Number 13 comes from the HOPE series that Walt published in the early summer. The story comes from Walt’s travels and recalls an encounter that he had with an artist in Key West.
Alonso - A Story of Hope
STEP ONE: BREATHE
Take a deep, cleansing breath. Allow the air to fill your lungs and expand your body. Exhale and empty yourself into the room. Repeat three times - once for the one who Created you, once for the Incarnate One who walks beside you, and once for the Spirit whose life fills your being.
STEP TWO: DWELL IN WORD
"I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.” Psalm 119: 147-149
Each night as the sun sets at Mallory Square on the island of Key West, he moves water and pigments with a brush. There was a time when Alonso's work consisted of using a pail and a mop at the local library. Now he lives his full-time dream of being a watercolor artist, selling his work to the tourists who come for the nightly sunset celebration. Watercolors of all sizes adorn a temporary gallery that he sets up nightly on the street. It isn't the only place you can get an original "Alonso" - boutique galleries on the island also feature his work - but it's the only regular place that you can watch the artist in action and listen to his moving tale of hope.
As the watercolors blend on the thick white, 140 lb paper, Alonso is quick to tell his story. He smiles a full-rounded face smile. Using his thin brush as a pointer, he directs your attention; "Do you see that pier over there? That is where my parents brought my brother and me when we fled from Cuba."
Alonso was one of nearly 125,000 Cuban refugees that fled their homeland during the Mariel boatlift. Fidel Castro lifted travel restrictions from April to October 1980, allowing people to leave Cuba without penalty. Dozens of boats made the ninety-mile trek between Cuba and Key West. More than bodies filled these watercraft, they were packed with many hopes for an improved life.
Marielitos (which is the name that history has given to this group of Cuban exiles) like Alonso's parents, wanted something better for their children. They were willing to take a risk to provide shelter from the devastation of Castro's control.
Parents around the world want happiness, health, security, and prosperity for their beloved. No matter their culture or language, refugees share in this hope and are willing to sacrifice to bring it to pass. It is hard to legislate or stop at a border the passion that is present in a parent's heart when it comes to their children.
Without neglecting his watercolor creation, Alonso continued; "You know, the movie Scarface got it wrong. Hollywood made it seem like they were all criminals who left Cuba. I can tell you, that wasn't true. Everyone on the boat was like my parents."
Fears that Castro was emptying jails and mental institutions shifted public opinion away from supporting the Mariel exodus. In truth, this was only an anecdotal reality. The vast majority of the Mariel exiles were indeed like Alonso's parents - refugees that were driven by the desire to have a brighter future. They wanted to escape the violence, persecution, and restrictions of their native land. They sought shelter and a hiding place where they could live their lives without fear and dread.
Upon the paper, a blue sky emerges as the ultramarine pigment dances with the water. A stroke of crimson and Winsor yellow blends to form a golden band of orange in Alonso's sky.
Simple. Beautiful.
"They came to this county and worked hard at many jobs. They made sure that each boy graduated from High School. We love this country. It has been a place of opportunity for my family." Alonso's smile widened.
For a moment, Alonso placed his paintbrush down on the folding table of his portable, street- gallery. He looked up from his work and beamed. There was a sense of pride in not only what he created but in his story that he shared. It was his parent's love that brought him across the waters on a makeshift watercraft. Their hope was a strong force in his life that continued to the current time even though they remained with him in memory only. It not only shaped the circumstances of where he grew up and what opportunities were available to him - it crafted his very being. Like his watercolor, hope added color, depth, blending, and opacity to the masterpiece of his life.
STEP THREE: RESPOND IN PRAYER
Gracious God, you are the source of all hope. Be present to those who are in distress and despair. Strengthen their resolve and raise them. Open a place in all of our hearts for the refugee. Let compassion guide our language, thoughts, politics, and buying decisions in such a way that we work toward helping those in need find shelter, security, and a share of the goodness of your creation. Through Jesus Christ, amen.
Permission granted to share with friends and family. Copyrighted 2019. Walt Lichtenberger