Aslan Newsletter of March 10, 2000

Dear friends

One of the many wonderful things about the work of Aslan Youth Ministries is that we bring people of very diverse backgrounds together. A great example of this is Aslan’s Mentor & Tutorial Program. For the past several years, a Service Learning Class from Christian Brother’s Academy has supplied 15 to 20 high school seniors as mentors/tutors for our Aslan kids. Not all of the boys from CBA are wealthy, but many of them come from higher income families. How, you might ask, can a young man from a totally different culture and economic bracket than our Aslan children truly relate to our children?

Last year I had the opportunity to speak at the CBA’s Service Learning Class. It was very interesting to hear how bridges are built between the CBA tutors and their Aslan students. Gerald* told of how much more understanding he now has about the difficult problems our Aslan children face growing up in a predominately "white" society. He and his student, Rashad* are both wrestling fans and love to keep up with the goings on in the WWF (Worldwide Wrestling Federation). While they were looking at wrestling magazines one afternoon at a local shop in downtown Red Bank, the proprietor of the shop rudely told them they had to leave immediately! Gerald asked him what they’d done wrong, and the owner said, "You think I’m stupid? I know the only reason you have that black kid in here with you is to steal for you!"

Gerald learned first-hand that afternoon that bigotry and racism are still alive and well in America, and his attitude toward race will forever be changed by that incident. When he goes to college and encounters the "those black people . . ." statements from other students, he will undoubtedly have a different response than he once might have had. "Wait just a minute! I tutored a young black child, and you have no idea what ‘those people’ are like." In like manner, Rashad will have a different response to those individuals of color who say, "All white people are devils!" His response will be, "Wait just a minute! My tutor, Gerald, isn’t a devil!"

People can talk until they are blue in the face about racial reconciliation. Unless people interact on a meaningful, personal basis – having a relationship with one another – it is just talk! Words are too often an easy and cheap way to make ourselves feel better. Racial reconciliation is not about feeling good because we sit next to a person of a different race in church, at work or at a club meeting. Reconciliation is becoming a part of one another’s lives – drinking from the same cup, so to speak – and sharing on a level that transcends words. Action is in the doing, not the talking.

Aslan is Love in Action! We have 300 people who give of their time and talents to work with our children. Some of our key volunteers for Aslan’s Haiti Project are African-American. Two of our most valued volunteers for the Aslan Cycling Program are Columbian. One of our most faithful and stalwart office volunteers is Japanese. Another is African-American. A gifted college intern from Princeton is Korean. These wonderful individuals are a beautiful racial tapestry of every shade – African-American, Asian, Hispanic and Anglo.

I thank God for the way he uses this ministry to help people of all colors see beyond the pigmentation of their skin to the heart of the matter. Thank you for making the work of Aslan possible through your giving and your prayers. Aslan Youth Ministries is all about love – the only weapon strong enough for hate. And love never fails! [I Corinthians 13:8]

Most sincerely!

Craig Bogard