Washington Park

I want to start this new post by apologizing.  I haven't been able to post for a while because the YWAM base has been having some internet issues leading up to my trip to Jamaica.  My hope was to set up the posts to still upload every Wednesday but wasn't able to with no internet. I should know how to post from my phone but haven't figured that out quite yet. Sorry for that. I hope you all were still lifting up Chicago in your prayers even though I wasn't able to blog about it.

This week the prayer focus is on the community of Washington Park.  Washington Park is on the south side of Chicago and includes the neighborhoods of Washington Park, The Robert Taylor Homes and Englewood.  It gets it's name from the 372 acre park located on the west side of the community.  Washington Park has been in the news as of late because it is one of the proposed locations for the Obama Presidential Library.  It is expected to be announced in May which location the Obamas have chosen.  It was the proposed site of the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Aquatics Center in Chicago's unsuccessful bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It is also home to the DuSable Museum of African American History.

With all that has been happening with Ferguson and currently in Baltimore, it is evident that racial issues continue to be prominent in our country.  Washington Park is 97% African American and it includes and is surrounded by smaller neighborhoods that have gone through notable and often turbulent racial transitions.  We need to prayerfully come together and strive toward understanding and unity among us as believers to make a change. For me, gaining understanding in racial issues meant putting myself in situations where I could learn from those dealing with racial prejudice first hand.  As I got to know and ultimately love my African American brothers and sisters in Christ, my perspective changed and understanding followed.  I have and continue to learn from my friends.  That is my hope for racial issues in our country, that we can come together to learn and seek change. Please pray for the neighborhood of Washington Park and for unity among racially diverse people.  

Thanks again for praying for our city!  Next week: West Englewood