The City in My Eyes

I sit in a Denny’s diner on the corner of University Ave and Fairmount Ave in City Heights of San Diego. My drive here was just like any drive to find a place to eat before a girl’s slumber party (these slumber parties should happen more often), except I drove through a new part of San Diego.

I ended up on this side of town because it’s just a few miles from the house that will be the home to more than 20 girls tonight. I have a couple spare hours (spare hours are new in my vocabulary) and I am so grateful for them!!!

I honestly am wondering why God brought me here today. I didn’t have to keep driving especially with gas approaching $5.00 per gallon, but I did. I watched the classes change between districts. I thought to myself, “this is not how most people would picture San Diego in their minds.” Downtown San Diego and the areas most popular to tourists, display a much more prestige environment.

The area I am in today reminds me more of Tijuana, Mexico. There is a pharmacy, pawn shop, and donut shop on every other corner. The busses are longer, more crowded, and there are people walking intead of driving. I think of Malawi. I also am thinking about how I don’t need to go to Malawi to be a missionary to the poor and destitute. What could $6,000+ do here? Well, I suppose it wouldn't go AS far since the exchange rate in Malawi is $1: 125 Kwacha. Still, I am positive there are people who won’t be eating dinner, right here, in this very district, tonight.

Honestly, I looked to see that my doors were locked and put my purse in a less visible place. One thing I am surprised that I have not seen, are homeless people asking for just about “anything.” On my normal routes I see at least 3 homeless men, usually veterans, at various stoplights.

I knew I would not be stopping directly in the heart of the oppression that I see. The 80 degree weather permitted I wear shorts, and long blonde hair sticks out like a sore thumb among the diverse population.

I can’t help but feel a sense of shame as I realize just how much I am accustom to this Capitalist America. As soon as I saw a Starbucks I knew that it would be “safe” for me to dine somewhere close to it. WOW! Am I THAT white?