Heart of Mercy

The situation...

Shaquita was writing out a rap and I couldn’t understand what she meant by the words she was using. Then I started to realize…imma = I’m going to, and me and you and you (she is talking to her audience), and as for me I’m….a different approach to a language I have known all my life. Is this how Gemma felt when we joined her for breakfast or how we felt when we were in England. So many questions started running thru my mind. Is this what they mean when they say the FCAT is unfair or talk about literacy rates being so low, why is it that someone born at the same hospital as my son, grew up 5 miles from our home and is English speaking sometimes hard for me to understand.

Is it a lack of books, time spent learning, is it early education, what is the answer.

Body language, learned for me at an early age, eye contact, personal space, even tone completely different for these girls these wonderful young women.

They don’t trust me, but have I ever done anything to warrant that, they don’t answer my questions, why should they…2 weeks ago they began using my name, most didn’t know it or care to know it until almost 2 months of being together. Why is this the case? It drove me crazy to the point of asking for their forgiveness if I didn’t know their name or I called one sister Shakeelah by the name of her sister Gayleen.

I tell these girls they can change their world, this circumstance, the lives of those around them. They can go to college, be whatever they want to be. Do I believe this? Do I believe that this is possible. Why is this my dream for them. What is wrong with their circumstance, what is wrong with the lives around them, is my life so perfect?

I see grandmothers, aunts, sisters taking care of someone else’s child. A father of one becomes a father to many, isn’t this how it is supposed to be? Why are there two extremes, the white way of to each his own and their way of it takes a whole community to raise a child.

Then I sit in Service, the answer isn’t an FCAT with a different way of asking questions, or that they use my name. The answer is God and love and this will be what changes both my world and their world for his purpose for his good and holy purpose. We should take care of one another, we should know how to read and understand Gods word. It is our privilege that we live in a nation where opportunity is boundless and if God is given the glory for all things then all things are for his glory, college, goals reached, safe surroundings. To God be the glory great things he has done, to guide and protect us he gave us his son.

What a journey I am on, how blessed I am to know these children, his children. Lord I pray for their safety, for their smile for them to know God’s love, for them to achieve their dreams if it is Mercy Drive or another side of the world. I pray for them to love Jesus and trust him. I pray for them to believe in themselves because you are in them. For their parents, for their pastor, for their aunts, grandmas, brothers and sisters. For my children to know their children for us to love, trust and walk thru life together as your church as one church.