Photographer Michael Wolf took 100 photographs of residents in their flats in Hong Kong's oldest public housing estate: 100 rooms, each 100 square feet in size. Here is just one of the rooms. You can see all 100 here. I was fascinated by this photojournalist's project, and more by the fact that each of these families lives in just 100 square feet!I had several thoughts as I looked through the 100 flats.... I thought "boy am I blessed!" and "I wonder if I could live in only that much space" and "I couldn't have much stuff in there".....you get the idea. It's a real challenge to my thinking.....I'm very spoiled. I have a house and it's full of "stuff."
Then my thoughts ran out into the future...out to another place to live. These photos made my mind race to a passage in the bible:
John 14:1 "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
In this world we all live in "temporary housing" waiting for the day when we get our real home. I have no idea what that place will look like, but the King James version translates dwelling places as mansions. It gives a hint of how grand God's housing provisions will be in his kingdom. Until then, whether small or large, all of this is just temporary housing....all of us are waiting for that place we can only imagine.
5 comments:
To say we are blessed seems such an understatement.
Somedays I think about selling it all and downsizing big time. I do have so much "stuff." Sometimes I wonder why...
In 1st century times…around Galilee…they had insulas, or a Roman type housing…much like those 100 square foot rooms! Five or six of ‘em together, surrounding a common courtyard where the families would cook, keep livestock, mill flour, even bathe. There weren’t any 37 story high-rise condos, either, and there were up 2 or 3 million people between Jericho and Galilee, so brother, it was crowded! (And that would be a good reason there were always sick people around for Jesus to heal, btw.)
To live in those conditions…can you imagine this Man coming along and saying, “In my Father’s house are many mansions…” not rooms, not even big rooms – not even deodorant! - but mansions, baby!! Wow! I can’t wait to see the face of one of those first century believers when they’re handed to keys to Dion Sanders’ place. (“Is this heaven?”…”No, it’s Prosper.” )
As you say, Mike, can’t fathom trying to live in 100 foot square. But those folks in the pictures are living it. Hope they get to hear about the mansions available to them!
Great post - thanks! In a book on housekeeping I once read, that a farmers family with four kids about 100 years ago would have had just 80 items in their possession (including kitchen items).
80! I will find 80 in just opening a drawer in my desk...
One person living in 100 sq ft would be hard enough, but can you imagine a couple living in that small of a space? I noticed that most of them had bunk beds and the top was almost always full of food stuffs and other things that need storing. A couple living in 100 sq ft and sleeping on a twin size bed. I think I'd go mad and I'm not even married yet!
Post a Comment