HYC Kingston: Amalia Del Cid
"My time in Kingston taught me a huge lesson in humility and my own lack of involvement in personally knowing those in need.
The National Children’s Home is an orphanage in Kingston, that homes children without guardians or those fleeing from harmful situations of abuse. The woman who leads the home described the children as having gone through “ every imaginable evil there is”. Some of them having been physically or sexually abused, and there for their own protection. I went in with the mindset that we would not be welcomed by these kids. And with good reason, what child would be inviting to complete strangers after having gone through trauma. I expected harsh treatment and prepared my heart to love anyways. We stepped off the bus and right away they came rushing towards us, wanting to take our hands and show us around. They were so full of joy I couldn't understand it. How could they be so happy after everything they've gone through? Day after day we got to know them and day after they day we grew more attached and they taught me more about gratitude, being content and humility than ever before.
“ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:1-5
One of the days we went to the Tegywn Unit across the street, which is where people with varying ranges of disabilities lived.
You never really understand what you have until you spend time with someone, sitting idle in a wheelchair, who is moaning and struggling to communicate to you but they cant because of a disability. So they sit there in the hot sun, as you wave away the flies nipping at their soars staring at you because there isn't much else they can do. And yet they have a huge smile on their face, nodding their head to the music playing in the background, and giggle as you take their hand and move their arms attempting to dance with them. We made the most of our time there, but it tore me to think what their lives are like regularly, when theres no music or bubbles or a group or people there for each one of them trying to make them smile. The staff there was amazing, but they could not offer them the type of attention they needed constantly because there were only so many of them. It made me think, do I go out of my way to serve like this in my city? There are people with needs everywhere, how can I do this consistently?
Jesus spent time with the lepers, prostitutes, the sick, and the outcasts. We recognize this, we read it in our quiet times, in theory it sounds noble and valiant. We say we need to be like Jesus and so we may serve occasionally, maybe do a walkathon once a year to raise money for cause, but steer away from actually being in contact with the needy. We make excuses of work or social lives and so compensate for it with a donation here and there if even that. Would Jesus toss in a few coins occasionally to those grabbing at him asking to be healed? This HYC truly taught me Jesus’s real heart. Jesus didn’t just love the poor from afar, casting down prayers and well wishes from a distance, he knew them, he touched them. I think sometimes we can get so caught up in the ministry and divide making disciples from serving people, but for Jesus they were one in the same, there was no division or separation of the two. He showed people God through meeting their needs and becoming a servant to all."
