Looking for hope in all the right places

Some talk about it as if the phenomena began at the turn of the millenium. The truth however is that for hundreds, thousands of years, men and women, sometimes in solitary journey, and at other times with entire communities in tow, have traversed the globe in pursuit of a better life. Driven by a compelling sense of hope that over some distant shore there might lay a new way of life, with new adventures and opportunities, they tore themselves away from the familiar, risked their comfort, if not life and limb in hope of a better day.

They come from third world countries to discover the simple joy of running water and the miracle of medicine. They come too from powerful industrialised nations in search of a pace conducive to their desire to be more involved in the lives of their young children.They come from the hustle and bustle to escape the roar of the never-sleeping city to a place where your thoughts introduce themselves to you one by one as if they were good friends dropping by to say hello.Hoping, they come, dreaming, they come.

In parts of Africa, they cross wildlife territory so they can escape the rule of a despot. In parts of Asia, they board vessels set for the high seas, not knowing whether their journey will end happily. All over the world, they board silver-winged creatures that carry them swiftly to lands unknown...and what for..so that hope can be rewarded. The global diaspora continues as people exchange parts of their culture for others, learn about new ways of life, about how we're more alike than we are different...and all this, driven by hope!

I dedicate this particular blog to a young man who I came to know about three years ago. Killed in a motocycle crash less than a week ago today, he sought to create for his wife and daughter (with whom I happen to share a birthday) a life better than the one they had. Hopeful always, he carried a quite sense of optimism, was not flamboyant, but prepared to work to acknowledge the hope he carried in hs heart.
Ramon Ogle(25.02.09-With Christ)