Jackson Mission Trip Update: Day 4

What an amazingly full and rich time we have had so far in Jackson!  The Jackson/Mendenhall tour and the reconciliation panel yesterday gave us fresh perspective and new understanding of why the Perkins Center is such an important organization in this community – and why our time here is so important, not only for the ongoing work of the Perkins Center but also for our own developing grasp on issues of justice, race, and reconciliation.  As we went to work again today at the Perkins Center, our work had new meaning and significance.

Our day started with an opportunity to participate in the chapel service of the day camp the Perkins Center runs for six weeks every summer.  Kids from the neighborhood have an opportunity to be in community, learn about life and God’s love for them, and develop skills that will hopefully enable their community to break out of the poverty cycle.  Our time with the children at chapel began with them teaching us several of their incredibly fun songs.  Then we had the chance to teach them one of ours.  Also visiting at chapel today were Misha, a player for the minor league soccer team in Jackson, and Dusty, the director of the ministry that hosts the players from all around the world.  Each Wednesday, players from the team, along with Dusty, visit the Perkins Center to play soccer with the kids.   During chapel, Misha shared his story of being an orphan on the streets of Russia from ages 5-10.  He ended up in an orphanage when the police caught him breaking into a house for food.  It was during his time in the orphanage that he discovered God’s immense love for him.  Misha is currently attending Brown University on a soccer scholarship and hopes to share God’s love with others.  That certainly happened today!

Learning a song from the children during chapel

Misha sharing at chapel

Each morning at chapel, the children say "The Harambee Creed."  Harambee is a Swahili word that literally means, "get together and  push."  (Click the picture to enlarge)

After chapel, we returned to the work projects we started on Monday.  One team continued painting the house next door to the one we are living in, and the other team finished installing lattice at the main center across the street.  Dr. Perkins has told us that a freshly painted house not only helps the people who live there to feel good about the way their house looks, but that as the neighborhood begins to look nicer, it helps the whole neighborhood have pride in community.  As we stop to think about it, we do often judge a “book by its cover” – or a neighborhood by its lawn.  Improving the aesthetics of the neighborhood begins to change others’ perceptions on this community.  The latticework also has greater significance than it first seems.  It turns out that during the winter months, cold winds often freeze pipes in Jackson.  By installing lattice (with plywood behind), it blocks the wind from reaching the pipes.  Frozen pipes cost money which takes away from the resources the Perkins Center can invest in the community, and they also put the main center out of commission for a time.  Our work will hopefully enable the Perkins Center to always be available to the community and steward their resources.

The main house at the Perkins Center

After much needed showers (it was in the mid 90’s with a heat index – temperature adjusted for humidity – in the low 100’s), we had a wonderful dinner with Carol Spencer – the deacon and director of community engagement at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson.  St. Andrew’s is an urban church in the middle of downtown.  It is located in a community that in many ways has been abandoned by those with the resources to leave.  But much like the Perkins Center, St. Andrews is committed to remaining in this city and to the work of justice of reconciliation.  Just a few weeks ago, the city of Jackson commemorated the 50^th anniversary of Medgar Evers’ assassination.  St. Andrew’s hosted a service of reconciliation at which his wife spoke.  Carol shared with us the many ways St. Andrews is actively engaged in justice work and the many partnerships they have with other ministries in the city, including the Perkins Center.  The Bishop of Mississippi was actually at the Perkins Center for a meeting with Dr. Perkins today and said hello to our group.  That is two unplanned bishops in four days!

Carol Spencer with our group for dinner

Tomorrow is another work day for us and the forecasted heat index is 105 degrees!  We’ll certainly be drinking lots of water.  Thanks for your prayers during this transformative time for us all!

P.S. – Apologies for the late blog post…I had a lengthy battle with a 2-inch cockroach this evening.  We’re definitely not in Seattle!