Last night we went and sat on the steps of the Mississippi state capitol building. We were on our way home from yet another minor league baseball game and decided that it was time to see the capitol building up close. The building looks very similar to the one in my home state of Idaho. We read over the four-sided monument out front dedicated to the women of the confederacy. Then as we tried to comprehend the history of the civil war, a small civil war broke out right before our very eyes. For over month now we have been at war with an army. This army travels small, sending out only one or two soldiers at a time. They move fast and force you to attack quickly, or else face the possibility of trying to get to sleep at night knowing that you missed your chance (and now you have risked a possible ambush by the enemy in your sleep). The enemy I speak of are the cockroaches or "water bugs" that have hunted us since our arrival-at one point going so far as to jump from the ceiling onto Emily’s arm causing her to scream a scream so loud that my hearing is just now recovering 3 weeks later. As we gazed upon that Southern facing capitol building, the enemy made an appearance. We soon became aware that we were surrounded. But for some reason the fear normally associated with the sighting of a rogue enemy was not in me. I drew my weapon, a single thong sandal from my foot, and immediately went on the offensive. The roaches, surprised by my lack of fear, tried to retreat-but with no good hiding places were forced to run around in circles or squeeze into small cracks. Bam! Slap! went my sandal, dropping enemies left and right until I could see no more. Then, just as we were heading for the car, I spotted another on the liberty bell replica. I moved quickly knowing that I had to make the most of this opportunity. GONG rang the bell, and the battle was over for this night.
All humor aside, we were amazed at the continued representation of the confederate mindset here in MS. The capitol was built to face South in direct defiance to the North, and the confederate flag is still in the upper left hand corner of the Mississippi state flag. Attempts to change the flag are continually voted down even as recently as last year.
We’ve had a good week. Our summer camp is winding down with only 3 days remaining. Wednesday night we will have a closing ceremony for the kids and their parents. Our class will perform the dance we have been working on for the last month. We had a practice performance on Friday and both Emily and I got a little emotional as we watched the other classes perform their dances. We’ve become attached to all the kids and are sad that camp is almost over.
On Wednesday evening we went to swimming lessons with Jimmy and Cathy, two of our campers. Cathy is 4 and her brother Jimmy is 6. Cathy is in our kindergarten class and has become very attached to us, especially Emily. At swimming lessons she kept a steady eye on Emily to make sure she was watching. We went out to dinner with the kids and their Mom Felicia afterwards.
On Thursday we went to another campers little league baseball game. The kids are so happy that we come to these events and it is a joy for us to be a part of their lives.
We had a meeting this week with Elizabeth from the Perkins Center where we work, to discuss what was next for us after camp ended. As Emily mentioned last week, she has applied to work for Americorps in a local elementary school. We are still waiting to hear back from them. I will be helping to run and organize a youth conference that will be held at the center during the first week of August. We are expecting 200 teenagers from all over the country to attend. Emily and I have been placed in charge of evening activities and are looking into doing a late night basketball tournament. I will also be running an after school program throughout the school year. I’m really excited about this. We will tutor kids and help them with their homework. I will also be able to go into the schools on a weekly basis and visit the kids.
Thanks for reading
Johnny
1 comment:
I think that once the African-American population can stand on own their feet and have some say around that place, then those dredded confederate flags will come down. But the only way African-Americans can come into any level of power is by people like you going into those places to represent them. I'm so proud of you guys and am thankful that you're doing that. I know those kids can take a deep breath and know they are safe with you guys.
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