Possessing Unusual Hope
As I sit here typing this, I am overlooking Huia and the Manukau Harbour,
I am gazing out toward Whatipu and the great powerful Pacific
Ocean. Bees are buzzing about, a variety of birds are swooping in
and out of the freshly blossoming Pohutakawa tree that hangs over the incoming
tide and all the colours that surround us sings of life. Cyrus and Muriwai constantly
and gleefully play in the water, sand and grass, soaking in that abundance of life.
When the tide retreats, our little whanau* wanders around this beach’s many jagged
points, discovering a whole new world of life; under rocks, in pools of water
and in every crack and cranny. We marvel at all the crabs, oyster catchers,
mussels, herons, pukeko, starfish and jellyfish. Its beauty is virtually
impossible to describe. Life, an abundance of life, is happening in Huia! This trip, our Creator even
blessed us with finding a living octopus resting in one of the rock pools; a
sight many of the longtime Huia locals have never been privileged of witnessing.
As I write this, the Nicholls whanau has managed to do a lot of
things in our 4 weeks over here in Aotearoa*. We have experienced the raw and
splendid beauty of Mangawhai Heads, Waitakere
Ranges and climbed to the top of Auckland’s own volcanic Rangitoto Island.
Cyrus and Muriwai daily soak it all in; each and every experience. They love
it. Beth and I love it.
Yet! Yes, there’s a yet! A big fat Yet! We do not live here; we live in Chicago. A city that is flat,
grey, overcrowded, and reeks of violence and smog. Chicago’s
a city that easily outnumbers the whole population of New Zealand,
has death-producing freezes in winter and stifling heat waves in the summer.
There are many more differences I could elaborate on; freedom,
politics, guns, healthcare, the social welfare system and fresh food are just a
few. Admittedly, my heart is attracted to the laid-back, healthier and peaceful lifestyle
seen and experienced in this small pacific island, where all my loving extended
family lives; this country that is still keeping itself “somewhat” free from the all-embracing
power of corporations, trigger happy politicians and money hungry lobbyists. This
country that remains “somewhat” void of the international chaos.
Before I go on, I should and need to clarify a few things; New Zealand isn’t utopia! It does
have many issues of its own. To name a few; it has relatively high rates of
crime and violence, chronic alcoholism and drug abuse, poverty does exist,
there are huge disparities between our wealthy and poor citizens and also between our
rich variety of ethnic groups and the cost of living is very high. A few years ago, I myself, personally experienced a negative side of New Zealand culture by being the
victim of two violent robberies; firstly, I had two men place a knife to my throat, only to shove me in the trunk (boot) of my car, leaving me in the darkness for a couple hundred dollars. Just over a year after that robbery, I was beaten up by a group of
young gang-bangers for a few coins and they left me with stitches in my chin.
Despite these couple of incidents, Aotearoa would naturally be “my
country of choice” to raise our family and grow old in. Beth would
wholeheartedly agree, and she was born in Illinois! Yet, we don’t live in the serene,
peaceful little beach-town community called Huia, and in a month we’ll be
flying back over to our home in Uptown, where it’ll be gray, dark and freezing
cold. We’ll be heading back to a neighborhood that is presently experiencing
hostile gang warfare. We’ll be leaving summer and clinging onto winter!
WHY? WHY? WHY? Is the question I am repeatedly asked. Whether in Chicago or West Auckland,
people are intrigued. That intrigue only increases when they realize I’m not
living in Chicago’s
Gold-Coast, but living in an intentional Christian community (JPUSA) and
working with and amongst homeless people at Cornerstone Community Outreach.
“Why would you leave the idealized land of hobbits to join a
community that embraces those who are rejected, dejected, despised,
criminalized and homeless in a part of town where a vocal group are constantly
attempting to shove ‘the least of these’ further into their shallow graves?”
The answer to all the “whys” is actually very simple. The answer is
easy for some to understand, yet incomprehensible to others. The undeniable
answer is; Beth and I know God has called us to work with, live amongst and
compassionately love Uptown’s rejected, dejected, despised, criminalized and
homeless group of men, women and children. This answer is a powerful reality to
us, causing people to either blankly stare at us in confusion or wholeheartedly
agree.
In stating all this, I need to clarify some more points; despite
having to constantly wrestle with the ugliness of American, Chicago and Uptown
politics, which loves to exploit the weak; despite seeing the horrible reality
of mass incarceration and the “war on drugs”; despite the constant sweat of
summer and the frigid cold of winter; despite lacking one’s conveniences or luxuries when
living in an intentional community; despite the lack of fresh air and despite
not being able to choose my own food, car or laundry times; despite the ringing
of gun shots echoing throughout the evening and so many more "despites" that penetrate
our lives daily….
Hope, yes hope, shouts loudly and clearly into our lives!
Hope, yes hope, causes us to live and fight for a new day!
Hope, yes hope, is constantly rising from the stench of death!
Hope, yes hope, that unusual four letter word, sings in places
where it shouldn’t. That is the power of the gospel. People, technology and systems try to kill hope, but it
still lives and is growing stronger. Hope sings to me under certain rocks at Huia,
at first they just look like lifeless rocks baking in the sun until we approach
them and we see all the snails, chitons, mussels and oysters clinging onto
them. We push that rock over, only to discover more life; hundreds of crabs
scurrying about, in amongst the dozens of other life forms. What seemed utterly
lifeless; actually radiates with life! What seems utterly hopeless; actually
radiates with an abundance of hope!
Why do I live in Chicago?
Why not in Auckland?
God’s calling and His Kingdom is not a torturous enterprise. I am living a life
filled with beauty, hope, mystery, challenge and love. I am honored to live in
and be part of JPUSA and Uptown’s homeless community. I love where I live. I
love where I work. I love who I live with. I love who I work with. I love the
homeless community I am now part of. I love all the people I get to share my
life with, as they share theirs with me. I love how my family has been accepted
in their family, and they are accepted into mine. I love how they show me what
faith, love and hope really is.
*whanau is the Maori name for family.
*Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand; meaning the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Comments