We walked through a difficult conversation yesterday, one that I know we will have to revisit many times as the kids grow up and become adults. We had the misfortune of being at an extended family reunion... with hundreds of people we have never seen and certainly never thought we were related to. The kids both wanted to go play outside and I'm usually a person that likes to know where her ducklings are and what they're doing, but i thought it was okay if they headed off for a while because we were not going to be there too long. Samuel found some friends from school right away which was great. I'm so thankful he wasn't alone when he heard some hard things from a complete stranger.
After an hour or so we went home and I was getting the kids to bath and bed... Samuel started to tell me some of the things that were being said to him. He said (in all his innocence) "Mommy, some boy said I lived in Africa and I told him I lived in La Crete; but he just laughed at me and said that I lived in Africa." I told him sometimes people might think that because they don't know a lot about anything... and I continued washing him.
"But mom he said that there are only white people in La Crete and people like me live in Africa." I got a little more frustrated at the complete ignorance that some people raise their kids in and I told him that he will have to learn to ignore people that say things like this. "But mom he took my shoes and threw them over the fence so that I couldn't get them... I don't know why he did that." And then the mother bear in me came out and I had to leave the bathroom and vent in my room. I just seriously can't understand how people don't know that God has created an amazing variety of people that on the outside look so different and yet on the inside have the same needs... to feel loved, accepted and appreciated. I came back into the bathroom and I told Samuel that he needed to be proud of who he was and how he 'looked', and I also told him that it's important to note that Jesus was not WHITE (or even peach - my kids think we're peach not white).
As I was getting Olivia in her pi's she said that a boy had told her that she didn't even know who her mom was. She thought that was really strange... "Like, that is so weird that he said that mommy because I know you!"
I know that these are things we have to walk through because of the community we live in but also because of the world we live in. Where judgement happens instantly without compassion or too much thought. I know the road won't be easy but I will continue on in His grace knowing that He has beautiful things for my children!
And I seriously cannot wait until we get to those Pearly Gates and all those people that think that only white people will get in... Can't wait.
3 comments:
Arrgg!!! That makes my insides burn instantly... Thanks for sharing your burden it is a good reminder to continue to pray for our community. I'm sorry your little one had to experience such harshness! Love ya!
The great thing is that my little ones don't understand it so they don't take it as harshly as I do and I try not to make them understand it... right now I think we can just step through it as ignorance and to move on...
Ummmmmm, I don't think it'd be right to post my inital thoughts about this. But I continue to be amazed at how you allow God's grace to flow through you and on to your children. Right now it may be easy for them to accept your simple explanations for why people act the way they do, because they are young. But it will be your example of grace and love that will help them deal with uneducated, ignorant, (oh I could go on...) people as they mature. You're a beautiful mom Jacquie!
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