SA Treasures: Streets of Durban

FOCUS TEXT

John 13:34

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

DAILY BYTE

One of the experiences that I have enjoyed the most during my time in South Africa has been walking the streets of Durban. There is something about walking the streets of a city that allows one to experience its culture in a deeper way. Seeing people go about their daily activities, hearing the city breathe, and looking at some of the crude realities of life here in Durban has been a learning experience for me. I have particularly enjoyed many conversations that I have had with friends as we have walked together. During Sunday nights, after the evening worship service at Manning Road Methodist Church, I accompany a group of friends as they walk back to their home.

On one night in particular, as we arrived to my friends’ home we were met a by a woman and a man who asked us for money. This couple seemed to live on the streets. When they realized that my friends were about to enter the building were they lived they immediately started begging for a blanket. They said that they were cold and needed a blanket to sleep that night. While my friend was telling them that she did not have a blanket to give them, a girl in her late teenage years came up to us. This girl was greatly distressed. She had dirty clothes on and was not wearing any shoes. She was yelling and telling us not to give this couple anything because they were evil. She said that they had just stolen from her and that they had taken her shoes and thrown them over the wall into a home. The discussion started to heat up and in instant, the girl reached out and grabbed the man. The man responded by hitting her and pushing her down to the floor. The girl started to cry and asked us to call the police. One of my friends told me that if we called the police, they would not do anything because these people were evidently intoxicated. I begged the couple to leave and they moved a few feet away. I tried to console the girl who was crying and saying that she wanted to kill herself. I offered her a few rand to buy some food and asked her not to spend it on alcohol. I helped her get up and asked we could pray together. She immediately said, “Yes pastor, please pray for me and for my arm because it really hurts.” As we began to pray, the couple came close and the woman told me that the girl was her daughter. This amazed me. The woman said that the girl would get very violent and that it was difficult to deal with her. The girl then said, “Mom, please… he is praying for me mom, let him pray for me.” So I asked the couple to join us and told them if we could pray together. We joined hands and I prayed for God to bring peace into that situation. I prayed for God to shower them with love for each other. I prayed for their situation to change, for God to help them, for them to stay away from alcohol and drugs, for them to be able to find work, and for them to stop hurting one another. After praying together I told them that I needed to leave but I urged them to please not hurt one another any longer.

I don’t know if my prayer for them helped them. I don’t know if their situation has changed in last few weeks. I don’t know if the fight they had was something they orchestrated in advance to get some money. However, I do know that that night in particular they heard that God loves them and that God wants them to love one another. As I reflect on my last words to that family. I can’t help but think of the many times that I have hurt my own family. I sadly remember the times during which I have said and done things that have hurt those I love. I regret my selfish decisions, which have brought grief to my family.

Jesus calls us to love one another. I invite you to reflect the manner in which you interact with those you love. We must remember that the things we say and do often affect those around us. Please remember that the decisions you and I make, even the small and seemingly unimportant ones, often affect those in our family. Jesus calls us today to love one another. His commandment is for us to love one another in the same way in which Jesus has loved us. That is not an easy task, but it is one that is worth devoting one’s life to.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for your love for us through Jesus Christ. We pray that you help us love one another in same way that Jesus loves us. We ask for your forgiveness for the times during which we have hurt those around us through our actions, words, or decisions we have made. We pray especially for our family and ask you to help us love one another like Jesus has loved us. Inspire us and guide us through your Holy Spirit, amen.