my city.

it's the capital and largest city in its state.

19% live below the poverty level.

it has a city population alone of over 600,000.

it has the fourth largest population density in the united states.

one out of every four children live below the poverty line.

augustana sings a song about it.

it is the home of our nation's history.

these may be relevant, and interesting, and helpful facts about boston.  yet when i picture my city, i see much more than the numbers. i see the homeless in the T stations.  i see the asian woman who sells wilted flowers and speaks little english near porter square.  i hear the voice of a woman who spends nearly an hour talking to lindsey outside of a hospital, about the Lord and her faith and her sickness.  i feel the hands of the person i pray with near boston university, who is a student and actively involved in campus ministry.  i remember seeing internationals gather at the church, to eat and pray and talk and live life together.  i can still feel the cold rain on my face as i lugged my bags down the street after leaving the airport, and thought about those who lived life like this all the time.  my feet hurt from the prayer walking, and my heart hurts from the faces of those i pass.  i feel the heavy bag of granola bars, refused by people because they believe those with religion also have agendas...what a disservice we have done to our fellow man.

i would have never imagined that a place which is so cold and holds such pain is a place i dream of each day. the city that warms my heart, in the darkest times. boston, i hope we meet again.