sadness

today on the news i saw that a body was found here on the northside, it was a frozen in a vacant garage. She was fifteen years old, and 7 months pregnant. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but she apparently was beaten to death. Her name was Annashalike Hamilton. This is the 37th and 38th homicide of Minneapolis this year. This is almost unbelievable.

before i moved here, i knew that north minneapolis was considered "dangerous" and a "bad" neighborhood. but i didn't know the stats. i hadn't heard the numbers. but most of all, i hadn't seen the faces. and although i've only lived here for 3 months, i am starting to let myself become knit into the fabric of this community. although i didnt know this young girl, i do know a number of teen girls that live over here that i am connected to. i know that this girl could have been one of them. that starts to hit my heart in a different way than if i had been sitting in my apartment in st. paul hearing this news.

from the news report online i clicked to see a homicide map in minneapolis. you can click on the little "H" and a name, age, and face and how they were murdered appears. it is awful. but it was reality.

i am not sure how to deal with these new realities that 1) i didn't realize existed, prior to last year, and 2) was not close enough to me and my community that i cared

the truth is , north Minneapolis has been hit the hardest with foreclosures. about 40% of people live below the poverty line. homelessness is prevalent as you drive in and out of the neighborhoods. a majority of the minneapolis homicides happen on the northside. for test scores in math and reading minneapolis students are under 50% proficiency. the mean income level is around $20,000 a year, with an average household of 3.5 people. i could spend more time looking up stats. but i think the point is clear.

i am just beginning to unwrap all of this, trying to learn the whys, the structures, the histories. and trying to figure out my place. i can't live here and ignore it, in fact i won't. what can my role? what is already happening here that i can be a part of? how do i begin to wrap my head around of these heavy, deep rooted issues?

I don't have answers to my questions, like a said, i have only lived here for 3 months. however i started investing over a year ago, and i see hope. and i happy to be a part of a community that, despite the obvious struggles, is tight knit. and take pride in their community. and people do watch out for each other. i like being in a place where people take the bus and walk a lot-and although i know this is not necessarily a choice, it gives a greater sense of community because people are outside, in each others presence.

there are a lot of good things happening here. people want change.
God still moves, and there is a light shining in the darkness.