Went into work today at the café, and one of my buddies, Omar, was the only one there. He was working and had been since 8 this morning. I said what's up and went about my workin' business, gathering dishes to be cleaned. "Entonces qué tal? Angy me dijo que me necesitas, pero no hay nadie," I said, laughing. ("So what's going on? Angy told me that you need me, but there's no one here.") He answered, "No sé. Quizás es porque anoche unos cholos me asaltaron."
He had been jumped. Omar continued to explain to me what had happened. As he was walking home from work last night, some guys with hoods and masks pulled him down to the ground and pulled out a knife, telling Omar to give them everything he had. Omar realized that if he acted violently, they would, so he surrendered. They knifed open his backpack, taking his mac laptop, phone, all his money and his credit card, and then they left him. Omar said that he didn't sleep for a second last night. He sat by his door wrapped in a blanket, listening to be ready if they knew where he lived and tried to come for him again.
He told me that the only things he was really sad about were all of his photos and all of the personal things he had written, that were saved only on his computer. He teared up a little at that, but proceeded to say, 'But I kind of think those guys did me a weird favor. Maybe before I was like a slave to my things, and I always had something to lose, but now I'm free. And I feel so grateful. When those guys left, I kind of just sat amazed for a few minutes, because I couldn't believe that my body was completely unharmed. I have everything that really matters--I am alive, I can work and I have my family and I have friends here.'
It was so good for my soul to hear that. He is not at all devastated. A little sad, but grateful. He really has eyes to see.
'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'
Matthew 6:19-21
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