The Florida Project: Searching for the Kingdom of Heaven Next to the Magic Kingdom

Halley and Moonee have never been to Disney World. A trip to the Magic Kingdom would require some magic of its own. One night, when Moonee’s friend Jancey celebrates her birthday, Halley and Moonee take her for the treat of a lifetime: They hitchhike to an open field, eat a couple of cupcakes and watch the park’s fireworks display. For Jancey, it’s a moment full of magic.

Last January, I went to Disney World. I’ve seen those kitschy landmarks we see in The Florida Project. I might’ve driven right by Halley and Moonee’s hotel. I would’ve been one of those “rich” tourists that Halley fleeces and Moonsee sweet-talks. And one night, when the fireworks went off, I hustled the family back to the bus, anxious about the crowds.

Not once while I was there did I truly see this world that Baker shows us. I was blind to it.

“The poor will always be with you,” Jesus once told us. But while Jesus acknowledged that sober truth, He never, ever was blind to the poor. He saw them: their need, their humanity their inherent beauty.

In Jesus’ day, the poor were inescapable, sitting in front of gates and temples, asking for alms. In our much more “enlightened” society, we often make it much harder to see the poor. In many communities, the homeless are shuffled out of parks and public spaces. Panhandlers are often banned. We don’t want to see them. We don’t want to be bothered.

And so we Christians, called as we are to help the poor, often jet off to Haiti or India to see them and help. We dump a few extra dollars into the offering plate or make monthly donations via automatic withdrawal. Those are all worthy things, for sure, but I wonder if sometimes we forget about the poor and suffering all around us. Maybe you’re a little like me:  Our closest interaction with the poor is at the movies.