The Beautiful Struggle

I once had a boyfriend where every second was a trial but at the same moment every second presented an amazing opportunity for growth. A friend from college called the relationship “the beautiful train wreck”. But after 6 years of small derailments but no crash and burn I began to think of our relationship as “the beautiful struggle”. It is fitting that one of the first albums he introduced me to was hip hop artist Talib Kwali’s “The Beautiful Struggle”. This theme of juxtaposition has reappeared frequently in my life- when I studied with the Aboriginal people in Australia, when I lived on the Navajo Nation, living with and loving people who struggled with deep depression, and now again working with PRECE in northeastern Brasil. Every day is a beautiful struggle.

Who wouldn’t consider it a struggle to live without running water, without enough money to pay the electrical bill, with only 2 seasons- one where there is not a drop of rain and one where the rain never ceases- but where neither permit the soil to yield enough crops for an impoverished family to make a living? Who wouldn’t consider it a struggle to live in a community where the government cannot provide paved roads, adequate school buildings, more than one teacher for all grades or access to technology? This life is a struggle.

But, when many Americans and wealthier Brasilians visit the rural areas where PRECE has its roots the struggle is masked by the beauty and happiness of the people. They come away with such a positive impression of the communities and say things like, “they might not have resources… but they are so happy” or “why are we trying to help them… they smile the whole time and we are the ones who are always depressed”. It’s true- the people of the PRECE communities are smiling, happy, loving, and surrounded by those they care for. Their life is beautiful.

It’s a beautiful struggle.

So, how do we hold these two seemingly contrasting ideas in tension? How do we live within the juxtaposition?

In many of my missiology and international development classes we discussed that people from the “developed world” do a great disservice when they visit communities in the “developing world” if they fail to stay involved in partnerships because of the remark, “but they are happy”. I’ve learned over time that, yes, the people of the PRECE communities are happy- primarily because they have their loved ones close to them- but their joy and happiness is also plagued by an uphill battle to gain access to resources. This uphill battle wrought with pain, disappointment and even anger is not often shared with visitors who “pop in” for a week or two. But, it is ever present.

I have learned that we are all actors- each and every one of us. Sometimes we hide the pain, struggle and disappointment behind the face of peace, love, joy, and happiness. These seemingly contrasting emotions are constantly juggled and balanced creating the beautiful struggle.

"Help us discover our chains; don't judge us slaves by the type of shackles you wear." - Henri J. M. Nouwen