newhopehosting

As we journey upstream, we must remember that everyone is captive to their own experiences. We can only truly know our own world: we merely believe that we understand the experiences of others. Our experiences, in turn, influence our perspectives.

Like every child, I believed that my hometown was the best city on earth. Many years later, I still believe I was fortunate to have grown up there, but I now have a more nuanced view.

Yes, like all American cities, Rochester had an exceptional past, but it also has some truly ugly stories that have remained carefully untold. Stories that those neighbors and my own dad had never heard. The racial conflicts which spawned “white flight” were symptoms of deeper problems.

More than 12 years ago, Kris and I felt led to start New Hope, to minister to under-resourced children and their families. We began our journey with more enthusiasm than wisdom.