Help! Love, MOM

John 5:35 He [John] was a burning and a shining light…

This is a post for Christians. Non-Christians are certainly welcome to eavesdrop.

In a twist of irony, the flames snatching the life of Debrina Kawam: possibly homeless, certainly dying may have starkly shed light on the darkness in our hearts. Yes, all of our hearts.

Early on Sunday morning of December 22, 2024 on a subway train in Brooklyn, New York City

~ recently identified Debrina Kawam,

~ a middle-aged woman, believed to be sleeping and homeless

~ was set ablaze with a lighter by an undocumented assailant,

~ as the train she and the assailant were riding together pulled into the last station stop.

Meanwhile, the person accused of setting the woman on fire is also alleged to have

~ fanned the flames with his shirt,

~ watched the woman burn, and

~ stayed near the train car where the crime was committed.

The assailants name is,

Sebastian Zapeta- Calil,

~ originally from Guatamala is said to have entered the US without proper documents, and

~ having entered, or, maybe, before, was found to have substance abuse and mental health concerns,

~ was deported; it is unclear as to whether the mental and substance abuse issues were a contributing factors in having been deported,

~ re-entered the U. S., again, without documents, and,

~ lit the sleeping woman on fire.

Sadly, there are also other unintended players in this ghastly game.

You have boarded trains at the initial stop have you not? You and other potential passengers are there in the station ready and waiting to board the incoming train.

There is an air of expectation. Yes? Where to sit? Will the train be on time?

I imagine that there were any number of other questions flitting through the minds of those on the train platform that terrible Sunday morning.

However, instead they saw, heard — and smelled?! — Ms. Kawam onboard engulfed in flames.

It must have seemed unreal, so much so that, it appears, that no one asked the question of themselves, “How can I help?”

Maybe that’s why many shot video, to document the ugly, unbelievable moment.

Fight, flight, or freeze are said to be the body’s responses to protect itself from danger.

It appears that this generation will add “film” as another automatic response.

Because of video there is evidence that not even one bystander attempted to put out Kawam.

After some time passed NYPD and MTA assist but most on that platform did the least they could: nothing.

An attempt to explain the apparent apathy of the onlookers suggests that any instinct to intervene was tempered by the recently concluded Daniel Penny case.

Daniel Penny, is a 26 year old Marine Corps veteran.

While riding the NYC subway in May 2023, Jordan Neely, 30 years old, homeless and mentally ill, threatened passengers when he “aggressively” stated that he was “hungry and thirsty and didn’t care if he went to jail.”

Mr. Penny, intervened by placing Neely in a chokehold. Although disputed by Penny’s defense, a NYC medical examiner found the chokehold to be the cause of death.

Hailed as a “hero” and a “good Samaritan” by some, Penny was never arrested.

Penny mounted a defense, was acquitted of criminal charges and is said to have suffered trauma due to his actions that day.

Others, including Neely’s family, roundly decried Penny’s actions saying that the innocent verdict in the case came about because the “system is rigged.”

In Mr. Penny’s case, fellow riders helped him to subdue Mr. Neely AND shot video.

However, in the case of the intentional burning of this sleeping woman, it appears that persons on the platform, including at least 1 police officer and assorted onlookers, either took video (the onlookers) but appeared to do nothing to immediately assist Kawam.

If we are honest, we would acknowledge the darkness in our hearts that allows us to stand by as a woman is burned alive.

We would admit that we do not care about the homeless enough to give rigorous, and serious thought and aid, that is, until something happens.

Generally that “something” is egregious like the Debrina Kawam tragedy or the killing of Jordan Neely.

As a society and as individuals we do not own our apathy toward the homeless.

At the national level we show that we do not care about homelessness as more cities enact legislation to criminalize homelessness.

At the municipal level we show that we care much more about what baseball fans see on their way to the game than we do about the homeless.

Because it’s a neighborhood on my route, I am often near Yankee Stadium. The homeless make shelters for themselves near “The House that Ruth Built.”

Whenever the Yankees are in town the makeshift shelters of the homeless in the Yankee Stadium community are removed ahead of the arrival of the Yankee’s fans.

I always know when there’s a game: the bars are more lively, the sidewalk shirt sellers and icee ladies are out, but the homeless shelters are gone.

We are glad to no longer hear their cries for food and water. Even when they are no longer moving as they lay on the subway floor.

We – you and I – walk by them in distress, yes, even the distress, no, the unimaginable agony of being engulfed in flames.

Can light be brought to this challenging issue?

Yes. Jesus’s light.

Christians, let’s let that holy light take up more residence in our lives and allow it to radically transform the way we see and assist others.

In St. John chapter 5 verse 34 (John 5:34) John the Baptist is called a burning and shining light to his generation.

John took the risk to burn and shine. In his time, John was a light regarding the sanctity and dignity of marriage among other things.

Surely homelessness is one of the great indignities of our time.

To burn and shine for Jesus in this world will cause us stand out in all the right ways, just as light stands out from darkness in useful ways.

To be a burning and shining light could mean that Christians, more than anyone else, support actions including legislation to provide housing to any and all in need.

This could be burning and shining Christianity: working toward municipal solutions so that no one else will have to resort to sleeping on the subways, potentially exposed to danger.

This could be burning and shining Christianity: supporting effective, dignified, humane, and lawful ways to control our borders.

This might include allowing persons to enter the United States, find meaningful work and pursue a path of citizenship and self determination.

Or, if you are convinced that we cannot support additional entries into the country, you might, then, lend the burning and shining light of your convictions to find and enforce humane ways of deterring additional folks from entering our country right now.

The manner in which Light shows up differs from person to person but, Christian, I do not believe that being light is optional!

Please be reminded of some of the ways Christians have been burning and shining lights in past generations.

Christians led the way to establish hospitals in the world.

Christianity and slavery has a complex relationship in America. However, Christian groups, first in the UK , and, then also in America, led the way to end slavery.

Former President Jimmy Carter has recently died. He and his wife were many things including burning and shining lights in this dark world.

Public Christians, the former President and Mrs. Carter were burning and shining lights for many causes including the fight against homelessness through partnering with Habitat for Humanity.

Consider the words of Jesus to followers:

Matthew 5:14-17

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

This is burning and shining Christianity, shining before others, lit up, faith demystified, wearing work clothes, intractably unwilling to allow darkness to perform even one more wicked and cruel deed.

Letting others see God’s work, that is to say Light, through your work of burning and shining your light in the places and spaces where God has led you to do, brings Him glory.

Let me clearly say: I do not do this perfectly, or, even well. To stand up for others is a growth area for me.

I am willing to own and release my apathy to better shine for Jesus.

Please hear my heart and read this as an invitation for us to grow together. I am growing somewhere in 2025.

Blessings and Happy New Year!