From The Editor

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EARLIER this year an online video came to my attention through social media.

A young Norwegian girl had travelled to Dublin to buy a horse, stabled in a backstreet and stayed. The street was populated by a gang of young Irish boys, aged between 11 and 15, who to many onlookers were simply ‘trouble’. Profane language and violence appeared to be their daily companions.

The girl, Kristin Vollset, persevered and refused to be intimidated by the boys, staying to care for her horse, visiting daily. Instead she befriended them, united by a deep passion and love for horses. The shared love of all things equine gave her insights into the boys and their deeper character and through her perseverance and love she found each had gifts, hidden beneath a veneer of swaggering bravado.

Celebrating the friendship – and also offering the boys a message that she was not intimidated by them, nor had any intention of abandoning her backstreet stable, she used her evident musical gifts to write a song and record a video, detailing her journey with the boys, celebrating their gifts and also giving them encouragement to use their abilities and not become trapped within the life society expected them to lead.

The song – and film – is not for the fainthearted, but is both gritty and profound in equal measure. Kirsten refuses to bow down to the boys and instead a relationship of mutual respect and admiration emerges, but not without a high degree of perserverance.

This young Scandinanvian girl engaged with the boys by meeting them where they were and refused to judge them by what she was told by others, letting their actions speak for themselves.

The reception to her song, No Hope was moving: the boys were both delighted and embarrassed, whilst the local community were proud and encouraging of the young girl who had not deserted them.

In the month of Easter, such signs of hope are often missed in everyday behaviour. This determined young woman had identified gifts in these boys that were likely missed by others – including kindness, understanding and love. By writing a song about her experience she sought to give them hope through music.

“ As this month’s cover feature focuses on retelling the Easter story through art and the importance of the arts – music, dance, visual art – in engaging in a deep and profound way with the most unlikely audience, the power of such work should not be underestimated.

There are clear lessons for the Church. As this month’s cover feature focuses on retelling the wider Easter story through art in engaging in a deep and profound way with a sometimes unlikely audience, the power of art, music and dance should not be underestimated in engaging with people.

For the underlying theme – like that of the young Norwegian’s work – is ultimately one of hope for the future.

This article appears in the April 2017 Issue of Life and Work

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