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Belonging
Slowly Meechie walked through the alley behind the basketball court. If the big boys hadn’t shown up when they did, he’d still be shooting layups and practicing his free throws.
He didn’t know what time it was but he knew what time it wasn’t. His mother wouldn’t be home from her weekend job until it was dark and it was a long time until then. Going back to the apartment wasn’t something he wanted to do until he had to. If he had friends, he could hang out with them. But the neighborhood was too new and he was too shy for that to happen.
At school, the principal and teachers were always saying it takes a village to raise a child. He didn’t really know what that meant, but he wished he had a village or at least a few extra people in his life who cared about him. Maybe he wouldn’t feel so alone all the time.
Coming to the end of the alley and rounding the corner something caught his attention. There were cars in the parking lot of the red brick church. It was a building he often wondered about. He walked past it every day on his way to and from school. Sometimes there would be a few cars in the parking lot and sometimes the lot would be full with even more cars parked along the street.
He wondered what went on there. No one had ever taken him to church or even talked about it. TV made church seem boring and something you sat or slept through out of obligation. To Meechie, that seemed like school without the benefit of recess or lunch.
With his basketball tucked under his arm, Meechie stood on the sidewalk and continued to stare at the church building. Once he had asked his mom why they didn’t go to church. She said she was too busy working, didn’t have church clothes, and already had enough people judging her. He didn’t understand the last part of what she’d but decided to let it go.
“Hi, baby. Can you grab that bag out of the back seat?”
Startled, Meechie turned and saw a woman taking boxes out of her car. He had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t heard her pull up. He looked around and realized she was talking to him.
Of course, he had been taught not to talk to strangers but the way she called him “baby” made him feel, well, he didn’t know how to explain it, but it felt nice.
Meechie walked over to the lady’s car and grabbed a large shopping bag with his free hand. He walked behind her as she led him into the building. Once they stepped inside, he looked around and saw rows and rows of seats, a large piano, drums, a big stand with some chairs around it, and the biggest cross he’d ever seen. It was kind of like the churches he’d seen on TV or in pictures but he didn’t feel out of place like he thought he would.
“This way,” the lady said as she walked through a side door and down a hallway.
At the end of the hallway was a large room where people – older people, teenagers, and kids his age - were laughing and talking and seemed to be having fun.
“You can put that bag on the table over there,” the lady instructed.
Meechie complied.
The lady motioned for Meechie to join her and the rest of the group.
“Do y’all know this young man?”
Everybody stopped talking and looked up. Meechie didn’t recognize anyone and he suddenly felt awkward.
One of the older boys spoke up, “Hi, I’m KJ. You can sit over here and help us.”
Meechie took a seat and shyly introduced himself to the group. He learned they were packaging school supplies for the neighborhood schools. Meechie remembered getting a similar package when he started at his new school. Now he knew where it had come from.
After what seemed like only a little time, the volunteers were treated to pizza. When it was time to go, the lady he had helped bring the bag from her car, Miss Izetta, asked him if he was coming to church on Sunday. She told him what time it started and that she’d love to see him.
Out of sheer curiosity, Meechie took Ms. Izetta up on her invitation and showed up for church on Sunday and each Sunday after that for weeks after.
Going to church was nothing like he had imagined. He wore jeans and never felt like he wasn’t dressed right. And, to his surprise, church wasn’t boring at all. He loved the singing and especially the drums.
It wasn’t his birthday or a special occasion but one day Ms. Izetta gave him a bible, an easy-to-read one, she said. Sometimes Pastor Darric played basketball with the kids after church. The older ladies at church always called him “baby”, gave him peppermint candies, asked him about school, how he was feeling, and even sent treats and little gifts home for his mother.
He learned about God, how to pray, and just as important, he learned about love.
The days didn’t seem so long anymore and he had friends from church. He didn’t understand everything and some parts of the bible didn’t make any sense to him, but that was okay. Deacon Rivers said he would understand it better by and by.
For the first time since he could remember, Meechie found a place where he felt like he belonged. He found his people. He found his village.
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