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Overcoming Fear |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 1/26/2010 2:11 PM | Well, it seems as if Carol and I got out of town at the right time! We missed all the snow and ice – although the bitter cold did find us everywhere we went! While it was nice to miss all that, the trip itself was without a doubt one of the most moving experiences of my life – cold or not. I am still sorting through all the experiences packed into those four days: the people, the places, the sharing, the learning, and most of all, the incredible feelings of our Civil Rights Tour.
Over the course of the four days, we traveled to sites important to the Civil Rights movement in Charleston, S.C., Johns Island, S.C., Savannah, GA, Albany, GA, Montgomery, AL, and of course, Atlanta. Being at those places – the churches, the meeting houses, the homes that were bombed, the gathering places – was incredible, but what was even more incredible were the people who talked to us at every stop. The leaders of the movement, the ones who did the hard work and put their lives on the line. And here they were, 50 years later, still working toward the dignity of all people in their lives. There was Bill Saunders on Johns Island; Charles Sherrod in Albany – jailed in five states, leader of the Albany movement; Rev. Bill Graetz and his wife Jean – who had their house bombed twice in Montgomery and taught their children to “play” hide and seek whenever a threatening call or stranger person came to the door; and most importantly, Dr. Bernard LaFayette – co-founder of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Freedom Rider, Coordinator of the Poor People’s Campaign, sit in leader, arrested 27 times, beaten severely twice – once to the edge of death – and leader of our tour. To be able to talk with these folks, to simply sit and chat, to share a meal, to laugh together, was simply incredible.
To a person, each and every one of these folks talked about a point in their lives when the fear was so strong that they did not know which way to turn. Each and every one of them faced a roadblock that had to be overcome if they were to continue. Each and every one of them reported that in their hour of deepest doubt and fear, their “dark night of the soul”, they were suddenly overwhelmed with strength, with peace and the full and complete knowledge that their faith in God would see them through. It did not mean that things would be smooth sailing. It did not mean that those who opposed them would suddenly give in. It did not mean that they were safe from physical harm, even death. But it did mean that they could face anything knowing that God was with them. Their adherence to non-violence, even in the face of overwhelming hate, gave them a peace and an assurance that God was with them always.
One of the most jaw dropping stories we heard was from a participant on the tour, Jerrold Sanchez. Mr. Sanchez was an enforcer for the notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar. He was sentenced to the most violent and dangerous prison in Colombia. When he arrived in prison, there were an average of 6 murders a day inside the prison walls. The ambulance from town got to the point that instead of responding to the individual calls, they would just arrive in the evening to pick up the days load. While in prison, Mr. Sanchez started reading Martin Luther King’s writings, and then, Mohandas Ghandi. Convinced they were on to something, he began to talk with the leaders of the gangs inside the prison about finding ways to peacefully coexist. He institued a “talking table” that eventually became a “working table.” He wrote Dr. LaFayette for assistance, and Dr. LaFayette and Charles Alphin, a retired St. Louis Police Narcotics Captain, responded by coming and conducting non-violence training for the prison. The result was that the violence in the prison began to lessen, and then came the two most amazing things: first, when the prisoners were released, they carried their training back to their compatriots and violence in Colombia began to drop. Second, when the guards saw how well the philosophy of non-violence worked, they asked to be trained, too! Today, the training is being carried out all throughout the prison system, including a very effective program where prisoners meet with at risk youth to train them in non-violence as a way of life. And Jerrold Sanchez has recently moved to Atlanta, seeking a new life where he can continue his campaign to end violence in the world.
As I sit here recalling this story and others, I am once again faced with the fact that we all have things which hold us back from being completely and genuinely who God would have us be. In the three days since the trip ended, I have found my prayer time taken up with doing all I can to raise my fears to God, to name my fears, and to begin the process of realizing completely, unequivocally, totally – that God is with me and will continue to be with me, no matter how fearful a situation I face. I do not face violence as a daily threat to my being. I am not discriminated against on a daily basis. I am not in danger of being thrown in jail on trumped up charges. But still, fear can and will hold me back, and I strive to always remember that a commitment to the theology of non-violence as taught by Jesus and employed by Gandhi and King is probably the best way to face those fears and gain strength in the process. It seems to have worked for Bernard LaFayette and Charles Alphin and Charles Sherrod and Jerrold Sanchez and scores of other faithful people. Why not for you and me?
I know that over the coming weeks and months, probably even years, I will keep coming back to this past weekend and sorting through all the feelings and facts. That means you have most definitely not heard the last of it! Especially as it relates to Mr. Sanchez, a young man who needs our help and our prayers to continue to make progress in the overcoming of violence in our world. And the question that I continually have asked in the last few days is: How can I help? I hope you will join with me in sorting out the answer to that question, and expanding it to be “How can WE help?”
For an update of the prayer list and for a list of upcoming activities, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
Upcoming Events
This Sunday, January 17th, is “Installation Sunday” where we take time to install our newly elected officers, elders, deacons, junior deacons, and members of the permanent funds committee and trustees. Please come and show your support to our leadership.
The renovation in the Sanctuary continues to move forward. The pews are being redone, the new stained glass is on the way, the chancel area has been rebuilt, the lighting is progressing and the floors are about to be laid…we’ll keep you updated as to how much longer before we can once again worship there!
For your prayer list:
Please keep John Wallace, Executive Director of the Rainbow House (an Aids Ministry supported by BCC) is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Please keep him in your prayers.
I hope you can make it to worship Sunday as we once again celebrate the Lord’s Day together. The sermon is titled “Where to Start?” and the scripture is Luke 3:15-17,21-22. Have a great – and warmer – rest of the week.
Be peaceful,
Brad
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