Hidden Humanity .

In my first two days of work in the city, I've had the opportunity to learn, observe, and experience a lot. My mind is almost on overload. Life here is very different than where I come from. Not just because it's a huge, busy city, but there is something else. The face of humanity is somewhat different here and so is the understanding of what it is to be human. I see this especially in the situations we find ourselves with these women who are trying to figure out how to deal with their pregnancy.
We all share humanity and no matter where we are we are equal in dignity and value, but such an equality is not everywhere understood in the same way. Where I grew up, we were few in numbers but united in community. The people you ran into around town were treated something like a family member and this mentality was carried into every aspect of life, including the womb. This became my world view, which I unconsciously expected everyone else to share.

Here in NYC and with this work, I encounter a different perspective on human life which is almost the opposite of the one I was accustomed to. Abortion? Taking a child's life? It's so absurd I can hardly wrap my mind around the reality of it. And not only is everyone walking the streets not my family, I have to cultivate my street smarts and make sure belongings are locked or guarded. What kind of idea of humanity excludes children in the womb or even other people in your own neighborhood? While I learn more about the culture and the work we are doing here, I know that no matter how many ethnicities and languages I encounter, we are all persons with the same purpose and needs. Our common language is love and that common thread of humanity which unites us is also the only way we can truly understand each other - especially those hidden human lives inside the womb.