Sunday, October 18, 2009

Who lives there anyway?

Everyday I drive past this house that has a sign in the front yard that reads,
"Fur Room for Rent"
and up until recently I thought that they were trying to get someone to rent a room decorated in fur. Zebra walls, leopard bed, fuzzy fur-like carpet. I couldn't figure out who would want to rent a room covered with fur. A wannabe rapper for his new music video? I have no idea. It took me two months to realized that they were trying to rent out a FURNISHED room. Which makes a whole lot more sense and seems much more marketable. I still can't help but think that it has a zebra print bedspread though.

Speaking of random things I've seen since moving here... the other day I was sitting in my car at a park on my lunch break. There was some event going on and there all these adult women dressed up like bumble bees. Which wouldn't have seemed to odd if there had been any kids there - but there wasn't. It was all adults. Anyway, the lady bee comes walking out to her car and throws her car door open into my car. WHILE I AM SITTING IN IT! She doesn't stop or even seem to notice it, she just starts digging in her car. Of course I get out and point out that she just hit my car. The one I am trying to sell. She apologized and we looked at the car. I don't think she was sorry that it happened, I think she was sorry she got caught. It's a good thing she drives a car with a plastic door.....

What I am realizing is that just like in Kentucky, people are strange...

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Living Right Here, Right Now.

Yesterday something happened that reminded me of the importance of living in this neighborhood. Our church follows the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) model for ministry. There are three things that are essential to christian community development:

- Relocation - living in the community so that the issues become "our" problems and successes instead of just "yours".

- Redistribution - working toward justice for all people regardless of their race or status.

- Reconciliation - people to God and people to each other.

Yesterday I saw again why relocation is so important. I was locking up the church building after a group of volunteers helped clean it when I noticed a woman in a wheelchair in our parking lot. Because I was here and was walking to my home, I got to meet her, hear her story and pray with her. She's going through a rough time right now and I hope that yesterday she realized that God loves her.

I love this neighborhood. The people here are so open. It is so encouraging to be able to spread God's love just by walking home. This neighborhood is helping me learn what community really looks like. It's messy and inconvient and it doesn't fit in a program or time frame, but it's good and encouraging and I think this is how we are supposed to live.