Elim218@Journey15: Fri., July 17, 2015: Proclaim Justice

Friday, July 17^th, Elim’s “Proclaim Justice” Day in Detroit

DETROIT … many people in the Synods had assumptions and concerns of safety.

But Detroit was prepared for us … with the planning and coordination of activities

and transportation to those activities in the community and downtown Detroit.

The people of Detroit were appreciative …

· Passerbyer’s gave hi-fives,

· People in Cars at stop lights said ‘Thank you’ out their window as we were walking on the sidewalks,

· There were many stories of church groups connecting with neighbors,

· TV and newspaper news stories of Lutheran Generosity.

Our service day in Detroit started out by corralling up at Hart Plaza. 100 buses were coordinated for Group A … Group B was the 2^nd round of coordination.

Elim was on bus 82 so we had a while to wait. It was raining, but there was a DJ getting the excitement to mount with fun music …. It was an opportunity to Dance in the Rain. Trevor and the kids eventually joined in on the ‘Slide’ … we do have a video that we put on facebook. Me … I’m your free style mover! And made the big screen …

Waiting in the rain on our Service Day,
Hart Field-Detroit.

Elim DANCING IN THE RAIN!

Finally after 3 hours of music in the Plaza, we loaded our bus and traveled to a neighborhood. Our Service Bus had two points of contact with the neighborhood. Originally, we were told we were helping with Urban Gardening … Something Trevor and I got excited for. But an error – gardens were done the day before … (there was 3 days of Service planned for nearly all 30,000 at the Gathering; we were scheduled on Day 2 in Detroit … so only a little under 10,000 at a time, ha.) They were beautiful gardens ‘By Youth.’ Saw a neighborhood street with small modest homes, many in need of some sort of repair… some vacant-blighted houses, but not overwhelming. I was expecting ‘bad’.

Drove a few more blocks to our Worksight. Main Street area.

Before unloading the bus, a white neighborhood leader came on board and told her Story of the area.

The Corner we were at, 20-30 yrs ago, was “THE” lot to buy drugs and prostitution. The community got together, raised $$, and purchased the corner building & hope to be a neighborhood center soon. Quite a feat when the vacancy rate on a neighborhood street was 30%-90%.
The only business in this street was a gas station and a liquor store across the street from each other.

Elim 7: on a hot humid work day ... still smiling!

      This neighbor identified the tasks to do:
o   Clean the vacant lots of brush
o   Remove weeds from curb and sidewalk.

Sounds simple enough … however, the weeds were more like in a bed of sod cuz so much dirt had covered the sidewalk. One sidewalk was actually Buried and a group from our bus was ‘digging deep’ to reclaim the walk way. Once the brush was cleared, stumps challenged our boys in trying to saw them out, but really needed a chainsaw.

Tools not available ….as 30% to 90%.

There was a huge cement block, probably a light base that was in the ground …. Jeremiah was showing us some brute force to just try and roll it (and he did!) … but some of the photos did show how it was moved best with a Team pushing it across the lot.

As we were working, about a ½ hour into the tasks, we were sweating in the 94 degree hot and humid day. The neighbor who lived next door brought over a Rubbermaid bin of bottled water and ice in appreciation!

He was a Black man who introduced himself as “Deacon Hall.” He lavished us with appreciation. Told us he tries to keep up with mowing the Lot, but all our help will make a difference. Deacon Hall told us he had one neighbor across the street. Deacon Hall’s street was at a 90% vacancy rate --- he and his neighbor were the only people living on his street --- the next 3 blocks was vacant, burned out houses --- some were crack houses hosting drug sales.

His STORY continued that he was active in his church a ways down main street … he tried to keep activities, too, for his church youth. He was a Talker!!

He expounded on a beautiful message of God’s Love and how our Service … our Giving … was an example of God’s Love. He knew verses and shared

I don’t remember all of what he said, but he talked fluidly of God, Love, Service, Togetherness, Community Pride …

I do remember feeling God’s presence!

His words brought emotion to my heart and tears were welling. Elim kids Mariah, Jacob, Karleo, & Jeremiah also heard Deacon Hall … I saw them entranced --- I whispered “Do you feel God here?” They quietly, slowly nodded. We all felt God’s presence.

Deacon Hall KNEW THE STORY of God’s Love;

Deacon Hall was BEING THE STORY in his service,

And Deacon Hall had the courage to TELL THE STORY.

This was my God moment in our Service activity.

Deacon Hall TELLING HIS STORY ... God's Story.

Neighborhood street we worked on;
only 2 houses lived in across street from each
other. 90% blighted on this street.

Deacon Hall's house on the right ... blighted house on the left and
it continues for 3 blocks of vacant houses. (Vacant of families, but
illegal activities continue.)

Later Trevor shared with me that the Community Leader made a comment to him of “he’ll keep talking and never shut up if you don’t walk away.”

Sadly, Deacon Hall overheard this comment … we hadn’t seen him the rest of the day except for sitting on his front porch.

The ‘Lady in Charge’ did her best to give and organize, but more also happened with neighbors just ‘doing.’ But even she did not know about what we saw next.

As we were finishing up our project, locals were setting up tables of garden produce. Apparently, gardeners had an informal network with each other to gather and trade …. Garden vegetables, flowers, or crafts with each other. People could buy, too, but the FREE TRADE of economics was truly in action on this neighborhood corner ….

From trading of illegal commodities 30 yrs ago to the trading of vegetables and flowers.

Reminds me of a phrase from one of our worship services in recalling how grass-root efforts CAN make a difference and get positive results:

“Amateurs built the Ark, Professionals built the Titanic.”

Our actions say God’s actions, but there is a time we need to “say” God’s actions.

KNOW the Story.

BE the Story.

TELL the Story.

*******************

Thank you for supporting Elim’s Journey to Detroit. Impacting us and making a difference in Detroit.

---- Kathy E., Elim Adult Leader, Synod Journey Detroit 2015