To City Kidz followers: This piece was written by a writer friend of mine who has a wonderful way with words. When I read it, I felt that it so strongly reflects the heart of what City Kidz is, that I had to share it with all of you! I hope you’re as blessed reading this as I was!
One time when I was living in Ottawa, I was coming home from work one night. Obviously, Ottawa being the city that it is, we had our share of homelessness and thus we were interrogated every once in awhile for some coinage. As a girl who grew up in a small town, at first I found it awkward and as time went on, I found it oddly comforting. There is something about a stranger going out of their way to reach out to you even if it is completely motivated by need.
As I was going home this one night, I had an encounter with a woman I will never ever forget.
She was asking me for a bus ticket. I, the avid transit user I was did not carry bus tickets, only a bus pass so I looked at her and mentioned I was sorry but I did not have any. Suddenly, she looked at me with her large brown eyes and the following words come out of her mouth..
"Thank you. Thank you for looking me in the eyes. No one ever looks me in the eyes."
I can still hear those words as if they happened just moments ago. I remember when I finally did get on the bus that night and eventually made it to my home in not the safest neighbourhood there is, my own eyes found the courage to let go of their tears.
Sometimes it is so easy to look at people anywhere but in their eyes. It is when you look someone in the eye that you remember that you are both human beings, with stories and with dreams, who feel the angst of emotion and the courage to be able to love. It is when you look someone in the eyes, that you actually see yourself and that you see the very little that separates you from them. Looking someone in the eye is communicating the unspoken words of, "I see you. I validate you. You can talk to me and I will really hear you. You are worthy of this."
It is in looking away, that we forget who we are.
I find that it is the eyes of Christ that are one of the most captivating and compelling things about Him. Scripture says He has eyes of fire, and it also says that there is no shadow of His turning. He never takes His eyes off of you. My friends, He never looks away.
As Christ is, so we are. This is our mission and I want this to be my life prayer.
To look every man, every woman, every child in the eye, no matter if they're a leper or if they're an all-star athlete, if they are living in the slums or in the palace, if they are a baby dying of AIDS or if they are the king of a mighty nation. No matter who you are let me look in the eyes, so I can tell you without saying a word...
"You are worth it."
~Ashley Beaudin
…And ONE for all!!
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