Amanda has slowed down the rate of her posts lately, partly due to just being busy with the girls and partly because there hasn't been a lot new to post on. Anara is doing really well...we're just sitting around waiting for her surgery to be scheduled. Anyway, I thought I would take a second and add a post, mainly to comment on and link to a story recently featured on the cover of INTake, the Indianapolis Star's weekly "lifestyle and entertainment" publication.
The story is about our side of town and the work that is being done specifically in and around our neighborhood to revitalize the area. In addition to raising our kids, living where we live and trying to be involved in this work is something that continues to be important to us. I'd like to write some future posts to expound on why it's important, but for now, indulge me and take a few minutes to read this. The places described in the article are places we pass every single day. The Rivoli Theatre, mentioned in the first sentence, is at the end of our street and was one of the first things we noticed about the neighborhood when we bought our house. It is one of many places of significance with the potential to be something great again. But we're finding that change doesn't happen overnight, and it's through getting to know people like Joe Bowling, oft quoted in the article, that we're learning what small things can be done to eventually make an impact. Incidentally, Joe is the son of the pastor of the neighborhood church we recently started attending.
Anyway, if nothing else, this article was something positive about the eastside for a change.
Here are some of our own pictures taken of our house and of the neighborhood over the past few years:
Neighborhood Fellowship Church at the end of our street
(originally a German Lutheran church)
The Rivoli Theatre
Our House
4 comments:
Interesting story Nate. I'll be looking for updates on your neighborhood in the future.
Because you said you'd be posting on it in the future, I thought maybe I'd ask a few things about which I'm curious in hopes that maybe you'll include the answer when you expound...
A quote from the article?
"In 2006, Near Eastsiders were victims of violent crime at nearly three times the Marion County average -- 66.34 murders, rapes, robberies and assaults per thousand residents versus a countywide average of 23.94."
Does this happen in your immediate neigborhood? (...how "safe" is your neighborhood?) Do these statistics, with having two young daughters, affect your mission? And if so, how?
Do you have goals of improving the neighborhood and "rooting down" there, so to speak, OR do you have a vision to do this in other areas accross your state and country and world? I guess I'm asking what your plans are when the area is improved or rather when hearts are changed. (After all, I suspect your and Amanda's mission has more to do with changing hearts than changing the SES/appearance of the area.)
I look forward to more details and appreciate the pictures your neighborhood....I look forward to more pictures of the girls.
Lydia
Grandma wants them back home in Allen County, maybe the Leo area.
I love reading your blogs. There is something about them that I can relate too. I hope that Anara's suture removal went well. So what are they doing for her surgery?? I didn't really understand it!! Something to hold her bladder in, but then they could seperate again later in the future...let me know if you get a chance. I can try and help you with the medical terminology if you want. Miss you and I agree with your mom that you guys should move back up here, so that our kids can grow up together like we did...AWWWWWW!
Love you Mandy,
Danielle
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