Urban Reflections  By Christina Benjamin

My experience at the FIFUL Dip weekend was an eye opener. I learned so many things about Fresno that I hadn’t previously known. The most touching parts of my time were watching the movie “Wetback” (a movie about immigration from the perspective of the undocumented), the drive through Fresno‘s diverse locations and concentrated poverty, and the fun activity at the Fulton Mall. The stories that were shared really broke my heart and also made me think of my home country, India, and people there. It made me realize how poverty is all over the world, and irrespective of color or nationality.  Also I realized that the poverty here is different from the poverty I see in India.  Poverty in India means people who do not have sufficient basic necessities (i.e. food, clothing, housing), whereas poverty here is measured on a higher scale and includes many people who have sufficient basic necessities, but lack options and opportunities (i.e. a job, transportation, access to health care).  The standard of living for many people who are ‘poor’ here in the U.S. would not be considered ‘poor’ in many other countries, including India.  I’m continuing to reflect on that and what that means.

As part of our Dip weekend we participated in the City Summit conference.  At the conference I attended the workshop Justice 101 by Randy White, which also opened my eyes to how blind I had been to the sufferings of people in Fresno.  Since the weekend Dip my thoughts have been towards what God’s purpose is for me in learning these things and how I could implement them in my life. I have been realizing more and more the impact God wants us to have on the world, and also the mission and purpose he has given to each one of us to: love and serve our “Neighbors”. Though am not sure of my immediate response to this exposed wound in Fresno, I am sure God will lead me according to his will and help me be a part of the healing process.

Christina is a graduate student in Biotechnology at Fresno State and participated in a weekend urban Dip in March through her InterVarsity chapter on campus.