Where has the Vision for Racial Reconciliation gone??

Every Sunday morning the CHAT kids go to the West end to attend Third Presbyterian Church. This summer all of the college interns attend Third as well. One of the biggest issues I had was the East end West end dynamic. I felt that the East End kids were sort of a charity group that Third helped support. I am not writing this to personally attack Third Presbyterian, but I just want to shed some light on a serious situation from an outsider’s perspective. The issue is that there seems to be a lack of desire for true racial reconciliation,especailly among the youth. When the East end kids attended middle school and high school youth group at third, they hardly ever engaged in activites with the West end kids. Some of the East end kids have been going to youth group at third for several years and yet they do not know the names of many of the West end kids!  I was completely shocked by this fact! It  also seemed as though the  East end kids were being molded to fit into the rich White lifestyle. The fancy houses, oversees mission trips ect. There is nothing wrong with fancy houses or oversees mission trips but there is also nothing wrong with inner city homes and inner city missions. I felt that the atmosphere at Third was to expose and encourage their lifestyle to the East end kids. A couple of our kids actually voiced that they do not understand why some people at Third seem to want East end kids to be just like them.  They asked why do we always have  go to the West end?  It would have been great for the West end kids to come over to the east end for bible study or hang out time. The East end kids have just as much to offer to the West end. There is a whole new culture for the West end to experience that is only 20 minutes away.  How can the East end kids feel that they have something to offer when they are in an environment where they feel they must conform?  I just questioned the leaders of Third’s motives on how the East end kids fit into their vision. I do hope that the future holds the opportunity for the leaders from Third and CHAT can sit and discuss the difficult question of race and racial reconciliation. I also hope that the West end kids can open up and come to experience what life is like here in the East end. In addition, I pray that Third leaders can start to have a vision to connect the youth…all of the youth. Yes, this will be a difficult task, but it is not impossible. Where has the vision for racial reconciliation gone?  Nowhere, we just need to gain site of it. I just really pray that leaders at Third will be willing to seriously think about this situation and move forward for change. If not, then maybe CHAT should think about leaving. Prayfully that will not happen.