-Wes Magruder
I've had an idea floating around about what I wanted to write about on my blog for sometime and then a friend shared this quote on his Facebook status and it continued to add to my feelings of getting out of our "single stories."In the summer of 2012, when I went through Missionary training in New York, we watched this video. In the video, Chimanda Adiche talks about the discovery of her own culture amidst a single story and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. If you don't have time to watch the entire video, I encourage you to at least watch the first five minutes.
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
I knew right then and there that God's largest calling for me in this journey is to get outside of my "single story", or as I often call it, my "bubble." How often do we ALL re-learn the lesson over and over that we just don't truly understand someone until we begin a personal relationship with them. Christ crossed all sorts of boundaries set in place by society. We must cross boundaries. We must leave our little, happy, warm places of comfort.
I don't think I even need to explicitly point out that what we see in our media, news, and literature will often only feed us a "single story". Today many of the issues that flash across our news sources encourage us to think in a biased manner. Yet, Jesus Christ himself ignored the stories spewing out of the mouths of the majority and helped the Disciples expand the stories of others.
Everyday I am learning something new as I live in a small, rural, Southern, mountain town. I'm learning what it's like for people to visit the local food pantry once a week to help save money. I'm learning about the use of EBTs or food stamps and how many people in need don't receive very many. I'm learning about the desirefor a peaceful way of living from both the people who have lived here their entire lives and those who choose to retire here I'm learning how some people continue to can vegetables and a few others still use a wood burning stove to heat their homes. I'm learning of the history of the Cherokee's banishment from the area. Everyday my story expands little by little, yet I know there will always be something more to learn. If I let myself get too comfortable it what I already understand and know, I will fail God's calling to grow.
Here are a few more interesting facts/demographics about Clay County, NC:
- 260 people live within the city limits of Hayesville
- 10,000 live in Clay County
- 3 schools (Elementary, Middle, High) all located on the same campus but in 3 different buildings
- 2 stop lights
- New, fancy grocery store with organic food options
- local farmer's market every Thursday evening
- many different food giveaway programs
- families who have lived here for generations and generations
- retirees who used to vacation here
- LOTs of thrift stores benefitting local resource agencies/non-profits
- 30 minute drive to go to a Walmart
- 20+ minute drive to go to a hospital
- remnants of a moon shine culture- streets named things like "Thumping Hills"
- families who live on their family's street "Penland" "Roach"
- public transportation exists- but you have to plan in advance and wait a while
- local dialect- "you'ins" "have a good'in"
- probably 90% white, 4% hispanic, 1% black/African American
- LOTs of churches- even in small neighborhoods
- highest speed limit in the area is 55mph
- many people have their own gardens
- only 20% of the population has a Bachelor's degree or higher
- statistics show that the median household income is $30,000- $35,000 but this contains outliers from transplant community members
