They knew who we were. And, in their own way, they respected our presence in the community. We have not heard gunfire during a service or any other church activity since that day. When my congregation, Salem Baptist Church, moved into its present home, we found a community suffering from urban decay, white flight, economic depression, and gang infestation. The Roseland neighborhood, on the Far South Side of Chicago, is not the most scenic locale.
Vacant buildings dot the streets.
The buildings that are occupied house pawn shops, currency exchanges, beeper shops, storefront churches, and tiny grocery stores encased in metal bars to dissuade burglars. It's not the finest looking place, but it's my home. And to me it's beautiful. I'm not being sappy when I say that. When I look at Roseland, I don't see what's there now.