Economics and Racist Cops

This week has again been nice and steady although definitely busy as always. The somewhat consistency of my schedule over the last few weeks has been nice. We haven’t had groups for a couple weeks, which allows me to spend some good time investing into everything else I am involved in out here such as the after school program and church. I have been continuing to work on the pre-visit video for CSM. I am struggling to find working on this video exciting but I have to keep reminding myself that it is making it easier for groups to come experience the city and grow from it. Although I know it is an important video I am finding myself much more mentally and spiritually invested into the work at BARM, the after school program. Although I don’t think it is bad to be invested into BARM I don’t want to lose heart for my work with CSM. Pray that I will have renewed energy to invest into my work with CSM as well as BARM. Below are a few pictures I snapped of the after school program. They limit photography because not all of the students have permission to get their picture taken. Since they don't allow it I haven't been taking pictures but 

The name of the after school program is the King's Club. This painting is in the main room right when you walk in.

Homework Time!

Preston jumped in and tried to ruin my picture but actually ended up making it through his cuteness.

After I worked with one of the teens at BARM named Adieba on one essay for her to get into this summer program, she asked me for more help with a few others. I enjoy helping other people with schoolwork in general but especially with papers. Although I am no essay writing expert I enjoy the piecing together of words and the discovering of information to support an idea. As we worked together this week on two more essays I found that one was about Macro Economics. I had to read the prompt several times to understand exactly what she was to be writing about. Helping her with this well was way over my head. Although it was over my head I knew exactly who could help us with this, my brother. As an economics and finance major about to graduate I knew he would know exactly what the best argument would be. I texted Jake and asked him if he could look over the prompt and talk to me about it. I knew he would look over it because that’s the kind of guy he is, but I had no idea he would be as invested in it and happy to do it as he was. He texted me back right away saying he was really looking forward to looking over it. I sent him an email with the prompt to have him look over it and he sent me a long email back saying how happy he was to see God using some of his knowledge on economics in this unique way. The next day him and I talked on the phone about it for almost an hour where he filled me with a multitude of thoughts and ideas regarding the essay. I then brought the notes I took from our conversation to Adieba to help her develop her arguments.  He offered to look over her essay once she has a draft going and he said I could call him anytime if I have any other questions about it. I am so thankful to Jake for being the man of God that he is and for being so willing to go out of his way to help this girl. Jake, you are truly an amazing person and I feel so blessed to have you in my life. I love you!

            I was just amazed by how God can work through relationships and connect people in such amazing ways. My brother’s enthusiasm to serve in this way was such a testament to me. Even though I asked him incredibly last minute to help someone he would never meet, he still trusted God to use his efforts and made himself available.  I also thought it was just incredibly awesome that God used his knowledge from school through my calling for this year. I was also just reminded of how great relationships in general are. If it wasn’t for me and my brother’s great relationships I wouldn’t have been able to serve and meet Adieba’s needs as well. Relationships are not just great because people are fun, but they also help further the kingdom and this is an example of that. I was just amazed by God’s ability to connect our strengths and knowledge together in the best way possible through relationships to serve Him and meet the needs of others.

            I have been continuing to work with Adieba throughout the week and we have gotten together a couple times this week to work outside of BARM. I have loved just investing into her life even more. She is an amazing beautiful hard working sophomore girl that I feel so blessed to know. Although she is already opening up to me more and more I hope that by investing into her school life that eventually our relationship can grow even more to where she feels comfortable coming to me about anything.

Tuesday night I experienced racial profiling in a way I had only heard about but had never actually felt first hand. Every Tuesday, one of the after school program staff named Jesse and I take some of the high school students to a church youth group at the church Jesse attends. I have enjoyed getting involved in the youth group and feel that it has allowed me to connect on a deeper level with the youth at the after school program. On the way home from youth group I was driving 4 students from BARM (the after school program) home to Richmond. My seats were filled with three African American students and one Mexican. As we pulled up to a stoplight near one of the student’s houses in Richmond there was a cop in the lane over from us. As soon as we pulled up to the light the police officer began to shine his spotlight on us. The entire drive I driving incredibly carefully, we weren’t listening to music super loud (just a little jamming), and all the students had their seat belts on. As we turned the corner the cop continued to follow us and shine his spotlight on us as we were driving. When I pulled over to let one of the students out in front of his house, the cop pulled up behind us and put his lights on. When the cop came up to my car he didn’t even come up to my side of the car. He approached the car on the passenger’s side of the vehicle and didn’t even ask for any of my information. He asked if everyone had their seatbelts on but didn’t even try to accuse me of doing anything illegal while driving. He continued to question the group of students in the car and didn’t even look at me. When I spoke up and explained to him that I was simply taking these students home from a church youth group he asked, “Is that really all that is going on here?” I quickly answered “yes” and he headed back to his car. After he left I continued to take the students home.

            This situation enraged me for a number of reasons. First of all I was angry because it really upset some students and one in particular. I was mostly upset because this was the first time I had experienced racial profiling from cops for myself. I had heard people joke about getting a DWB (Driving While Black) ticket, but I liked to pretend that it wasn’t actually a reality. I can without a doubt say that this white cop would not have pulled me over had I been driving alone. It would have been easier to remain ignorant and believe that all police are sound thinking, nonracist individuals, but I am actually very glad that I got to experience this. I now feel great sympathy for individuals of different races that have to go through life with even law enforcement automatically judging them as being trouble. I was driving with some incredibly bright, gifted, strong, loving children of the King that are working so hard everyday to get out of the system of poverty that entangles so many. Although they are all great, respectful, non-troublemakers, they were still stereotyped by the color of their skin. I can’t imagine how frustrating that would be to have to deal with. I pray that eventually one-day people really won’t be prejudged by the color of their skin but will be viewed equally.

            This weekend I will be going up to Inverness, California for a women’s retreat with my church here in Oakland. I am incredibly excited to spend time with the women in my church surrounded by God’s beautiful creation in northern California. I am looking forward to the spiritual refreshment and growth that I hope to occur through this weekend. Pray that it would be a great weekend getaway for all of us. I leave for that tonight and will return on Sunday just in time for some Super Bowl madness! Go Niners! Thanks again to you all for keeping me in your prayers and for being interested in the ways God is working in and through me this year.