Neighborhood

I live in the Shelby Park neighborhood of Louisville, KY. It's a part of town known for crack cocaine and prostitution, and this month it's unfortunately been in the news for violent crime as well. Why live in such an area? I attend Immanuel Baptist Church, an old church planted square in the neighborhood with a vision for seeing the neighborhood change through the preaching of the gospel and the conversion of the very people selling and using drugs, prostituting themselves, and committing violent crimes.

On Monday, March 23, Christina and I came home from Sunergos (my favorite coffee shop) and saw some police lights across the park. Lights aren't that unusual, so I figured someone was busted for something, and we went inside. The next day while talking to a friend from church on the phone, I found out that the lights were in fact a result of a homicide in the park. I quickly searched the web and found out that Troya Sheckles was ruthlessly gunned down in broad daylight with a couple hundred witnesses nearby. She was sitting in the park with a friend when the murderer walked up, caused an argument, shot her in the torso multiple times, and ran off. Her friend sitting right beside her was unharmed, at least physically.

In the case of Troya, news stories are indicating that her murder might be connected to the fact that she was due to testify in a double homicide trial. A few years ago, she witnessed a man break into her home and murder her then boyfriend. She was the principal eye witness in the case, but she was actually too scared to testify in trial for fear of her life. She was eventually pressured into testifying, apparently even under threat of arrest. Unfortunately, coming forward and "doing the right thing" might well have cost her her life. I visited a memorial for Troya that's setup in the park and can't believe that such a crime could happen in a place I walk past when heading to church and 50 feet from where I push children on swings and chase them down slides.

A week before that murder, some friends from Sojourn Community Church (a like minded church in our neighborhood) were holding a small group meeting in their backyard on the block next to ours on Camp St. Men broke into their yard and robbed them all at gunpoint while they met. From what I understand, some of these same people then witnessed the murder on Monday, which was a couple hundred feet from their back porch. And this all just down the street.

Why share this? Why talk about it? I can picture the children playing nearby as a woman was gunned down. I can feel the fear of a group of brothers and sisters in Christ having their peace and encouragement shattered by armed robbers. Is this not oppresssion? Is this not injustice?

I truly believe God cares about neighborhoods like Shelby Park. As was preached at our church on Wednesday night, God's kingdom is one of justice and righteousness, salvation for those oppressed by evil men and for those enslaved to their own lusts. Our prayer is for God to bring this kingdom to life in Shelby Park, and we're staying put to see it happen. We're staying put to be part of the happening.

And just how does it happen? Well, I know prostitutes who have been transformed by the gospel and left the streets behind. I know a crack addict, cried with him and cared for him, who has been transformed by the gospel and left his drug behind. I know a drug dealer and man of violence who has been transformed by the gospel and earned an honest living and shared with those in need. He's one of the most encouraging people I know! These people have all been transformed by the gospel, the message we preach that is a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, but the power of God for salvation to those who believe. These people all have believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins. They have believed that they have perfect redemption in him. They have believed, and God has made them new creations in Christ, and He is very obviously at work in them to cause them to desire and to live according to His Word. Amen.

I walked out of my house with my wife to run some errands with my wife last Friday when lo and behold I got to meet my city's mayor! We saw a group of people in Shelby Park a stone's throw away from our house and I decided to investigate. Undeterred by the news cameras and dozens of people wearing suits and seeming to be a little more important than me, I took my stand in the midst of the group and listened to our mayor.

If I'd known I was going to meet him today, I might've walked out of the house looking a little more like a grown-up. As it was, I was in sandals, my hair was wet from my shower, and I was sporting my (awesome) Mega Stega t-shirt... not bad, except it's a screen print t-shirt with neon pink writing. Classy.

Mayor Abramson was discussing a government initiative to tear down or sell to property investors foreclosed and dilapidated homes in our neighborhood. This is great news, as our streets here are riddled with abandoned homes. I live next to one of said homes, and I can vouch for the fact that it was being used as a crack house until I was able to get the city to board it up. (Well, it was being used as one while it was still occupied, too, among other unsavory uses.)

After the mayor finished speaking, I walked up and waited a minute to shake his hand and introduce myself. It was fun, if not a little awkward. He's tall. And so is my councilman, David Tandy, who was hovering by his side. It was nice to be able to introduce myself as a property owner in the neighborhood who's actually interested in purchasing and tearing down some of these worthless properties. I was able to get a couple of good leads on ways to cheaply reclaim abandoned properties. Gotta put my master plan of a double-wide lot into action...

I think he was impressed by the Mega Stega.

I worked a couple extra hours today, because I knew Christina would be home late. After 10 hours at the desk, I needed some fresh air, so I grabbed some Bible study material and went out to walk around the park and read. I saw some kids I know playing basketball (they're both in 8th grade), one of them being the son of a friend of mine from church. I approached to shoot around a little while and found out they had an unexpected guest sharing their court.

Apparently, a man high on drugs and drinking some Olde English (which smells horrid if you don't what it is) had decided to instruct them in some moves. I didn't know what to expect, but I put down my things to join them. He was "teaching" them a good hook shot and showed me how to guard him, and honestly he played a lot better than I expected. In any event, one of the kids, Christian, said he needed to tell me something, and this man (who didn't really respond when I tried to introduce myself) caught on and wouldn't leave him alone. "Just say it right now." "I don't like whispering." "Why are you trying to lie?" These in response to Christian just trying to whisper to me that the man was high. Now he's faced with having to fend off a grown man who could easily turn abusive... you just never know. If I tried to intervene, would that help matters or make them worse? When he drives in for a lay-up, should I try to block him or just try to be polite like the kids and half-heartedly stay out of his way?

I can't believe our children have to grow up tip-toeing around men strung out on crack while they try to shoot some hoops after school. The least I could do was stay until he left (mercifully, after the first game of 21). But this isn't just a chance occurrence. They didn't know to be polite because they've never been bothered by addicts in the park. It's intimidating for me as a grown man. I can't imagine being still a child and having to experience this day after day.

I'll continue to pray for the children's safety and the addicts' salvation, and I certainly invite more men to move into the cities and show boys what it means to be men.