butterfly circus
Jill Kim
October 27, 2014
Peer Ministry
Period 2
Butterfly Circus Reflection
In the 1930s America is suffering for the Great Depression. Many people are jobless and homeless, and everybody is sad and worried for the difficult economic situation. Mendez is the charismatic master of a small circus, the Butterfly Circus, and he leads his troupe through Southern California; along the way, they perform- sometimes for free- to bring some light in the dull lives of people. One evening, they stop at a funfair where there are carousels, games and other entertainment. At the Carnival Side Show Mendez meets Will, the main attraction. He has no limbs and is on show as a freak of nature, alongside other odd characters. Will is bitter and unhappy but after meeting Mendez he decides to leave the Carnival and manages to hide on one of the Butterfly circus trucks to escape. People in the circus welcome him but Mendez tells Will that he must find his own way to become part of the act. Will starts to know his new friends and learns that m any of them have a sad story: Mendez has given them a second chance in life. One day Will accidentally realizes that he can swim, so he decides to perform a difficult act in the Circus: he must climb a tall pole, from the top of which he then dives into a small tank full of water. Will is now happy as he is in the show, not because of his odd aspect, but because of who he is and what he can do. There are relationships between the three goals from Renewing the Vision and the three statements listed below made by Mendez. First of all, Mendez says “There is nothing inspiring about a man’s imperfections on display.” This quote is related with the first goal in the Renewing Vision that we have to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. Each individual needs to act like little Jesus and follow Jesus’ ministry. Everyone is imperfect, but each person have to work hard to live as disciples of Jesus Christ by
October 27, 2014
Peer Ministry
Period 2
Butterfly Circus Reflection
In the 1930s America is suffering for the Great Depression. Many people are jobless and homeless, and everybody is sad and worried for the difficult economic situation. Mendez is the charismatic master of a small circus, the Butterfly Circus, and he leads his troupe through Southern California; along the way, they perform- sometimes for free- to bring some light in the dull lives of people. One evening, they stop at a funfair where there are carousels, games and other entertainment. At the Carnival Side Show Mendez meets Will, the main attraction. He has no limbs and is on show as a freak of nature, alongside other odd characters. Will is bitter and unhappy but after meeting Mendez he decides to leave the Carnival and manages to hide on one of the Butterfly circus trucks to escape. People in the circus welcome him but Mendez tells Will that he must find his own way to become part of the act. Will starts to know his new friends and learns that m any of them have a sad story: Mendez has given them a second chance in life. One day Will accidentally realizes that he can swim, so he decides to perform a difficult act in the Circus: he must climb a tall pole, from the top of which he then dives into a small tank full of water. Will is now happy as he is in the show, not because of his odd aspect, but because of who he is and what he can do. There are relationships between the three goals from Renewing the Vision and the three statements listed below made by Mendez. First of all, Mendez says “There is nothing inspiring about a man’s imperfections on display.” This quote is related with the first goal in the Renewing Vision that we have to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. Each individual needs to act like little Jesus and follow Jesus’ ministry. Everyone is imperfect, but each person have to work hard to live as disciples of Jesus Christ by