strom90's posterous

I find myself riding in the back of an over-crowded hot and dusty van, driving along the coastline of western Mexico. The high and mighty powerful fence stood as a rock solid giant pillar that separates two complete different worlds. I looked across, towards the opposite window, and was bewildered at what I saw. The shambles of a tin fence separated the slums of Tijuana from the highway we were driving along. One could conclude the kind of world that these people lived in, even without driving directly through the city. Gaps through the weak fence allowed us to look into its alleyways and I took note of Tijuana’s dirty roads, close and cramped living quarters, and how different a world it is compared to just the other side of the border. This would be the first of many emotions that I would experience traveling to Mexico.
Staring across the airport gate brings a wild and crazy emotion. After spending just a week in one of Mexico’s most impoverished areas, Ensenada, for the second time, being back in the States is just plain and simply weird.When I look across the sea of people I sometimes wonder would they even care? And although I’m certain they would feel some sort of guilt or pain for the things that I’ve seen, the fact is we live in a world full of multi-tasking. It’s become the social norm of our society. I’m not proud of being consciously short minded when my life starts to be consumed with everything that goes on around. Crossing the border to Mexico brought on a tidal wave of memories. I’ve been fortunate to be able to make the trek back to Lantern Hill. Lantern Hill is an organization, run by J.J. and Abby Williams, who help the people of the Ensenada community.
We often look at the word poverty through a narrow scope. When the word comes to sight we give up hope and ultimately are left feeling defeated. Poverty is ultimately what triggers many of the world’s issues. Conflicts, diseases, famine are some of the considerable factors due to poverty. I know the world can’t be cured of poverty over night or maybe even in my lifetime. But to me it’s important that we take the time to care. Even though this may be prevalent it shouldn’t be something that we ignore. Eradicating poverty can’t be won solely from checks to your favorite Cause. There’s only so much that money can do. Through human interactions we can take a giant leap.
Poverty can be difficult to look at. It’s hard to understand and it makes you uncomfortable. When you see someone living on practically nothing, it will make you uncomfortable. There will be many emotions that prick you. This feeling will never go away no matter what. I’ve been fortunate with the number of opportunities that I have been able to travel around the world to help impoverished areas. And when the majority of the Earth’s population lives in poverty it’s hard not to feel some sort of guilt. It hits me every time I interact with people who are just making an end to survive. However one of many things that I’ve learned over the years of serving people, is that the interactions you have makes a world of difference in how people of different cultures view each other. Experiencing other cultures breaks another barrier of poverty. We start to appreciate what other cultures bring to our world and those in poverty view us, that is those from more affluent cultures, in a more realistic way. It’s about meeting new faces and making connections that we can hold onto forever. There are so many things to experience and what better way to do it than to meet and serve people who are different than you. You don’t have to travel far to do this either if money and time is an issue, especially in America, one of the most diverse countries in the world. But if you can, explore the world because there’s always an adventure to live. When we share a smile it lifts our hearts in peace. To live in peace is what will set us free and help us in the toughest of times including poverty.
Living in Mexico for a week was not enough. Although the stay was short I have learned a lot. Every place that I go, whether it is the back country of Montana serving the Native American population, across the Atlantic to Tanzania serving and creating a culture exchange, crossing the border south to our neighbors Mexico, and now to Uganda and Rwanda, I have not only impacted people’s lives but I have been impacted as well. This is something that my heart will carry and allow me to continue to share my stories so I can inspire someone else to do the same.