Dear Family,
There are things in life that I have taken for granted, things that I thought were “normal.” College shook me out of that, a little, for then I found out that many of my friends came from divorced families. I also learned that some Christian parents wanted their children to have nothing to do with full-time ministry. Upon moving to Chester there has been a new type of reality check. I knew there would be many single-parent homes. I knew there would be an intense breakdown of the family structure. I also knew that the living environments I would be working in were extremely fluid. The ever-changing household is what has surprised me the most; home is very complex with the members of the “family” differing daily. This urban, nomadic life that my neighbors and friends are living has taught me to appreciate the stability and support of my family.
As I type this, I am on a family vacation with my mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law and niece; all of us are in Florida, making our first trek to Disney World. My family structure does not change; mom does not have a rotating crew of boyfriends; dad is not in and out of jail; my sister is not coming and going as she pleases, leaving the baby to be taken care of by whoever; and my brother-in-law will never leave. We are a stable family unit; I have taken that for granted. I thought this is what a family looked like; I was wrong. The nomadic nature of those I love in Chester has shown me that, along with the negative shift in environment, there are hidden treasures that, upon inspection, “look” just like my family.
I love knowing that there will always be a place for me to crash when I visit my folks in Michigan and that I will always have a place to sleep. Many in Chester have this option as well; if something happens, doors are open. Friends take friends in; if evicted, there are open doors; if fired, there are empty couches. In Chester “family” takes care of each other. This is just like my family; when help is needed, we all pitch in.
Although “family” looks different, and I have grown to love mine more, I am learning about how “family” functions. Some things are universal, some are instinctual, some are learned, and some are forgotten. Pray with me that as my urban nomads move, Christ will be the solid rock to whom they cling. Pray that I continue to see the treasures hidden in my neighborhood. Pray, also, for the garden; we are beginning to start seeds, and we are very excited! And we hope that we are planting more than seeds.
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