Students on Mission (Part 7)

HOPE

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

As we came to the end of the day on Wednesday, we discover we are close to completing both jobs that were started earlier in the week.  The two sides of the house were nearly completed.  The inside of the ministry house had been painted except for a few spots. We were amazed at how much had been accomplished.

Late in the afternoon, we head to Smithville, GA to help with an event at the Smithville Baptist Church. This town, located between Americus and Albany, is 75% black and 25% white, and until recently has been a completely white church.  Our first assignment is to walk the neighborhoods around the church and invite people out for a community meal and service. Just this walk around a small town in the deep south exposes many of the students to the demeaning prejudices that still exist as they find doors shut in their face.

Black and white playing, eating, and worshiping together is a common experience at UB, but in this church, it is new and exciting. The students do not realize the power of their example as they already treat each other as equals. It communicates hope to this community, that perhaps they too can break these racial barriers down, and find oneness in Jesus.  What a powerful hope it is!