God come quickly….

On the evening of June 17th, 2015 a 21-year-old shooter by the name of Dylann Roof killed nine people at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. EAME church is one of the nation’s oldest historically black churches. Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. found themselves at the church rallying for equal rights through peaceful protests. What happened on June 17th was anything but peaceful.

Within seconds of learning of the shooting anger and frustration swole up inside of me. The irony of it all…I questioned what God was doing and how he could allow for such a dastardly deed to occur. After all, these people were in His house, these people were in the church worshiping Him, they should have felt safe in this church a place where His presence can be felt.

“I grew up in church. Raised on the Gospel and trained in the Word. Thought it was all I needed. But life hit me hard, more than I planned. It knocked me down like an avalanche” (Where the Light is, Dan Bremnes). How true these few lines are to me. I have been in the church my whole life as long as I can remember. I had memorized all the verses and learned all of the stories. Yet, when this shooting happened, I had absolutely nothing come to mind that could somehow rationalize the events that transpired. No Bible verse came to mind, nothing gave me comfort, I had no reason to believe that anything good could happen from this.

After centuries of racially motivated crime and hatred, I questioned how God could continue to allow it. The real life experience fueled my anger even more. You do not know what it’s like to be black in America unless you are actually black in America. (This does not mean you can not sympathize, but it is harder for one to empathize).I have dealt with, being racially profiled and followed by suspicious staff members in stores even being told I’m not welcome in the town which I live in.  I’m not usually one to speak out against crimes like this, but I can not stay quiet for any longer. One is not born hating a specific race. You are taught racism.  You are not born with prejudices. You are taught to have prejudices. You are not born with a heart full of hatred. You are taught to hate. The root of the racial war in America is not guns. No matter how many laws legislatures pass to restrict who does and does not have the right to own a gun, killing will still continue. The hate does not die with the lives that are taken. The hate in someone’s heart toward any race is like a bloodthirsty mosquito constantly searching for someone or something to suck the life from. Please, I urge you to not teach your children to hate. Teach them to love. There is nothing greater than love. This country has taken so many steps backwards because of events fueled by hate, if we loved, so much forward progress could be made.

Tonight (June 19th) just two days after one of the nine victims of the EAME church shooting occurred one of the victims family members spoke out to the shooter in a courtroom. The daughter of Ehtel Lance (aged 70) told Roof “I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you”. She forgives him? He murdered your mother, and you can forgive him just two days after. This act is so powerful. I’d like to say I could do the same if I were in that situation, but I know I wouldn’t. I am learning that sometimes having faith means trusting in God, even when it may not make sense.

A heart that can offer undeserved forgiveness holds the key to beautiful truth.

To my unborn son or daughter: Your skin color is not a death sentence. Your shade is no indication of your history. Your blackness – however dark it may be – is tied to the soil beneath your toes. It is your bond. It’s something to be proud of. I PROMISE your blackness is a gift, not a curse. You are not the problem. Know your history. Be proud. Be the best you that you can be.