Thursday, March 12, 2009

Cry of the Innocent


Today, I spoke at Cascade College in Portland. An auditorium full of students and a great morning of sharing the vision for the domestic trafficking shelter in Oregon. After making a number of great connections, we were getting ready to leave and a girl ran to the door and handed me a piece of paper. During the time I was up front speaking, she was in the back writing...the following is what she handed me:

Cry of the Innocent

On a street you know,
Not so far away
Stands a girl.
She stands there day and night
Except when she's not there;
Ominous absence.
And then when she returns
Nothing has changed. 
Nothing at all.
Fishnet stockings and pretty hair,
Eyes too big in her too-small face
She knows too much.
People walking by don't look at her
They don't see her, she doesn't matter.
They don't know her.
But she looks a them with her big eyes,
Dull, a frightening non-expression on her face,
And she asks them silently...
See me,
Help me,
Know me...please.

I was struck by this girl's brief poem...it brought up the trauma and pain of a young girl that we cared for at Transitions a couple of years back, who with tear filled eyes, asked me, "Why didn't you rescue me sooner?" How many people just didn't see her? In our busy lives, with our focus on so many things, do we take the time to look for those that are in need of rescue? 

Today, I have taken some time to reflect on the fact that victims only matter, when we do something to change their futures.

Thank you Rachael. Thank you for the reminder that seeing is more than what we take in with our eyes.

James

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