We Must Hear Them

Recently, I had the opportunity to write an article for the Helping Hands Newsletter and blog of Buddhist Global Relief (BGR). BGR is a non-profit organization that works worldwide to eliminate hunger, extreme poverty, and the oppression of women. The piece is about discerning the signs of social and economic oppression, and responding to them. Here is a brief excerpt:

…It was warm enough though, lacking the crispness of true autumn. So, when we arrived at the door, we were content to stand outside the restaurant and wait for the proper time. Eventually the minutes became 00 and the hour 11, and the server came to the door to let us in. It took her quite some time to open that door. She had to unlock the padlock, remove the chains, and turn the final deadbolt. It was a procedure that made clear the fear that lay behind those doors, the fear brought on by those whose desperation was not so quiet. This is the reality of the city, many people act out their frustration with the systems of economic and social oppression, and many others live in fear of those people…

For the full article, visit the site of the Buddhist Global Relief’s blog.