Mark 6:30-34 – Come and Rest a While
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Upon returning from Dandora, I could not get the images and emotions out of my mind. I was grateful for the opportunity to have spent with the great people of Dandora and Holy Cross. They may not be rich in the material sense, but their joy and spirit of the Lord was in abundance. The pilgrimage gave witness to God’s compassion and yet I was conflicted by the volume of injustice. How could Africa’s largest landfill be a health hazard and a source of so much crime while providing economic lifeblood for the community? The complex web of poverty, global economics, social structures and humanity were overwhelming. After my return I joined JustFaith, a social justice program offered at St. Monica. JustFaith allowed me a period of reflection emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually that helped me process my experience in Dandora and contribute to God’s flock both around the world and here at home.
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