ON COURAGE AND LOVE—

MAGGIE’S VOICE

             Every Sunday the same group of women gathers in a small apartment on the ground floor of the complex to worship. Every Sunday they sing the same hymns.  Every Sunday they whisper the same prayer:

                        God feed our children—for they are hungry

                        God keep them safe—these times are rough

                        God give us strength on this journey—for we are tired

                        God keep us safe—these times are rough.

The worship service is a chance for these women to rest from the struggles of the week—a chance for them to be touched by a moment of peace.

            The worship service is especially important for Maggie.  Ever since she organized this women’s group, she has been under constant pressure. She’s recognized as “the woman who started all of this trouble.” Last week she had a rock thrown through her window. The week before that her youngest child had a bottle thrown at him on his way home from school. But Maggie is determined not to give up her fight.

            Today Maggie kneels by the board that the women use as an altar.  Her mind envisions what this world could be like. She imagines a time when no more children would die in the streets. She imagines a time when all people are treated with reverent respect. She ponders on what the world would be like if every day wasn’t a struggle for survival for so many people. But her mind is brought back to the realities of the moment by a call from one of the women.

            “Maggie, a newspaper reporter is here. Says he wants to do a story on you and that march you have planned on Sunday. He says you are really gonna stir up things if you really march all of the neighborhood kids into those churches on the north side of town.  He wants to be the first to interview you and print your story. “

            Maggie turned and answered them, “The time has come for a new world to be created.  It’s time for all that we see around us to fall to the ground.  And out of its remains our new world will bloom. And this new world will hold us all in a cradle of peace and love and wholeness.

            But for now, I am worried.  Should I tell God that I am tired of this journey that I began?  Should I call to the angels and tell them that I am turning away from our plans?”

            Maggie was interrupted by a voice from outside.  “Momma, look at me—I can do a cartwheel.”  And all of the children giggled. 

            Maggie gazed out the window and continued to speak. “These children just spoke to the future, not to me. They spoke to the world asking for a chance for laughter every day. They laughed for the new world to come. They laughed for me because the time has come for my laughter to be silenced.”

            She said this knowing the struggle that was to come.

            The reporter questioned her:  “Who are you really?  I have heard that you’re a strong woman and that you’re going to bring about big changes in this town.”

            Maggie turned to face him and said, “What else can I say while I’m still around?  Wish I could tell the whole world what I think, but the world wouldn’t listen. It closes its ears to the music—only hears its own humming as it keeps itself in motion. Wish the world could hear the song that I hear.”  And Maggie walked outside to play with the children.

            Neither the reporter nor the other women present truly understood what had just taken place until a week later when they were cleaning out Maggie’s apartment. Maggie had been killed by a stray bullet fired into the crowd during her march.

            One of the women found Maggie’s journal opened beside her bed. It read:  “I knew things were changing when that reporter came by. I knew that when more people began to hear my voice, then more people would want to silence my voice. But I had a choice, and I decided to speak for the laughter of the children. I decided to call out to those who never watched as the laughter ended. 

            I decided to walk in the light of love, hoping to make a difference in this world.  This journey is worth the struggle to me.”

            Underneath this Maggie had written:

            “1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” There’s still hope and love…