Imagine (you won't have to try too hard on this one) that you're watching the news and you see a brief report about a murder that occurred at a corner convenience store in a rough part of town. It was a 29-year-old woman who was chased from her home by her ex-boyfriend and shot down as her 10-year-old son looked on. If you're like me, you might think about changing the channel because you're tired of hearing about all the sad stuff in the world or you might even, for a millisecond, enter into some sort of sympathy and think "how sad."
The face of the news story about which you find yourself somewhat indifferent changes, however, when the people have names and you know them and they live in your neighborhood. Friday p.m. one of our 10-year-old Opportunity Camp kids, Craig, witnessed the murder of his mom, Candelyn, as she ran from her ex-boyfriend. She was shot 4-5 times and he followed her into the store (while also trying to protect his baby brother). The guy hit Craig on the head with the butt of the gun, but praise the Lord, didn't shoot him. Josiah's old basketball coach, Jerome, who works at the community center across the street from the store heard gunshots and herded all the kids that he had just released from the center back inside. He then went into the store and held Craig's mom as she died. I just have no words. Tonight there was a candlelight vigil in the store parking lot and we went. It's a surreal feeling to be in this place, this community, that is so broken, and yet the name of Jesus was proclaimed over and over again tonight. Randy and I both commented that it's hard to know what to think or how to feel. I could have wept and wept. But I'll tell you one thing. There is something incredibly beautiful about how people experience community here. It just doesn't happen in "white" suburbia. There were probably around 300 people or more in that parking lot. The whole community knows about what happened. One person will start singing a spiritual or whatever and almost everyone joins in(except us white folks who've never heard the songs in our lives :)). It's just not like the culture I grew up in and it's beautiful. I don't know. I'm rambling. This is the second death of an Op Camp kid's mom that we've seen in the last month. The other mom was my age and died in her sleep from some unknown cause. The mom this weekend was 7 years younger than I am. Sobering. Entering into people's suffering. Jesus did it all the time. I want Him to live His life through me powerfully. Not so much there yet. Our pastor was talking today about how, at the end of the day, the question about "what would Jesus do (WWJD)" isn't enough. It's not about imitation (because we just can't do it); it's about the manifestation of His life in and through us. (Col 1 - Christ IN you, the hope of glory). Life by the Spirit - it's the only way that "works", but it's so much harder because there just aren't a clear-cut set of "rules" and I'm such a rule follower! ha! It's just a different way of looking at life and people. So the question tonight (had I been so focused) would not have been "what would Jesus say to Craig right now?" The question would have been "What is the Spirit of Christ doing right now and what is He speaking right now that needs to come out of my mouth?" One is relying on my own power to figure things out and one is relying on His power, wisdom, etc. Just so you know, I didn't ask either question. I just hugged that sweet little boy. I know this is the heart of God; I'm just saying that I'm longing to live life by a life other than my own! Every once in a while, I get it. More often than not, I miss it because I'm just not connected to/focused on Him.
God bless Craig and his family. Bless them to experience Your tangible presence. Bless them to know that you're there weeping and mourning with them. Bless them to know that You never change and that in the midst of suffering You are beautiful.
I'm going to go watch the news now. 2 or 3 channels were there again tonight. Curious to see if they completely left all the Jesus talk out. I'm sure they found a way.
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There is no doubt that God is using your family as image bearers in Como.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" Romans 8:18
Anda, I saw the television coverage on the internet. Praying for the little boy and your community.
No words, but I'm praying for those boys and that community. Love you.
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