This is going to be a difficult post for me to write, but I feel so strongly about it that I must write about it. We attend an awesome church here called Fellowship Memphis which has a huge heart for racial reconciliation in the heart of Memphis. Talk about a huge task! WOW! Did you know that Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed here in Memphis? Did you know that we still have streets called Auction Street and White Station? There’s even a high school called White Station High School. This is no easy task, and our pastors are not asking just the white folks to do it all. From the front, our pastors teach to both races to work out our differences. They challenge both race groups to make an effort to get to know someone “different” from you. Specifically, the challenge is for you to go out of your way to invite someone of a different race out to lunch or over to your house. This is NOT comfortable for me, but I like it. I mean, after all, I married a Mexican, so this cross cultural racial thing ought to be easy for me….but it isn’t. I have to “take my thoughts captive” on a daily basis and ask Jesus to make me more like him. To allow me to see that person’s heart and not her skin! I have to fight those age old things I heard as a child. I have to be willing to stand up and say something when someone makes a racial slur! Even if it’s my dad.
This is MY daily battle, but my problem today deals with the battle I face with my family. My parents are in their mid-60’s and grew up during segregation. My grandmother wouldn’t come to my wedding because she thought I was marrying a black man, specifically she said the “N” word. My parents used and still use on occasion the “N” word. (Not usually when I’m around!! ) My parents don’t see that they have a problem. They think the problem lies with “them” (whoever that is)! So my dad and I had a talk yesterday (Christmas Day) and he made some very racial comments that I didn’t think were appropriate. I told him that God doesn’t see skin color! I talked to him about it and said we all have prejudices we have to work on. My dad doesn’t think he’s prejudiced, and he got so upset that I would even think that he was prejudiced. Here’s the situation:
My sweet precious 8 year old wanted a brown skinned baby doll for Christmas, so we got her one. Are you with me here? My lighter skinned Hispanic-American daughter wanted an African American baby doll for Christmas. 
See, in our family, we prefer to use the term “brown skinned” instead of calling someone black. I know there are some parts of Africa where the people have skin color that is almost totally black, but for the most part here in the US they are brown. Why I even had to tell my parents before hand, I don’t know, but I’m glad I did!! They flipped out with me, but remained calm with my daughter. My dad said to me while we were cleaning the table after lunch, “Why’d you get Ileana a black baby?” I told him she wanted one. Then he said, “I sure hope the blacks are nicer to her than they’ve been to your mom and me.” WHAT?!! We talked about prejudice and racism and the conversation got really heated. I just had to let the conversation drop by saying that we feel called to help bridge the gap between the races here in Memphis. We want to be a part of helping to end racism and prejudices based on skin color. And my sweet daughter has already grasped that at 8 years old!!!
My mom was talking to her about her ‘black’ baby doll, and she just politely said, “Mimi, she’s not black. She has brown skin!” Can you believe it? Amazing. God is doing some wonderful things in her life. She has a heart and a passion for brown skinned people. Her dream right now for when she grows up is to have a home with lots of land and to help take care of 5 little brown skinned children. She doesn’t know if it’ll be an orphanage or just a place to help the kids until their parents can take them back (foster care), but that’s what she wants to do. She wanted a brown skinned baby doll to play with as she plans her “dream”. Thank you, God, for giving our daughter a heart for people no matter their skin color.
My middle daughter wanted a Hispanic baby doll so she could teach it Spanish, and my youngest wanted a blond hair blue eyed doll. She said she wanted to see “blue” eyes like mommy’s!! SWEET! I’ve been blessed with 3 beautiful little girls each with special gifts and talents given to them by God!
I share all of this with you because I want to ask for your prayers. We are considering adoption as a way to add to our family. We are beginning to feel like that might look different for our family as we are considering an African American child. Well, let’s just say my husband has decided that’s what He feels God has for our family and we’re just waiting on God to give me the peace!!! After our struggles this weekend, I’m so unsettled, but feel even more strongly that this is probably the path God has us on. To bring racial reconciliation to my family! Start close to home and work outwards. WOW! Pray for us!
Continue to change me and mold me and give me your heart for people that doesn’t see skin color either. Bring friends into our lives that are “different” from us. Help us reach out and make friendships with people who look different than we do. Specifically, I pray for a friend for our 8 year old! She so wants to have a friend with brown skin. Thank you.
Heaven is going to full of people from different cultures with different skin colors. Let’s try to live it out here on earth!!! I close with a verse from Revelation 7:9 ”After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
