The youngest one at our gathering said, “It just takes courage.”
A dozen members of St. Luke’s, most of whom have been attending a series of forums sponsored by Mecklenburg Ministries, called “Let’s Talk” (a weekly gathering which began after the massacre of the Emanuel Nine), came together last night in our living room to talk and share and dream and discern what it is we are called to do about healing and building and bridging and addressing issues of racial tension and inequality in our families and community and world…wanting to raise our children and grandchildren to do and be better.
We were three black and nine white.
We shared stories and sadness.
We shared perspective and grief.
We spoke of hope and resurrection.
We started from love and grew from there.
I asked “Why are you here?” And we took turns answering.
And we began to know one another.
A retired white pastor, slight in build and soft spoken, shared that he had been in Mississippi in 1964 (or 1965?) registering black voters. He shared a story about how the car he was travelling in was tailed by a pick-up truck whose passengers carried shot guns and “escorted” him, and those he was with, out of town. Then he said, “I haven’t done anything in a long time. I need to do something again.”
A retired black nurse shared a story about having to take her SAT exam, for entrance into nursing school, in the hallway because she wasn’t welcomed into the testing hall where the white candidates sat. She shared that, when she needed to wash her hands, a janitor had to be found to open the janitor’s closet – the only place she was allowed to use the sink. “I don’t know what would have happened if I’d have needed to use a toilet.”
A young white woman shared a memory of a time she was told not to follow-up on a resume, because the name on it sounded like the person might not “talk right.” “ I didn’t do anything about it. I should have.” Then talking to the black sisters present, she said: “ I am sorry.”
A 78 year-old white woman said, “I’m old! Something has got to be done about this before I die! So, let’s get on with it!”
Another young white woman responded “I know…But what about when the racism is in your own family?” “I love my family…what do I do? I don’t want my children to be like that.”
That’s when the youngest one present – a young woman who just graduated from high school and is heading to Duke in just over a month, and who happens to be bi-racial, said “It just takes courage.”
“It took courage to admit that something ‘just isn’t right.’”
“It took courage to go to those forums.”
“It took courage to admit that many of us have been blind.”
“It took courage to say ‘help.’”
“It took courage to come here tonight.”
“And it will take courage to tell your family that you are coming again next week.”
“…And we will cheer for you and love you and hold hands with you.”
And we prayed for the courage.
We are not completely naïve…We know that many will say, “The confederate flag came down…What else is there to do? Let’s move on.”
So, we pray for courage to continue.
Next week we will gather again…This time to make plans to do some “actionable” thing (or things).
Maybe to just get kids sharing their experiences. And adults.
And we will begin to know one another…And we will come to share love and grow from there.
And we will have courage.
“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery (or cowardice) to fall back again into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption…[So, be of good courage!].”
~ Romans 8:15 (with a slight emendation)
