Lenten Thoughts #3

Last night my book group discussed Chris Cleave's novel Little Bee, the story of a Nigerian girl caught in the strife caused when oil is discovered under her village.  The story is told from two points of view:  Little Bee, the 14 year old heroine forced to flee the violence of the oil wars ravaging her home; and Sarah, the self-centered English journalist whose life becomes intertwined with Little Bee's one fateful afternoon.

It's a novel worth reading for many reasons, so I won't spoil it.

Our discussion included the uncomfortableness we all feel when we come face to face with our comfort, with our privilege.  Which is, of course, borne on the broken backs of girls like Little Bee.  So here we were, this group of book-loving middle-aged women associated one way or another with the university.  This group--I know, having been a member for 20 years--gives.  These are generous-spirited women who volunteer, organize, teach, donate, walk, run, care.  One line of discussion involved helping AIDS orphans; another looked at the environmental issues associated with oil; a third dealt with food, simply eating and eating simply.  We talked about migrant labor, illegal immigration, fair trade coffee.  All in the comfort of a palatial home in one of the most expensive neighborhoods, to which we all drove in reliable, often luxury vehicles.  You get the point, no need to belabor the obvious.  We are good women, liberal with money and kindness, aware of our plenty and possessed of the deep desire to help others.

And yet.

I am tempted to quote Jesus about always having the poor with us, or to point out that Jesus mingled with rich, poor, Roman, Jew, political, apolitical, oppressed, oppressor.  These things are true.  And yet.

I am uneasy posting this, because I don't mean or want to offend anyone.  We really do try to do right, we who read things entitled "Lenten Thoughts #3," we who help AIDS orphans and buy locally roasted fair trade coffee and grow our own herbs.  I wouldn't accuse us of complacency.

And yet.

We must strive to take on the "baddies."  The oil companies who finance wide-scale violence and corruption.  The government insiders who wheel and deal so that our luxury can be maintained.  And yes, I'm going to say it, the utility companies that kill our sons through negligence.