This is our home...

So, this one has taken me a few days to write...

Last Wednesday, a shooting took place two doors down from where we live. Rachel and I were driving home from Princeton when we turned the corner onto our street and saw flashing red and blue lights. We jokingly laughed and and looked at each other saying "Welcome home." As we drove closer to our house, though, we noticed that the red and blue lights flashed in front of our home. Then, we noticed the police barrier erected using strategically placed police cars and yellow tape that read "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS." We drove up to the corner of our block where we found a police officer nonchalantly standing. We asked him what happened. And with the ease of someone responding to a "How is your day" kind of question as one passes another on the street, the police officer simply replied, "Ehhh, a shootin'." Ehhh, a shootin'. Immediately after the officer said this to Rachel and me as we sat still in the car, he picked up a bullet casing from the sidewalk and simply walked away.

Rachel and I drove around to the back alley, parked the car, unloaded the groceries, then sprinted outside. I wish I could say that Law and Order was filming an episode on our sidewalk, but unfortunately, the scene that took place on the 600 Block of Centre Street last Wednesday involved real life with real bullets being shot at real people. Rachel and I visited our neighbors for the next hour and a half talking, grieving, and anxiously determining life. I saw a mother sprint through a police barrier at the chagrin of the detectives to embrace her daughter whose rear windshield, passenger seat headrest, and front windshield had been penetrated with a .45 bullet. I saw my neighbor whose car had been busted crying in both fear and relief because only five minutes earlier her and her friend had gotten out of that car to walk inside. I saw a young man - the one whom the perpetrator targeted - stoically standing in front of his friends and family contemplating the stark reality that he almost "got capped today." I saw a detective looking for bullets underneath Rachel's car. I saw a neighborhood - one that has embraced my housemates and me - bewildered that this situation could happen in broad daylight on a street corner as kids were walking home from school! And, honestly, so was I.

We live in a dangerous neighborhood. I concede that, especially after last Wednesday. None of us ought to take our safety for granted. But I must say, however, that in the 2 months that I have lived in Trenton, my neighbors have welcomed my housemates and me into the community with open arms. Men, who would generally in any other circumstance walk blindly by me in the supermarket, the mall, or wherever, wave at me, call me by my first name, ask me about my day, and invite me into their homes. And me, a young white man from WV, who in any other circumstance might feel intimidated by such men, such as my neighbors, give smiles and high-fives, talk about the most recent college football game, and share housewarming parties. We swap stories of mischievous teenage acts trying to outdo the other. And may I add, I am not far behind.



For better or for worse, Centre Street is my home, along with countless other families from all over the world. And a couple days ago, our homes were threatened, violated. Bullets whizzed by our front porch and down a sidewalk where children play hopscotch, where families laugh under the light of tiki torches, where we stand for the ice cream truck, and where new, unlikely friendships have been made in the recent months. My worldview has certainly changed because of this experience. I am not in WV anymore that is for sure. Yet, my call has not wavered. After our housewarming party, which was phenomenal (and took place only hours after the shooting, which we will post about soon), all of us felt affirmed in our call to participate in this neighborhood. In fact, I am growing to fall in love with both my community and my neighbors. And though this shooting has shaken me up and has been on my mind every moment since it took place, I cannot imagine anywhere else that I would rather be than on Centre Street. This is my home... this is our home.

God is Love,
Ryan

Love of taking out the trash...

It is strange to say that I love to take out the trash and love to recycle. It is strange for me to say that because growing up it was the chore that I DESPISED doing.

But in the recent weeks, as I am usually the one up early enough to have time to take out the trash, I have grown rather fond of this chore. When I go out of our house about 7a.m. -- or perhaps a bit before -- I get to talk to the women of the neighborhood. They are busy -- getting their children ready for school and themselves ready for their school and/or work. But they more often then not take time to stop by and say hey. Our chats are particularly not profound, but they are very neighborly. I feel so blessed to be let into these small snippits of their daily lives and these wonderful women taking the extra time to find out little snippits about mine. I like taking out the trash -- one more wonderful surprise about living in Trenton. [Now, my opinion may change as we leave our balmy October behind for the warmer months.]

Peace, Alice

Our brother, Paul

Little did we know that angels still walk the Earth... some, however, happen to smell of alcohol and beg for cigarettes and spare change. This evening while walking back from a community gathering, we encountered the face of a man whose words are still resonating in all of our hearts.
He stopped Robert and me for change and cigarettes. Upon turning around to walk away empty handed, I asked him his name. "Paul" (his name has been changed for privacy). Paul, he said. He found out that we were church folk and, typically, as what always happens, he apologized to us for not recently attending church. We forgave him (as if we needed to), then something strange happened - for a few brief moments, he talked to us (something that we are realizing happens more often than not on the street). Sure, it could have been the alcohol, but the words he spoke were profound. Two instances in particular:
1. A neighbor (who I will call "John") walked by who attended the meeting from which we had just departed. He spoke to us but did not acknowledge Paul. As he walked by, Paul murmured, "I'll see you again even if the sun don't shine and the rivers rise for you pass by my house everyday and have never acknowledged me." Paul, who later admitted that he was legally blind, noticed John, yet John had never noticed Paul.
2. After we said our goodbyes to Paul, he turned around and said that he had attended church recently (I don't think he could let go of the fact that we told him that we were studying to become ministers). We turned around and shouted back that we were proud of him and hoped that he would continue. Then, he looked down to the ground and said, "But I couldn't take communion, though." He paused for a moment, then grabbed his chest. In broken, depressed syllables he spoke, "My heart just wasn't in the right place to take it. But I'm trying."
In that statement, Paul confessed a deep and profound theology - one of forgiveness and redemption. His words pierced my deceptive heart and caused all of us to walk home speechless in the Holy Spirit's conviction of our falsehood. I don't know if Paul will remember this conversation tomorrow. But we will. And we will always consider Paul our brother and not a stranger for we saw his face, and it was beautiful.

God is Love,
Ryan

Housewarming!

Tonight was the beginning of a grand effort to invite the neighbors over to a housewarming party next Wednesday. We (Robert) baked close to 5 dozen chocolate chip cookies (with pecans), and Ryan and I made invitations to the party, while Alice cooked an amazing dinner. Tomorrow evening we will work to distribute them out to our immediate neighbors.

I think we're all pretty excited about this, and I can't wait to let you know how it turns out!

Also, please keep Trenton in your prayers, as there was a fire this morning that displaced around 30 people and destroyed 10 homes. We'll keep you updated if there is any effort in place to help those who were affected.

PEACE and justice,
Rachel.

Here we go...

As the four of us begin our journey in Trenton, we ask for your prayers, your encouragement, and your love. May your friendships bring us the Kingdom of God, and may our lives bear witness to the GLORY of OUR God! Welcome to The Trenton House...

~The Trenton House