We Need A Great City

Nehemiah 2:1-9 ". . . Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Sometimes I feel like Nehemiah, wanting to rebuild the city. Whether it’s the little neighborhood where my parents raised me in Orlando or the out island where my father was raised in The Bahamas, I often think about what would be possible if I were to stop and try to rebuild. Could we create affordable housing? Could sustainable, locally owned and clean development on Andros be within reach?

I think about the role of younger generations to restore and build upon what was created by our ancestors.

At the same time, I think about how hard it is for younger generations who are saddled with educational debt, facing bleak job prospects, navigating a hostile market, witnessing the obvious decline of our already inconsistent democracy and I think “What can we build”?

Nehemiah asked the king for resources, but what happens when your “king” is hostile and intent on taking what little you have? 

The king will not restore. 

I know that our world is in a period of transition. I know that we struggle to survive and sometimes that’s the best you can do. 

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that we owe it to our ancestors and to ourselves to rebuild. 

But we need a blueprint.