We have been asked this question for years and can answer it more from your perspective than you might think. We had to ask ourselves that very question years ago. We might have been in the very place then that you are today. Here is our conclusion and it has proven true, at least for us.
We didn’t initially consider how we could “influence” Detroit. That would have been a very prideful, naïve thought. We were simply burdened by the plight of the people of Detroit. Remember the situation in Detroit 15 years ago. Unprecedented in its devastation in most every way.
We had to get our eyes off of what others were doing, and focus on what we might be able to do – where attention was needed. We were not Dan Gilbert, by any stretch of the imagination. Our attention was turned to deteriorating Detroit neighborhoods where hopelessness and despair existed. We had to listen to our own hearts, as God spoke to us, and tune out the voices that would say, “don’t bother”, “you can’t do anything meaningful”, “give your money overseas”, and so on.
We have believed in our heart for years that everybody can do something and that’s exactly what we did. Something. Influence? Never occurred to us. What we decided was that we were no longer going to sit in the comfort of our suburban home and watch what was happening. We took a step of faith and left the outcome to God.
In my next blog I will share with you how it actually turned out that our step of faith did have an influence in ways we never anticipated. So be encouraged. You CAN have an influence in Detroit. You can have it with us or other organizations working in Detroit neighborhoods.
If your interest has been “perked” come back next week and I’ll share with you what happened. Stay tuned. Get ready. You can #InfluenceDetroit by just saying “YES!”.