Aligning Stars

The other day I wrote about outcomes I wished to see happen in our country. I also expressed the desire that people in embattled neighborhoods in inner city locations would come to realize these are their neighborhoods and only they can do something about their problems. Yes, the police can help. But more often they are not welcome by many citizens because they don’t trust them. With this sentiment comes a building resistance to police presence from younger people who learn the negativity from their elders.

The problem gets worse when criminals, bullies and gang members (perhaps these are all one and the same?) realize that public resistance to the police plays into their hands. This gives the gangs free reign over their territories and the crime and violence worsens.

No, my idea is that churches, institutions – both public and private – and ordinary citizens have to work together to take back their own streets. Invite in municipal authorities and their programs for help, and do welcome the police. All together these forces of good in the community are more likely to produce desired results than any one entity working alone.

And let’s be clear about this: complaining about a problem doesn’t solve it. It just heightens the angst.

So, what about aligning stars? Well, I have had two potential clients of SCORE contact me for help. In one case a married couple asked for help in creating a youth counseling service. She reported her husband wants to create a church to work in conjunction with her counseling program. Their place of residence is commonly linked to high income earners and wealth. I thought they were going to create some private agency to work with suburban youth in crisis. I know such exist; I work with some of them. As good as that is, I was disappointed that where this work really needs to be done is in inner city Chicago neighborhoods.

Well, I met with the couple yesterday morning. And wonders of wonders, they are an African American couple in their late 40’s with grown kids, the last making her way through college. Mom and Dad want to form a church and a separate youth counseling service/youth ministry in a Westside Chicago troubled neighborhood. They want to enter the hell of despair where it exists and do something about it! Is this not what I’ve been writing about?

Man was I excited by this development. And I told them so. I think this pairing of purpose will be an exciting ride to very desirable outcomes.

More alignment of stars: next weekend I visit a down and out city 90 miles distant from Chicago. The old once proud community is in tatters. Racial divides have torn asunder the city of Rockford. Struggle as they might not much progress has been made.

Now another African American couple is stepping forward. He has a church there now. She intends to create a community center that provides residents these forms of services: housing assistance and housing alternatives; counseling and crisis intervention; improved access to medical care; tutoring and expanded access to educational services, programs and remedial assistance. And whatever more we can conjure and build and support long term.

This is another community stepping up to address its own problems. Whether Chicago or Rockford or your own community, it is only as healthy as you help make it so. It begins with me. And you. It extends to our families and friends, and their family and friends. Help from municipal authorities is a must, so too police assistance and program support. But help is much more potent a presence when it comes from within. Big government programs applied from outside the community help, but they don’t solve what truly ails the community.

That ailment is internal to each person living within that community. Healing will come from these same people.

So, two communities, both in deep trouble. And two caring, loving couples stepping up to the challenges. Will they succeed? Who knows? All I know is this is a heroic step for good and it’s journey may be long and hard. But then its success will be that much more worthy of our celebration and further support.

I am so thankful I lived to experience this! But so much more work is needed. And support from willing hands, minds and hearts. And wallets. Don’t forget the wallets. It will cost more than blood, sweat and tears. It will require dollars, too.

And that’s a fact of life that will need more alignment of stars.

October 13, 2016