I have been dreaming about a life in a community since my teenage years. I think three major influences kindled my desire and were my early inspiration.

One influence was growing up in a Mennonite church with strong family ties. While a good part of the bonding occurred along blood lines, what connected most of us young people was living counter-culturally in non-evangelical Germany. We practiced believers baptism, taught pacifism as a characteristic of a disciple of Jesus and began to integrate social justice with the gospel.

This past Saturday a man was shot on the corner right by our InnerCHANGE office.   Words can't adequately describe the sense of helplessness John, Birgit, our friend Ryan and I felt as we first heard the shots, then the commotion as neighbors gathered on the street to see what was going on.  Someone we know and love could've easily been the target of those gunshots.  Violence is so random and unpredictable here. Most of the perpetrators and victims, however, are young men roughly between the ages of 16 and 30.