Maplewood High School

No, Maplewood is not in India :)  It's in Nashville, TN.  It's a primarily African-American public school that, like most Nashville public schools, has not been a school with high graduation rates or good reports.  It's in a part of town that is not frequented by many white people and is stereotyped as "ghetto" and "dangerous."

On Friday night my mom and dad, white suburbanites, went to a high school girls' basketball game there.  My mom is a 9th and 10th grade girls' Sunday School teacher at their church in Nashville.  One of her girls is on the team and had a game so she went to cheer her on.  That Sunday they had a special time where the youth group invited their friends to church.  Her class had 26 girls packed into a small room, 11 of which were visitors.  And a few of those were from that girls' basketball team.

I honestly don't know why those girls came to church, whether it was b/c of their friend or meeting my mom or what.  But I'm sure it stood out to them that a white, 54-year-old lady would come and cheer for their friend in a crowd where they was only 4 white people.  It showed them that love and true friendship crosses all kinds of barriers.

I'm so inspired by my mom.  I know that took courage for her.  But she did it because she loves that girl. And would do anything for her, the least of which is going to a basketball game to let her know she cares.  I guarantee you that people notice that kind of supportive, selfless love.

I want to see that kind of love shown to teenagers here in Siliguri.  Crossing racial, religious, and relational taboo's.  Because of the transforming love of Jesus.  Nothing else can change you like Him.  Nothing else can move you out of your comfort zone to love others like Him.