Sounds of Hope

Every Friday evening at the Potter's House there is a benefit concert. The name of the series of events is "Sounds of Hope." Local musicians are invited  to perform and the cover charge at the door goes toward a charity of their choice. Paul and I weren't doing anything else on Friday night, so we decided, why not try it out? We were about the first ones there because we were also counting on having dinner there as well, and we were hungry. Upon our arrival we found that one of our house mates, Christian, was producing the show that evening. She made sure we got our dinner right away. 

We were warned that the first act was really loud and given the advice that the bookstore manager had a supply of ear plugs that we could use. We were glad we asked. The first (warm-up) act was a group of young white guys from Ohio on their first tour. They were very loud. I don't know what I would have done without the ear plugs. The plaster above Paul's head actually started vibrating off the wall and small piece fell on his head! Mercifully, the first act was over after three numbers, and we could enjoy our black beans and rice and sweet potato pie in peace.

It took awhile to set up for the rest of the evening's entertainment and more and more people started coming in. It wasn't long before Paul and I realized that we were the only white people in the place! There was a very friendly woman sitting alone at the table next to us. We had commiserated over the loud opening act. She had mentioned that she just had needed to get out some place that evening. She was unhappy? because her boy friend was mad at her.  I asked her what her boyfriend was doing that evening and she said, " He lives out of state."  "What state?" I asked. She replied, "He lives in Portland, Oregon." "Portland, Oregon?" I responded. "We are from Portland, Oregon."

So we had a bit of a chat about Portland, and what a coincidence and that she had actually met her boyfriend when she was in Portland, Oregon. And then her cell phone rang. Guess who...it was?.. her boyfriend. He wasn't actually mad at her after all. She told him she was sitting by somebody from Portland, Oregon, and why didn't he talk to them. So she handed me the phone. I told him I was actually from West Linn, Oregon, and asked him where he lives. He replied that he lives in West Linn as well, right across from the police station. I told him that he was only a few blocks from our house. Paul suggested I ask him to stop by and water our tomatoes.

After that, Carmen, the woman sitting next to us was like an old friend.

After we made all these interesting connections the real entertainment for the evening got under way. Mostly, it was a fabulous group of black women... singers, actors, poets, who sang and told it like it is to be them. Much of the theme was about freedom and liberation. It happened to be June 19, the day that most of the slaves found out about the Emancipation Proclamation and the fact that in actuality, the were really free. It was somewhat unnerving to be the only white people in the room. I realized that I've been spending this sabbatical among groups of people that MY people have enslaved, oppressed and stolen from...first the Native Americans, and then the African Americans. It made me feel convicted and put on the spot. Yet each of these groups has been so hospitable and welcoming to us as well..

By ten o'clock the entertainment was still going strong and the Potter's House was packed. However, we had already been there three and a half hours, and were ready to toddle off to our beds. But it had been a memorable evening. Time well spent.