This week, the NY Times published short stories of 23 notable people who passed away in 2010, including Christian Community Development hero, Allan Tibbels. Titled "Wheelchair Missionary," the brief article talks about how Allan, inspired by John Perkins, moved his family into one of Baltimore's most blighted neighborhoods (along with friend Mark Gornik) and helped to transform it by partnering with residents to found New Song Community Church, New Song Academy (an independently-run public school) and Sandtown Habitat for Humanity. Sandtown Habitat, which Allan co-directed, had rehabilitated nearly 300 homes by the time of his passing in June.
One of the most interesting -- and effective -- aspects of Tibbels and Gornik's ministry is that they purposefully did not start any programs immediately upon moving into Sandtown. Instead, as Gornik tells it, they simply hung out for two years, getting to know their neighbors and their needs, and growing in trust for one another. From the beginning, it was about relationships.
You can read the excellent NY Times article here. For more on Tibbles, see the Baltimore Sun's obituary.
Side Note: Many of you who have spent time with me since 2001 have heard me talk about John Perkins and how he influenced my own life. John founded the Christian Community Development (CCD) movement, which my organization, Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries, is a part of. If you're unfamiliar with CCD and want to understand why I do what I do, I highly recommend reading John's first book, "Let Justice Roll Down." It might just change your life, like it did mine.
Allan was indeed an inspiring man. Simply meeting him changed my life almost 10 years ago as a college student in Baltimore. When I met this man who lived his values, I saw that I could not rationalize doing any less.
ReplyDelete