By Vanessa Martínez

At the age of six, I had my first memorable encounter with injustice. I was having lunch with my classmates when an argument interrupted our routine. A friend was demanding money from another girl, who had no way of paying. One look at the girl and you could see she was very poor—her rubber sandals were worn out and dirty, and one had been shoddily sewn together to keep it from falling apart.

It was the attitude of those classmates witnessing the encounter that led me to get involved in the argument. It seemed everyone had sided with the girl who demanded the money, while nobody sided with the poor girl. Even those who had initially been her friend would not defend the girl who was being humiliated.

I learned at an early age that when you are poor and destitute, few people in this world speak up to plead for your cause or help. So I turned to a friend who was next to me and asked her to give me some money. I went to the girl who was demanding payment and paid her. I told her to take the money and leave the poor girl alone, her debt was now paid. Accused of stealing, my action got me into trouble and called into the principal’s office.

I did not help my classmate because I felt sorry for her or because I was selfless. I helped her because I felt the ridicule and humiliation the girl was being subjected to by the people around her as if it was my own. Although I was unable to clearly understand this embodiment of the girl’s humiliation—I was only six years old—I just knew it was unfair. No one created in the image of God should be ridiculed and deemed less than another simply because of what they lack.

Up until four years ago, I had not considered this childhood experience as God’s way of calling me to a life dedicated to working for social justice. Perhaps this was the early seed that has led to my ministry at the Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice in Orange County, California, where I walk with immigrant and non-immigrant congregations advocating for their rights and fair wages.

In this world the poor are often considered last, but God always places them close to his heart. That is why I am called by God’s love and compassion to lift up those whom the world takes for granted. In my advocacy experience on world hunger issues with Bread for the World and my current involvement with advocating for low-wage workers and immigration issues, I have the privilege of encouraging religious leaders and lay people to heed God’s voice to, “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Proverbs 31:9).

I live in a nation where citizens have the right to speak up and address the issues that impact us here and beyond our borders.  By the same token, our silence and desire of self-preservation can also impact others by allowing unfair laws to continue as usual.
 

For reflection

Do you know a community organization that you can collaborate or work with? Do you feel called to do it? What value do you see in this?