And Justice for All?

Hello friends! I hope this finds you well. I am loving Miami and I am loving what I am doing! I truly believe that God has me right where He wants me for the summer, and although things aren't always easy, I am finding myself to be always filled to overflowing with the love of God. I just wanted to share with you, a conversation I had with a sixth grader at camp yesterday. I can't seem to get it off my mind.

This past week I was blessed by some wonderful help each morning as I did my daily breakfast duty. Her name was Angie. Yesterday morning, as I served breakfast, one of my favorite (oops! Youre not supposed to have those!) campers and children of God, Titi, came up and stood in between us with his hands wrapped around our shoulders. We carried on some casual "Hows the weather?" type conversation with him for a few minutes and then Angie began to ask Titi something about the shirt he had on. Since I was trying so diligently to make my tally marks at just the right angle to please the feds (not kidding. they care.) I tuned the conversation out for a few minutes, content knowing that Titi was being given the attention he deserved. Upon reentering the conversation this is what I hear...

Angie: You know what happens when you go the swamp dont ya?
Titi: (shaking head) Nope.
Me: You get eaten by a gator?!?
Titi: You knows what happens when you come to Overtown?
(Angie and I throw out all kinds of answers trying to find the right one. Fail.)
Me: Oh Titi! Is this some kind of silly riddle youre telling us?
Titi: You get shot.

You get shot? To some this answer may seem exxagerated and shocking, but others know full well that this answer is the all too common reality of life for Titi and the other children of Overtown, Enderly Park in Charlotte, Waco Texas, East St, Louis Illinois, and the other unnnamed inner city areas and pockets of poverty that are becoming all too common right in our own backyards. Please dont tell me that allowing children, teenagers, or any other person for that matter, to live under these conditions is just. Where is the "justice for all" that America has promised. I dont see it. If allowing these children and their families to continue in the cycle of poverty that they were born into or found themsleves wrapped up in is just, then I wonder what "unjust" conditions look like. And whats worse? Our federal government cares more about whether I follow the crazy rules of their food service program (see previous post) than they do about actually giving people the empowering assistance that they need to get back on their feet.

This is why Touching Miami with Love, Mission Waco, Hyaets, the CAC, and many other unnamed ministries and charirable organizations exist- to share with others the love of Christ and the freedom that can be found in that unimaginable love, and to loosen the chains of injustice that plague our society in order to be able to better share the freedom that can be found in Jesus Christ with those around us. We cant simply sit back, say that we support a certain ministry, and expect them to bear our portion of the workload for us. We ALL have to do our part. Until then, injustice will remain a part of our country and world, and the name of Jesus Christ will continue to be unheard of in the marginalized parts of the Earth.

Complacency is NOT an option.

(This post probably seems a little incomplete... because it is! Another post will follow which explores the Christian response to the poor and what the Bible says about this issue. This is something that I have been thinking on a lot lately, and hope my thoughts have raised some questions in you mind, as well.)

Please pray for:

--the people of Overtown

--people who live in poverty all over the world

--TML and other ministries who work to advocate for and empower the poor.

Grace and Peace.