Hope for Humanity

The essay reflects on the way the transforming love of God has broken into the depressed neighborhood of West Jackson to offer the hope of beloved community in the face of human depravity. Elizabeth Perkins shares her own struggle to find “Hope for Humanity” after experiencing two burglaries in the midst of her work with the Zechariah 8 Community in Jackson, Mississippi. The essay presents a striking vision where young and old participate in the kingdom of God through living for one another in community. A vision Perkin challenges us “to cuddle up to,” so we can discover, with her, through this “our lives become so rich!” While a thief may be able to steal our possessions, as Perkins reminds us, “No thief can steal God’s love from us.”