America the country which represents hope, but what is hope? It’s not even something tangible, materialistically speaking it’s worthless, you can’t trade it or buy it, yet to millions of people it’s the only thing they have, the hope of someday having a better life.
Yesterday I read an article about a 22year old American who was taken to Pennsylvania with the false promise of a job. He had traveled a long way from his home in search of labor. Not to buy a brand new car, not to buy expensive clothes, hell his clothes looked more like tattered rags than clothes. He desperately needed the money to help his ailing elderly parents who lived in unimaginable conditions and sometimes even had nothing to eat. Nevertheless a young spirit is not easily broken; he was going to do anything to help his parents. Unfortunately, his possibilities and education were limited since at a young age he felt the need to drop out of school to provide for his family.
He departed from his parents his mother in tears staring into the face of her only child not knowing if he would return, questioning the righteousness of her god when her son grew up only knowing poverty. His father feeling worthless, his spirit broken, feeling worse than the dirt he was standing on, lamenting his failure in his ability as a man to provide for his family. The young man left assuring his family he would return and everything would be better. He was eager and enthusiastic to begin his search; his hopes were raised even higher when he was recruited to do some construction work from some out of town patrons in Pennsylvania. However upon his arrival his hopes were soon crushed, he realized there would be no compensation for his work. Not only would he not recieve any payment but he was held captive, locked in a room like an animal, given only one meal a day, sleeping on a cold hard basement floor surrounded by the stifling muggy air and thick darkness. His days and nights were full of fear, anxiety and reoccurring thoughts of death. He was petrified not knowing what would happen to him when he finished his work. Fortunately enough he was let go after his labor was completed. His capturers were confident enough that he would not go to the police. As the story goes he returns home, unlike the time he spent captive which was full of uncertainty he knew what to expect in his own hell which he called home; destitution and poverty. He was left with a broken spirit, empty dreams and, empty pockets. For some reason this story struck a nerve, perhaps because I could almost picture his young face full of promise and hope, and his selfless heart full of desire to help his family. This story filled me indignation, I wondered what kind of sick demented people have the heart to do this to him or to anyone for that matter, I could imagine the smug look on his capturers faces so confident in the fact that he would not say anything to anyone, they are a poor excuse of people a waste and disgrace of life. Why where they so sure that he would not call the police? What is your reaction to this young man’s harrowing journey?
