lives amidst the struggle to survive the violence of poverty. We met people who were able to find the strength to trust us, although they had been hurt so often by white people. We found anger and hostility, at times, but more often friendliness and generosity beyond belief.
I often gave a tour of the neighborhoods we served to new staff, students, volunteers and board members. The tour included a description of the neighborhoods, their demographic make-up and the way people of different backgrounds interacted. At the end of the tour I would tell the “tourists”, although poverty was prevalent and people came for help, lack of income and opportunity was but one aspect of their needs.
The people we met through our work carried two burdens. The first burden was whatever need was created by their level of income. The other, much heavier burden was how they were thought of by other people. Although it was hard for people to ask for help, it was even harder if the person they were asking did not see the second struggle. We had to see the second struggle! When people are blamed for the “bad” things happening in their neighborhood, when their neighbors avoid them on the street and when other people’s prejudice is their daily experience, it is hard to trust, anger simmers under the surface, and frustration is a justifiable feeling.
The place we spent more than 25 years was called MIDTOWN. There we were able to build an organization dedicated to helping people--always with dignity and respect. We were able to help our neighbors begin to understand everyone had something to contribute. We worked hard to help people trust their contribution was just as important as anyone else’s. We helped people overcome the fear that other people were more important. We constantly pronounced--if you had a college education or were trained on the streets, if you grew up in the country in Mississippi or lived in a city, if you are white or black, male or female, everyone’s experience was valid and sharing a wide range of experiences made life better.
Through our work we tried to discover what is important in the lives of people. We wanted to be with people who had different backgrounds and experiences and try to learn how much that mattered. Because of this, the status quo was always called into question. Should we expect people to behave differently than what was normally expected? Should we challenge people to live out a Christian perspective on relationships? Should we help people with their material needs because they were poor? Ultimately, I think the norms of American society are like Jesus answer to the question about paying taxes—he basically seems to be saying, who cares about taxes, that’s not what’s important, pay them if you must, but remember I am teaching how to love God by loving your neighbor.
THE NEIGHBOR
One way we communicatedwith neighbors and supporters was through our newsletter called The NEIGHBOR. The newsletter was produced about ten times per year from 1993 to 2016. I wrote feature articles challenging thoughts and ideas. The newsletter included an update on programs to inform neighbors of upcoming activities and the results of past efforts. Good News from the Neighborhood told of positive happenings in families, with volunteers and donors. This included births, weddings, college admissions, new jobs, new donations and volunteer efforts. Upcoming events told neighbors and others about special activities such as the annual Family Fun Fair or monthly health luncheons. “Perfect” attendance in social growth and development groups was listed each month for children, teens and adults. This page of names was key to getting everyone to read the newsletter. Each month, children, teens and adults searched for their name in the attendance columns.
The NEIGHBOR was distributed to families involved in programming, taken on home visits to new families, placed in local churches and made available to supporters. Articles reminded everyone about our mission, gave people new ways to think about each other and provided hopeful reminders of all the good things we found in our neighbors. The NEIGHBOR was a key element in reflecting what our neighbors brought to our community. The newsletter was a way we connected to each other and provided hope. Throughout this book articles from The NEIGHBOR will be used to illuminate our story.
This article from The NEIGHBOR reinforces this thought and talks about how oppression can be overcome.
The NEIGHBOR UNTO CAESAR SEPTEMBER 2006
The “zealots” of Jesus’ time wanted him to be a revolutionary leader who would throw off the yoke of the Roman Empire. They expected Him to be political and militant because the Jewish people were oppressed by a ruthless military government. The question is, “did they get the revolution Jesus was offering?”
Between the Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan, what have we learned? Knowing war is wrong, torture is evil and people can be corrupted has not transformed us. Corresponding actions such as protests, letter writing and voting have not helped us be more human. The nation is at war with terrorists instead of communists, torture is being used as a weapon and war profiteers are stealing the people’s money...again. Would Jesus have protested, or continued to heal, preach and live among the poor and oppressed?
When Jesus taught about loving God and neighbor, he was not speaking in the abstract. Jesus loved his apostles, laid hands on the sick, blessed and shared food with thousands and went door to door spreading good news. The revolutionary power of love was intended to change hearts and minds.
Sharing the energy of the Spirit of Jesus with each human being we meet is really hard to do. Positive results require a long-term commitment to a very slow process. It is not exciting, front page news, to care for each other—but it is what makes us most human.
Who knows where we would be if between the Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan energy and focus had been on changing communities by being compassionate neighbors? If churches again became places of Christ and had doors open to all, blessed and shared food as much as prayer, healed the sick and went door to door spreading the Word, what would be different?
Caring for our brothers and sisters directly, and every day, could lead us to a just society and world. Other approaches have not moved us forward. We must decide between fighting against war or moving toward love of God and neighbor. Revolution of the heart can bring peace to us all.’
I can help you accept and open yourself mostly by accepting and revealing myself to you.
Anonymous
No One can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
UNDERSTANDING OPPRESSION/ENDING OPPRESSION
While I understand white privilege has created a society which is oppressive to African Americans, I believe African Americans have shown us a way through oppression to a just society. To become like the oppressor, only leads to more oppression. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others who struggled for civil rights knew this. Over and over again, MLK, Jr. preached how “violence begets violence”. Choosing a nonviolentapproach for the movement meant African Americans would work toward justice by treating their oppressors as human beings. No matter what white people did to black people during the struggle, members of the movement would not return it as “an eye for an eye”. Dogs, hoses, batons and vile language used to attack nonviolent protestors, were met without physical, verbal or spiritual violence1. People in the movement had to agree to this.
In Ferguson, Missouri, the protests against the murder of an unarmed teenager by the police, reminded everyone what happens with even the appearance of violence. Peaceful protesters were associated by police with others who started fires and were looting. The police responded as if the protesters were doing something wrong--the tear gas flew and tanks began to roll. The protesters had every right as Americans to protest the overstepping of the state. Instead, they were
