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Creativity, Compassion and Communication

I've been having a bit of a black dog day today, exacerbated by a long day yesterday (that crept into today) and a few little "challenges" today (let me just say the words "car", "heap of scrap" "insurance" and "daylight robbery" featured in my conversation too much for my own good). But I am feeling extraordinarily blessed and thankful this evening, having been at a fundraiser for Re:Play Theatre Company, in the Skainos Centre, where my wife's choir was singing...
Not only were the ladies in particularly good voice tonight, but the company we were there to support is a totally unique and inspiring venture... The artistic director of both the choir and theatre company is Anna Newell. I've always enjoyed what she has drawn out of the (unauditioned) choir, but the work that she and her collaborators do with Re:Play is of a different order altogether...
Watch the following video... and if you don't weep go to the cardiac department of the nearest hospital and announce that you are the only living human being without a functioning heart... Watch... weep... then go to their website and donate, giving thanks that there are people such as these who reach out with compassion and creativity to communicate with those that the rest of society often wants to sweep off to darker, underfunded corners.



You can see a fuller documentary on their ongoing programme for children with profound multiple learning disabilities, entitled "UP" on their website... If the shorter one didn't get you... this one will...

But the project also reminded me that society in general assumes that there is no way of meaningfully interacting with these children... yet a combination of compassion and creativity opened a powerful window of communication that is two way.

What does this say to wider society about interacting with those that we write off as completely beyond any ability to meaningfully interact with... Those who demand the right to be heard but will not listen to any voice but their own... Those who refuse to compromise... Those who will not, or cannot move on...

Do we just forget them and move on, leaving such people behind as collateral damage? Or do we need some compassion and creativity brought to bear?

Selah 
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