New Neighborh by Leroy Barber

I have been waiting to write this post for a day when I am awake and full of energy.

I gave up waiting!

New Neighbor, by Leroy Barber, is hands down one of my favorite books of the year. Those of you who know how many I read, realize that is high praise indeed.  Leroy Barber spoke about the Beloved Community (to use Martin Luther King’s phrase) at Q this past April. Listening to him speak, it was obvious that Leroy had a heart to see people thrive within the idea of community. Reading his book is like walking through his neighborhood.

Leroy founded a program called Mission Year. Combine social action, personal discipleship and urban ministry and you have mission year. The book New Neighbor is written not only by Leroy, but also by Mission Year participants. And throughout the book you will also find the fabulous photographs of Brian T. Murphy. His photographs have an uncanny way of capturing the personality of his view of Atlanta. Worth the price of the book for that reason alone.

So to give you a taste of the book, I want to tell you the story of Fernando, a next door neighbor of one of the Mission Year participants. The guys found out it was Fernando’s birthday, and threw him an impromptu party. This is what William Owen writes about the impact of a simple party.

While we were setting up the rather spontaneous pomp that made up the decorations I doubt any of us thought it would have the impact it did on both our beloved neighbor Fernando and on us. After he thanked each one of us personally and gave us all hugs and then a group hug, Fernando left saying it was one of the best birthdays he’d ever had. Near the door after he let, we all stood dumbfounded. We had no idea that  a few balloons and streamers and cheap cupcakes could make an adult weep to the point of being speechless. I am constantly blown away by the opportunities that God lays in front of us to learn how to love and be loved.

That sums it up: learning to see the eternal significance of cupcakes and balloons in a neighborhood where such things are rare.

Go to Jeff Shinabarger’s site to order New Neighbor. Buy an extra: you’re gonna want it. And if it intrigues you, go to  Mission Year to explore how you can help.