A growing pile of rubbish had accumulated outside our back door. As the kitchen has improved and taken shape indoors the workmen have piled old pipes, broken panels, wood offcuts, polystyrene packaging, flattened boxes…
Yesterday Richard turned up with a big van and took away the lot. I’m not sure where he took it – I guess it was to the dump. We were pleased to get rid of the rubbish.
Progress has continued on building works at ‘The Seagull Theatre’. Whilst laying the foundations the builders discovered that all of the surface water drains along the rear of our building are collapsed and appear to have been so for many years.
The building inspector visited. Old drains have to be dug up; broken pipes and rubbish got rid of; new drains must be reinstated.
Some years ago we visited daughter-Jo in Fortaleza, Brazil. In the city centre we saw children, some only six or seven, begging, living on the streets, sleeping in shop doorways. Jo was involved in a project working with some of these children.
Sometimes the children would ‘disappear’. The authorities had got rid of the rubbish.
I’m reading ‘The Salt Path’ by Raynor Winn. Just days after Raynor learnt that her husband of thirty-two years was terminally ill they lost their home and livelihood. Through no fault of theirs they became homeless.
Raynor writes about the British legislation regarding homelessness. Based on the Vagrancy Act of 1824 it categorises homeless people as ‘beggars, idle, vagabonds and rogues’. It’s their fault they’re homeless… they’re rubbish to be got rid of.
Musing…
…those society discriminates against… thinks of as ‘rubbish’ to get rid of.
…my prejudices… people I view as ‘vagabonds and rogues’
…Jesus speaking of those viewed by their society as rubbish: ‘Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap…yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds.’
…Jesus himself seen as a vagabond and a rogue… rubbish to be got rid of…
malcolmsmusings.org 