Community

After finishing his latest time of studying a tribe in Africa, an anthropologist was packed and waiting on transportation for a ride to the airport.  Encircled by the children, he decided to pass the time by suggesting a game to play.  He had purchased candy and sweets in town.  Finding a basket, he placed all the candy inside.  He then drew a line in the dirt and told the children to line up behind it.  When given the signal, the first child to run to the tree and get to the basket would win all the sweets.  On the command of “Go,” something unusual happened.  All the kids joined hands and walked to the tree together.  Upon reaching the basket, they shared the candy and happily ate it.  Surprised at the outcome, the anthropologist asked why they had all gone together and not tried to win everything in the basket.  A young girl replied, “How can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?”  Ubuntu, in the Xhosa culture means: “I am because we are.”  Although he had studied the tribe for months, the anthropologist felt he was just beginning to get a glimpse of their true essence.

Joe Becigneul was at Boston’s Logan Airport waiting on his flight.  He saw a man, Tim, who appeared to be both blind and deaf.  His sister was signing into his hand so he could feel her words.  Tim was escorted onto Joe’s row on the plane.  The man on the aisle changed seats with Tim, who was to sit in the middle, in hopes of making it an easier flight for him.  The stewardesses tried to communicate, but were not successful.  The man who had changed seats helped open the creamer for Tim’s coffee.  Knowing there was a need, a flight attendant paged to see if anyone on the flight knew sign language.  That’s when Clara, 15 years old, offered to help.  She had learned ASL because it was the easiest foreign language to learn, due to her dyslexia.  For the rest of the flight, Clara made sure Tim had what he needed.  The other passengers were fascinated to watch the conversation between the two as they spelled out a letter at a time into each other’s hands.  Joe commented, “I don’t know when I’ve ever seen so many people rally to take care of another human being.  All of us in the immediate rows were laughing and smiling and enjoying his obvious delight in having someone to talk to.  Huge kudos to the flight attendants of Alaska Airlines who went above and beyond to meet Tim’s needs.  I can’t say enough about this beautiful young woman named Clara who didn’t think twice about helping her fellow passenger.  It was a beautiful reminder, in this time of too much awfulness, that there are still good, good people who are willing to help out.”

 

May our love for God help us to love others well, too.

 

 

Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:37-39