To the best of my knowledge she never leaped over a tall building or stopped a speeding train; she never even caught a bullet with her teeth. She does not have x-ray vision,  super human strength, or own Fort Knox. Yet, if I were voting today on heroes she would make my top ten for sure.

 

No tall buildings. Just the imposing wall of segregation.

 

No speeding trains. Just the fast road to nowhere of dehumanizing poverty.

 

No bullets. Just the lethal reality of unjust law.

 

No x-ray vision. Just the insight of one devoted to living the Gospel--not just talking about it.

 

No champion of physical strength. Just the fortitude that comes from the long walk of faithful obedience.

 

No mass of wealth. Just the richness of knowing your life made a difference and having gathered many co-workers in the fight for the common good.

 

My friend and a role model for many, Barbara McClain, is to be honored in May by the Columbia Community Mediation Center. Those of you who know her and have been touched by her will want to celebrate with her this recognition. For more information, call Whitney Evans at the Mediation Center at 803-714-1176.

 

For those of you who do not know Barbara, who have not seen her work on behalf of the poor, the imprisoned, young women, public school students, congregations and the Church at-large, for racial understanding and healing, for a vibrant and purposeful ecumenical family--for YOU, I pray, that God will raise up a host of "Barbaras" to serve as your prophets, your guiding lights, your advocates for change, your role models, your leapers of tall buildings, your heroes!

 

To Barbara: your life among us challenges us to size up the speeding trains of our lives; and work to stop the ones that need to be stopped, turn around the ones going in the wrong direction, and jump on the ones that will move us toward the "Beloved Community."