SO! yeah.....mmm?
2 years ago, after a brief time working for some corporations in retail and with a fresh high school education, God kicked my ars into gear and moved me too amsterdam. I didnt mind too much, new place, new people, new chalenges and the every friendly smell of a good time happening for all. Or so i thought....
For some amsterdam is the perfect society, soft drugs are legal, prostitution is legal, ethanasia is legal and the police are leanient, if your homeless you get arrested and put in a warm cell for a few nights with free meals and if your illegal you get ignored for a long time and become elagable to apply for citizenship!! sounds pritty good right?!
Within hours of arriving here i had met the homeless, the destitute, the hungry, the poorand more than anyhitng addicts(to drugs, sex, alchohol, violence). These people stand out more than anyother in amsterdam.
The truth is, although alot of people seem to be having a "great time" the magority of them are not. The magority come to amsterdam to get lost, to run away, to hide from a life full of pain, stiffe and unberable situations. When the system fails them they become drawn into a pit of self indulgence, physical gratification and altimatly deep depreshion and lownlyness. They become the beggers, the street dealers, the street musicans, the guys sleeping on park benches, the "crazys", the prostitutes, the pimps, the criminals, the people who need our help.
2years later and im back in amsterdam, im working at a christian youth hostel who work specificaly towards the kind of people who potentialy would get lost in the whirl pool.
We show them love, we show them friendship, we show an alternative to a world that promotes "me me me" and shine as a light that says "WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!"
But above all we show them Jesus, Forgivness, Grace, Love, Saviour, God.
For some amsterdam is the perfect society, soft drugs are legal, prostitution is legal, ethanasia is legal and the police are leanient, if your homeless you get arrested and put in a warm cell for a few nights with free meals and if your illegal you get ignored for a long time and become elagable to apply for citizenship!! sounds pritty good right?!
Within hours of arriving here i had met the homeless, the destitute, the hungry, the poorand more than anyhitng addicts(to drugs, sex, alchohol, violence). These people stand out more than anyother in amsterdam.
The truth is, although alot of people seem to be having a "great time" the magority of them are not. The magority come to amsterdam to get lost, to run away, to hide from a life full of pain, stiffe and unberable situations. When the system fails them they become drawn into a pit of self indulgence, physical gratification and altimatly deep depreshion and lownlyness. They become the beggers, the street dealers, the street musicans, the guys sleeping on park benches, the "crazys", the prostitutes, the pimps, the criminals, the people who need our help.
2years later and im back in amsterdam, im working at a christian youth hostel who work specificaly towards the kind of people who potentialy would get lost in the whirl pool.
We show them love, we show them friendship, we show an alternative to a world that promotes "me me me" and shine as a light that says "WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!"
But above all we show them Jesus, Forgivness, Grace, Love, Saviour, God.
posted by Pat Thompson at
7:46 pm
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