Gift of Dignity

Some things we do for our selves. Some times they are for our children. At other times we contribute to those who need help. This past weekend we did all three. It was a gift I never imagined giving in my lifetime. It was better than a home. The gift was dignity.

Our family was invited to participate in a YWAM Homes of Hope trip to Ensenada, Mexico. There we would build a home for a family living in abject poverty. The Carranza Mora family existed in a one-room shack with two beds, a cooking area and a deteriorating nightstand. The father, Salvador Carranza, had a job in a local factory that barely supported his wife and two children. By giving them a home they would instantly be part of a group of families that have broken out of the cycle of poverty into a life of options – all within their own generation.

For those of us in love with instant gratification, the YWAM Homes of Hope formula is pretty amazing. In one weekend, with a concrete slab, a stack of lumber and a foreman, we joined other families in building a house. Thirty hours after erecting the first wall we participated in handing the keys to a fully furnished home over to a thunderstruck family. It was YWAM’s 2453^rd home.

Our initial motivation of exposing our privileged children to the way millions of people live in other parts of the world was augmented by a way to contribute in such a direct fashion. Worlds away from throwing spare change into a donation jar, our kids helped with painting, hammering and well wishes. It was an unforgettable family experience.

The final evening, each Dallas family related their impressions. As our turn to speak approached, the auspicious timing of this event struck me. A couple of days later, the United States would inaugurate an African American President with the Bible that Abraham Lincoln was sworn in with. Lincoln’s dedication to equality of opportunity and the right to be treated with dignity was reflected in the events of the day.

Giving the gift of dignity was something I never considered an option. I spent my life giving the gift of hope or a realm of new possibility… but ‘dignity?’ The evolution of dignity has followed a rocky, yet progressive path. What was impossible a generation ago, is reality today.

I also thought about ‘the butterfly effect,’ a phenomenon, backed by the laws of physics. A small change in one side of the world results in a massive difference in the other. The beating of a butterfly’s wings in one hemisphere could change the path of a tornado in the opposite hemisphere.

It’s possible a difference to the Carranza Mora family might have extraordinary impact on the other side of the world, or at least, the other side of their street.

May the seeds of dignity continue to grow and thrive for generations to come.