rock kicking stopped as four sets of dark, brown eyes glanced up.
Could a thirty second conversation about a new Reebok shirt challenge everything I heard? Maybe now I would do more than hear. Maybe now I'd start to learn.
Have you ever been in the minority due to your race, gender, class, or religion? How did you feel? I'd love to hear about your experience.
: :
Today I'm joining others from The High Calling in a community writing project focused on crossing cultures. Click here to get the details, read some posts from writers you may not know, and oh, it's not too late to share your story!
Also, linking with the weekly Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood.
30 comments:
Well I'm in Vietnam right now as a minority, and everyone is so sweet and peaceful. I'm trying to figure out how this culture got so angry and violent in the Korean war. I guess when challenged, people find an inner self that's not normally present.
This is a bit random, but maybe it fits. Today, I brought one of Abby's friends home from school for a playdate. She lives in an apartment and as we drove into what I feel like is a modest house, she says, "Wow, you're rich." And I realized in that moment that I am in the minority in all the world -- i have a house and a good income and food every night. I have clean water and blankets to keep me warm, an air conditioner to keep me cool. in some circles, I am so not rich, but put me in a majority of the other ones and oh, I am.
Rachel,
I forgot you were still in Vietnam. I wonder what my inner self looks like when I am challenged. ??
Jen,
Not at all random. Actually, right on. When we were first married, everyone we knew lived in apartments, and I thought of anyone who owned their own home (regardless of the size!) wealthy. My how my attitude has changed, and I'm not sure it is in a good way.
Oh, Amy! I've been away from commenting for too long. You've left me hungry for more of your story from that reservation.
Slipped over from Dena's. Amazing how we have ideas we don't even know we have until we come face to face with them. I like where this might be going...
Nancy,
You are sweet. Sometimes I feel as if I talk about my time there too much. Maybe it's because I always seem to post about it on link-up days!
Enjoyed your story on crossing cultures too.
Nice post. I like what Jen had to say too. I've been on a couple mission trips to the Dominican Rep and each time I've gone I come home with a deeper understanding of class differences. I am "rich" compared to so much of the world and some of the things we worry and complain about is so trivial in comparison.
Eileen,
Agreed. Agreed. Compassion is doing a Dominican Rep trip in November. I'd love, love, love to go. It's been too long since I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone (and out of the country!).
the color of my skin makes me an minority in north america, but i grew up here. the first time i felt like a minority was traveling to my parent's home country (though i had matching skin color, i felt so north american...)
this is my first visit here. great site. hope you get to go on that trip to the Dominican...
-Mel
Just love how being around people who are different than myself challenges my preconceptions!
Yes, when I taught in an urban school district ten years ago. What a lesson. I love that boy with the Reebok shirt...
Love the dialogue, Amy!
Natalie at Mommy on Fire
http://www.mommyonfire.com
Every day! Here is the thing: I'm Ecuadorian so I carry my culture in my heart, but I moved here when I was 16 so I spent my formative years in the USA. When I go home I hold "American" values that clash with my family's but here I am not fully "American" because I still have an Ecuadorian heart and so on and so forth. I would love to hear more about your reservation experience. You leave us hungry!
Yes, I have Amy. I am Colombian. And what is happening in my country against Christian follows me around wherever I go. Being a minority continues to be a way of life for me.
It has taught me to stand firm and totally embrace my culture. I will never be 'American'. That is alright...I am a Christian first then Colombian.
Mrs. M.
I worked at a Summer program with all african american children and I was the only white teacher. I learned so much that summer...about acceptance and love and how we can be prejudice and not even know it. It changed my life in many ways.
Beautiful post Amy.
"Maybe now I'd start to learn."...so challenging and full of insight Amy...love hearing about your time there
Hey, I had this post starred in my reader to come and comment and then you beat me to mine first. So fast Amy, so fast. :)
Your time on the reservation must have been so powerful. I so enjoy the little glimpses that we get here and there.
I love your perspective and I hope to meet you in real life one day. I think we'd be fast friends.
That's all. :)
me too...being around others different than myself. uncomfortable. sometimes yes. but it does offer me the opportunity to have a different set of eyes and a chance to put my focus in a different place. i think of heaven like this. a sea of multi colored faces. beautiful:)
My daughter went on a mission trip to Haiti. She fell in love with the people and continues to be in contact with them. Although many of them didn't speak English, they communicated in other ways. Emily feels the differences melt away when you share the same Jesus.
A thought provoking post, Amy. I'll be pondering throughout the day.
Blessings,
Pamela
Running through my head right now is "oh be careful little ears what you hear..."
We need to be careful what we hear so that we don't have those preset discriminations going before us.
Wouldn't it be amazing enter these situations with absolutely NO expectations? I think our hearts and minds would be so open to what God could do...
this is so beautiful. so real. so open. so true. thank you.
Yes, a while back I was visiting a fiend. On the way home, we took the metro, and I quickly realized I was the only one of my race on the train. It was different, to see how it feels.
Loved reading this today.
Oh! Don't stop the story! Tell more!!
Are you planning a series? Purty please?
Thanks for linking up, Amy. I'm with Ann--I want more!
Yeah. It takes us out of ourselves, doesn't it? Or at least it can if we let it.
I love this post and I am with the others...this has left me hungry for more of your time at the reservation. Yes, I have experienced culture clashes mostly within the u.s. and it has revealed to me the prejudices of my own heart. It has torn down my human preconceived notions and God has used those time to build love for His wonderful diverse world, especially the people that He has made.
Thanks for stopping by my blog -- it was my first time to link up with the sisterhood at Finding Heaven. From your comment there, I loved this: "I wish I had advice for the release program. Right now, I'm forcing my unwilling heart to take part."
i love when you write about this, aim. it's so good. i think you could write a short story (if not a book) about the whole experience. and, i felt this way in honduras. the moment i stepped off the plane, i was like a fish out of water, but it was one of the best growing experiences ever. great post!
I want to hear the rest, too!
You can paint a picture with words. Beautiful!
Amy,
I'm with Ann K. Purty please?
How fun to come back from vacation and see all the comments. Thanks everyone for reading. I've loved reading some of the other posts about crossing cultures, and I hope others were able to check them out too. Loads of good stuff.
Write more about life on the reservation? You know I'd love too.
Post a Comment
Talk to me, friends.