Privilege

I grew up in a predominantly white (rural) community. (It's home to the giant Redwoods Trees and rocky-rugged coastline. It's a beautiful area, but that is beside the point.) There was a rather large Latino population but very few blacks. It wasn't until high school that I learned about a Hmong community in the county seat, about a 20-minute drive from my hometown.

Race or (white) privilege was not discussed in our family. My sister and I were both taught to love others as Jesus did and that we were all precious in His sight. We did not talk about race in the classroom or amongst friends. Even after going on my first mission trip to the Philippines when I was fifteen, I never thought of race or privilege because it was never addressed. I saw people with different skin colors as beautiful and made in my Father's image, but the stigma of it all was still present.

It wasn't until I was older that I realized the color of my skin was a privilege. If you have been treated differently by the color of your skin, you have either experienced privilege or discrimination. Privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." Discrimination is "the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex."

When I lived in the Phillippines, I experienced this privilege all too readily. I cannot tell you how many times a pregnant woman stopped me on the street to ask me to touch her stomach so her child would be "blessed to look like me, to have my skin color."

I had little girls ask me if we could swap noses because a long pointy white nose was more "maganda" or beautiful. A comment like this would make my heart sink, and I would explain how silly a long pointed nose would look on a beautiful round face. This would often turn into a conversation about one's worth and value and how we are uniquely made in the Father's eyes.

I was frequently waved through the "handbag check" upon entering the mall, where other Filipina ladies would be stopped for the mandatory check. Why me? Why do I deserve this special treatment and not my Filipina friend?

The day I visited the community of the Smokey Mountain Landfill will forever be ingrained in my mind. I went with a Filipino friend to meet a ministry that ministers to this community's people as they do phenomenal work. As we walked with one of the workers, we stopped to talk to a lady who was part of the women's program they offered. She was holding a baby who was probably no older than six to eight months. The baby kept looking at me intently as if I almost enamored him. Through the translator, the mom explained that I was the first white person her child had ever seen and that she would be honored if I would hold her baby and "bless him so that he would be like me." I looked at my friend because I knew I needed to be careful with what I did next. Culturally, I knew I did not want to snub her, but I wanted her to understand that her child would not be "more blessed" because a white person held him and prayed over him, nor would he start to resemble me because of it. In the most caring way possible, my friend explained this to her. I took her baby in my arms and prayed that he would grow into a young man who pursued the Father with his whole heart. How many mothers do you know to pray for their child to have a different or lighter skin color because they know their child will be treated better and have an advantage? Her bold request dumbfounded me, and I spent the rest of the day deep in thought.

I have witnessed this privilege in South Africa, Kenya, and here in Ecuador. And it is present in the United States. To have this privilege does not mean that "everything a white person has accomplished is unearned; most white people who have reached a high level of success worked extremely hard to get there. Instead, white privilege should be viewed as a built-in advantage, separate from one's level of income or effort" (www.tolerance.org).

If you can walk into a corner store and not be harassed for taking too long to pick out a candy bar, you are privileged.

If you can walk the street on a cold foggy day (or night) and pull your hoody up and not think twice that you could be considered "dangerous" or a "threat," you are privileged.

If you do not have to educate your children about systemic racism for their own daily physical protection, you are privileged.

One should not be treated better or less because of the color of their skin! Nor should one live in fear because of their skin color.

If you are reading this and are white and are not already aware of the privilege you have because of your skin color, I pray that your eyes will be open. Jesus gave us the command to "love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12). How can you love others like Jesus if you are blind to it or flaunt this privilege? When Jesus died on the cross, he died for all. It is time we stand united with our brothers and sisters of color, learn from each other, and listen to one another about privileges, discrimination, stereotypes, and racism. Use your voice to speak up for those who have been oppressed. Read books: "Be The Bridge" by Latsha Morrison, "Just Mercy," by Bryan Stevenson, "Ghost Boys," by Jewell Parker Rhodes, and others. Have those tough conversations with your friends of color because many are willing! Watch documentaries: "When They See Us," "13th," and "The Innocence Files."

I implore you to open your heart to those around you. You may have to step out of your comfort zone, but Jesus never once said we would live in comfort. Instead, he called us to be His hands and feet, to be with people during their pain, and right now, our brothers and sisters of color are hurting.

*In writing this, I understand that this may be a sensitive topic for many, and I know I may receive backlash, but this is something that the Father has placed on my heart. My heart's cry is for justice and to be a voice for the voiceless, and I cannot be silent.

Praises, Blessings & Updates:

• The teachers and I met at the Dream Center last week for the first time in over 78 days! We gave it a proper cleaning as it had not been touched since mid-March. It was filthy! We are putting together "summer kits," as we still do not have government permission to open our traditional summer program. Nothing has been said as to how the coming school year will operate. We are preparing for a mix of virtual learning and small group sessions, as these are the possible rumors from public schools. Will you pray for us as we continue to navigate these unknowns?

• ER, as a whole, is looking for ways to invest in technology solutions (Chromebooks, tablets, or something of the like) for the kids in our programs to succeed in the upcoming school year. The Philippines has already been told their school year will be online. South Africa is a mix of virtual learning and small group sessions. We are still waiting for Ecuador, but as I said, we believe it will either be a mix or entirely online. This makes it difficult for our kids, as many of them have limited access to technology. We will be launching a campaign soon to purchase in-country tech. To read more about this, click here: COVID-19-Tech.

• Last week was technically our last week of food bags for our families, who make up the Quito Recycling Community. It was a little chaotic as word got out that this would be our last week. So many families lined the sidewalk in front of the Center. The police showed up and threatened to "shut us down" if people did not maintain social distancing standards and disperse upon receiving their bags. Over the past three months, we have provided 700 families with food bags; this includes the Quito Dream Center kids. None of this would have been possible without your support. To everyone who gave and held us up in prayer, THANK YOU!! We will provide our Quito Dream Center kids and their families with two more food bags for July.

• I adopted a kitty! His name is Mango (named by my younger niece and nephew.) He is quite the love and a little crazy.

Things to Pray for:

• We have a new couple joining our team in Quito! Please pray for them as they transition/move here. They have had quite an adventure already as they finished language school virtually from the states due to COVID. (They left Costa Rica right before the border closed.) I am helping them pick out appliances for their apartment, just like my director's wife did for me. They will arrive on July 13th and quartine for two weeks (as mandated) before they can go out.

• Please continue to keep the families that we minister to in prayer! The transfer station will be closed at least until January. Many have taken to the street to recycle. Pray for their protection and for their hearts to continue to be open to the Gospel.

• Pray for our Dream Center kids. These past few months have been difficult for them as they have been away from their safe place--the Dream Center. Many live in abusive situations, and some have struggled with depression as they could not go out of their home. Pray for their safety and that they may find comfort in the Comforter.