Ninety-Nine isn't One Hundred

Sometimes, it really bums me out to be a sociologist.

Not because of the insane amount of paper writing, or boring lectures. But because I see things in a way that people don't.

I see blatant racism where people say there is none. I see gender stratification where people see equality. I see homophobia where people see 'freaks'.

But the thing that gets me more than anything else, is that I seek out to find great acts of pain, hurt, sin, discrimination, inequality, and suffering, when most other people turn a blind eye.

It's not "relevant" to them.

For one of my classes, I had to go around and interview people on what they new about the riots and protests in North Africa and the Middle East. Long story short, no one really knew anything. I simply don't understand how people can live there lives in purposeful ignorance. It baffles me. This world is in so much pain. And people seem content to stay in their little bubble and be ok with that. I simply do not get it. So few people care about the Jardim Gramacho trash pickers outside of Rio, and the horrible conditions they live in. No one knows about Africa's deadliest war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the children being sent to die on the front lines. Closer to home, no one cares about the sex trafficking that happens right here in Baltimore.

As Christians, aren't we supposed to love people? Everybody?

What about these people? They need our love too. So where are we?

A lot of people say they cannot make a difference. This is simply a false statement. I recently learned about those trash pickers outside of Rio in a documentary called 'Waste Land'. Take two hours and go see it. It is incredible.

Anyway, one of the pickers, named Valter, was talking about the importance of everybody doing their part. This is a direct quote:

"People sometimes say "But one single can?" One single can is of great importance. Because 99 is not 100, and that single one will make the difference." 

Every. Person. Counts.

I leave you with a quote that my brother told me years ago, that I will carry until the day I die.

"Every man is guilty of the good he did not do."

If you can sleep well at night knowing you aren't doing a thing to make a difference, go for it. But know there out lives out there wishing that you had.