Another Murder in Maywood

Last week I was at a loss for words when in a meeting I heard Bishop Porter mention that another murder took place in Maywood. The number of murders for the year has reached into the double digits within our little village, which possibly places us amongst the worst in the U.S. per capita. Of course this is where we begin playing the blame game, but what I'm more interested in is someone stepping up to the plate and accepting responsibility for failure.

A 21- year old brother joined Proviso Community Church last Sunday, and one of the things that he mentioned in conversation was very interesting. He said that he was so thankful to be alive at 21. Now indeed, he does recognize that making it to the age of 21 is a gift and that every good and perfect gift comes from above. But there was something more to that statement than a celebration of God's grace, there was an undertone of the pessimism with which our young men view their future when they've grown up in Maywood and even Proviso Township as a whole.

I met a brother at PLCCA in Maywood a few weeks ago. He was there for a job fair, I was there to register voters. When he registered to vote, I spoke with him briefly and he talked about the fact that he needed to find a job because he needed to get "off the streets." He said he had gotten grazed by a bullet a day or so before. He's also 21-years old. Unfortunately, there aren't many jobs for him within our community. And the schools haven't prepared the average grad to compete very well in the job market outside of our community. This is unacceptable!

Proviso Community Church, in partnership with the Maywood Police Department's Community Policing will be working with Proviso East's principal Milton Patch to ensure the safety of our students after school between 1st avenue and 5th avenue on Madison St. We're seeking out men and women in the community to serve in a security capacity for a 30-minute period after school. This has come as a plea from the school because of the violence that oftentimes takes place within this area after school. It's a shame that our students sometime walk home from school fearful of a drive-by or a gang fight breaking out right in front of them.

This has to change! This community has sunken to an incredibly low level. It's time for the people of God to stand up!