ThuJun212007
I asked our communications coordinator to see if the team members were willing to share some thoughts on this blog. Here are their submissions:
Writing my thoughts is usually like breathing, the thoughts just flow. Right now, I cannot put into words of understanding to those who have not walked this journey a description of our experience. But maybe most significant for me today was to ask "What do I need to work on inside of me?" How do I benefit from racism? What are my "white" blinders? How did white people get to be on top?
The past 2 days have shed light on the issues of race and reconciliation. Visiting these sights has added details and emotions to the past, present and future that we have.
[I'm] struck with how the church could have been part of the problem, instead of the solution.
We are delighted and proud our Senior Pastor Dan Meyer will be with us at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.
Jump start in learning--learning a lot I can take home with me--learning about effective ways to relate to people from different races. Also learning to break out of my white relational tendencies to quickly respond and fix problems instead of just listen--I want to take home this deep history and lessons to transform the strong white mainstream culture surrounding me.
The past 3 days have been eye opening to me in terms of expanding my understanding about how and why racism still exists, what role both the Northern and Southern church play in its history and perpetuation, and just how complex the problem remains. I am more convinced that there will be no long lasting, effective solutions from politics and social reform alone. Only the healing power of God's Holy Spirit, through the body of Christ, His church, will be able to bridge the divide and bring true unity between the races. May it be so!