A couple of weeks ago a beautiful young woman named Megan came to lead our Forum. Her topic was urban ministry. She was speaking specifically about the book Toxic Charity. (The book is basically telling us that it's much harder than you thought to help the poor.)
A couple of times she used the phrase "I'm wreaked." Later a friend asked me if I had any idea what she was saying. I do. She's saying:
Despite family encouragement to earn lots of money, despite a magnificent education, despite having a loving, talented husband whom she doesn't spend enough time with....she is doing urban ministry. Day and night. Why? because she has to. She's wreaked.
I used to be wreaked. I felt called to sacrifice health, money, family time and sometimes safety in order to tilt windmills and hopefully make a difference in the lives of people. I felt called to do very hard things. I had no choice. I was wreaked.
Yesterday's paper told the story of the west side of Winter Park, Florida. How it's being gentrified. The developers have moved in and displaced families who've been there for generations.
Twenty years ago I thought I could make a difference in that very situation. Clearly, we only - possibly - slowed it down a bit.
I'm glad I did what I did for 40 years but it's over for me.
In the meantime, Megan and her husband are on their way to Duke Divinity School. I'm sure when they return they'll be even better equipped to tilt windmills. Why? Because they're wreaked.
How do I feel about all of this? I think our future is in excellent hands.
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