Different Heartbeats

A little over four years ago I drove to Homewood for the first time. That day will probably be etched in my memory forever. I had volunteered to "help get LAMP up and running" at North Way. We did a lot of planning early on, and eventually it became clear that some of us would actually have to go to the school in Homewood to meet with the school representatives in person to discuss the new partnership. I had never been to Homewood before, even though I grew up in the Pittsburgh area. In my mind, it was one of those neighborhoods that people stayed away from because bad things happened there. As I drove through Homewood for the first time, I noticed many abandoned houses and the weeds that had overtaken vacant lots. I noticed graffiti and other signs of neglect. I parked as close as I could to the front entrance to the school, and I remember thinking that the place I parked looked shady (I parked right in front of a boarded-up row home with what appeared to be bullet holes in one of the windows). I made sure to lock my car doors (I remember double-checking to make sure my horn beeped signifying that indeed the doors were locked... just in case I hadn't really heard to horn beep the first time I locked the doors). I remember that my heart was beating fast. I nervously made my way across the street to the main entrance to the school... and my life has not been the same ever since. I met some great people who turned out to be wonderful partners that day at the school. Still, it's the kids I remember. From that day forward, my attention started to shift away from the blight of the neighborhood and I began focusing on the relationships with the people I met. That day, my focus shifted from implementing a program to building relationships with kids.

Fastforward to the present. Last night I was driving back to Homewood, where I now live, and I intentionally chose to take the route on Hamilton Avenue that took me right past the houses of several of the LAMP kids I know. That particular street has a bad reputation for violence and gunshots at night, but I drove there hoping to bump into the kids I know who are usually sitting out on their front porch with their relatives at that time of night. My windows were down and my doors were unlocked... not because I am brave or anything like that... but because I was waiting in joyful anticipation for who I might see and talk to on my drive home. I drove past the place where I parked just over four years ago. My heart was beating fast once again, but this time it was not out of fear or anxiety. My heart was beating fast because I was home. This is where I now belong. This is my community. I value these relationships.

A lot has changed for me over the past four years. I am a different person than I was back then. God has taken me on an amazing journey, and I have exprienced great joy because I was obedient to the calling he placed on my life. Several people have asked me lately if I'm optimistic or cynical about the future of LAMP and the future of the Homewood community. On one hand, many of the same signs of need that were here four years ago are still here today. The community is still struggling in many ways, and I do often become frustrated by the lack of Christians in Pittsburgh who are willing to mentor a child in Homewood. On the other hand, I see many signs of hope in Homewood. I also see many signs of hope in the body of Christ in Pittsburgh. From my perspective, a transformational leader is able to live in that tension between the signs of hope and the signs of need, and be an effective bridge builder. I love Homewood. Specifically, I love the people in Homewood. I want to do everything I can to contribute to the health of my community. Also, I love the church. I love my church. I want to do everything I can to encourage the Christians I know to get involved relationally with the kids in Homewood through LAMP. I know that if God could lead me on a life-changing journey, he can certainly do the same thing for other Christians in Pittsburgh who are willing to risk and live out the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ with people in need. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next four years. Life on the edge with God is an amazing place to be.