Jesse Monroe- Counter Intuitive Community

Friday

Counter-Intuitive Community

Ears buzzing and sweat dripping, I swung the rusty weed whacker’s whizzing whips towards any green stalks that peeked through the many ragged cracks in the deteriorating asphalt court. These tiny intruders popped up through any open space along the free throw line tracing all the way around the courts and spider webbing all the way through it. Today was the first day that I felt productive and actually useful in the team to help the community. We were finally getting set up for the Easter Bash, where we would tangibly give back to the people of Jackson. I realized, towards the end of the day, that, even without us, this community is thriving. Okay, so not physically, not economically, not in terms of safety, but the heart of the community- the people and their character- remains strong. We split up into small groups to go out into the neighborhood and invite residents to bring their families to this celebration tomorrow. This in itself pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Generally, I’m totally at ease communicating with people I haven’t met, but this was halfway across the country in a neighborhood I haven’t heard the best things about, with people whose culture I’m finding is very different than the one that I’m accustomed to in Southern California. My nervousness was confirmed when a 6 foot 4, bare-chested without regards to his tattooed sleeves man answered my knock on one of the first doors. After semi-stuttering through the information, he smiled, showing his golden-grilled teeth, saying in a kind voice that his kids would love that, that he would bring them. I let out a relieved sigh through a smile. I was amazed at how receptive people were and how open they were to having us there. I feel slightly ashamed that I ever questioned that, but I expected people in this situation who have been hurt so badly to be more closed off to strangers. We did experience this: where some would be noticeably cautious in speaking with us at first through metal screen doors, sometimes sticking their hands through the partially opened doors. However, after talking to us and hearing what we were doing, they moved past this wariness and expressed genuine care. They informed us of where to go, what to do, and how to be safe. They told us if there was a red ant hill, or a wasp nest. They cared about us, even though it would’ve been easy to let the obvious outsiders fend for themselves and learn the hard way. That’s what was most impactful, and what I see as the only way to bettering the situation. People in the community, in every community, need to be invested in each other, and feel that investment from others. I saw that today, and that makes me confident for the future, and present, of Jackson. I see God working in me through this community, and I am so grateful to experience this. I look forward to take His work back to my town.

~Jesse Monroe