15 Years in a Detroit Neighborhood - Chapter 1
Just this week, around 8 a.m. on Monday morning, I had to take a quick drive around the neighborhood to verify some facts related to a grant application. The particular streets are on the far west side of the community in which we have been working for the past 15 years. It’s called Regent Park, and its boundaries are from 8 mile to 7 mile, and Gratiot Ave. to Kelly Rd. I was discouraged. I sat near an intersection with empty lots and a boarded-up house. There was so much work to do and I was feeling that I just don’t have it in me to continue the work. It’s just too hard.
And then I was quickly reminded that 15 years ago I felt the same as I looked around the corner from our offices on Kelly Rd. to almost the same level of devastation and hopelessness. At the time it was something we had never seen, didn’t understand and had no idea what we could do to alleviate the conditions we saw. That was 2006. It was at that time with great enthusiasm we took a step of faith to do what we could do to bring hope and life to a neighborhood of 10000 residents. It turned out it required more of us than anything else we had ever done in our lives, emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially.
It required, ultimately, that we move into what was known as Detroit’s most dangerous zip code. Oh, but the Lord was with us. HE was our constant companion. That’s my belief and conclusion as today we consider the 60 homes we rehabbed and made available for sale and rental, the $1.2M Early Childhood Education Center, the repurposed parks and commercial buildings and more importantly the hundreds of lives that have been touched by the love of Christ over 15 years. Add to that an exciting Christian education initiative now in its 4th year.
With that reminder of all that the Lord has already done I lifted up my head as the psalmist said in Psalm 120 when he said “I lifted my eyes to the mountains, from where does my help come from?. My help comes from the Lord” and I felt in my heart that we can do this too. HE will continue to provide hope and life. It may take another 10 years but that’s fine. The Lord has brought a team unique in their gifts but with commonality in passion for the community. It is extraordinary.
Our 15 years of work have reduced the risk associated with this work and we are beginning to gather partners from all over that will help us accelerate our ministry and housing development efforts. On our team, we don’t have any big names you would recognize or people with decades of development experience. What we do have is a few passionate people who have decided to give their lives to something that matters. Each of them could be doing something else and making a lot more money. The Lord brought each person. Together we are strong.
What’s on the horizon? You are going to come back to this page for that. From someone who has lived and worked in the world of plenty and in an environment of poverty and oppression, you might gain a different perspective on the City of Detroit and its people. It’s all good. You will be encouraged. You might just find your place in Detroit’s recovery. We’ve made it easy for you to forward this article to your friends, family, and co-workers. Change and recovery don’t need big names, it needs a heart of compassion and a willingness to step out in faith and play your part. There are opportunities all over Detroit including right here in Regent Park.