I have always been drawn to urban ministries. I grew up in the sticks as we called it, meaning we lived out in the middle of the woods. No mans land - where you couldnt see a neighbor. As a kid I loved it, there was so much to do and see. When I committed my life to Christ at the age of 23, I was living in a comfortable home with a roommate, in a suburban town. Not urban by any means, but I was no stranger to the city as several times a week I spent time in the City of Providence, enjoying the urban landscape and the nightlife. The hustle and bustle got into my veins. I loved the pace of the city. The sights and the smells. But more importantly I developed a love for the people of the city. I had always been told that city people were cold and calloused but I found it easier to engage in random conversations with strangers in the city than I did anywhere else. I would spend hours talking with the homeless, with anyone willing to spend some time sharing with me. I felt called to an urban missionary lifestyle and I moved to a small city in Rhode Island called Woonsocket, which is a Native American world meaning Thundering Falls - describing a waterfall right in the middle of the city which I believe used to be a major source of power for the industries that existed in Woonsocket decades previous. Woonsocket was one of the most impoverished areas in Rhode Island. Not generally a place that many people moved to, but rather sought to move away from. I found out quickly that Woonsocket was also known for its unique smell. A waste incinerator not far from the downtown area that could be smelled throughout the area, especially on a warm summers day. I moved to Woonsocket in the middle of May, 1996 just in time for one of the hottest summers I can remember. I was a baby born-again Christian, with no job, no car, no money except the first months rent and a roommate from church who was willing to take a chance letting me live with him. My crash course in urban ministry was about to begin.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 13:22:41 +0000
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