I Have Got To Do Something in My Neighborhood
How a presentation of CCC opened an opportunity for someone to step up and help their neighborhood.
Being invited to speak to a group is always an honor. The Women’s Group of Wylie Christian Church (WCC) invited me to speak at their monthly meeting. This is my home church and although I have not been as active as I would like to be I was looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and sharing with them information about where I work at Connecting Caring Communities (CCC). After a tasty Mexican meal I began my presentation of CCC. CCC has several different aspects of building meaningful relationship to help build a whole healthy community. We talked about all of them and how they work, whether it was The Caring Team, Haven House Leader’s, the Friendship House and volunteering with CCC. It was a lot to talk about and an hour was not enough time. We finished by sharing our favorite neighborhood stories, which is always my favorite part of the meetings I speak at.
A couple of days past and I get a phone call at 8:00 a.m. It was a woman from the Women’s Group of WCC. She was very upset and I could hear in her voice she had been crying. I asked her what was going on and she answered, “I have got to do something in my neighborhood. The shooting last night was next door to me. Christine I am tired of sleeping on my floor in my own bedroom. I can understand how people in areas like New York are stuck in the slums where they live. Right now I feel stuck in my neighborhood until something better comes along but right now this is where I have to live and I want to do something about my neighborhood. Can you help me?” The answer was YES! We talked for quite a while and I am taking her some helpful information on how to reach out to her neighbors on her block and a “We Care” sign for her yard.
I drove to her home and through the neighborhood that day. Driving through there during the day didn’t seem too unsafe but knowing that there are shootings in that neighborhood at night quite often made me a bit nervous. I drove from her neighborhood to my home, 1 mile away from each other. I must admit at night when I am getting into my bed I think of this woman and wonder, “Is she sleeping on the floor tonight? Does she feel safe this evening? What sounds is she listening to in her neighborhood?” Mine is very peaceful a few dogs barking every now and then but that is it. I can safely run to my car, at dark, in my robe and still feel safe. Not everyone person can do that in their neighborhood. Not even in a neighborhood one mile from my house.
I hope to follow up with this story by sharing many more happy stories of the progress and relationships that will be built in this neighborhood. A song comes to mind it goes, Have no fear I am here give me your hand, I understand. To be continued……….