Dear Editor,

Selma, Lord, Selma! 

It is home and has been for a long time. After returning from three months in Japan in early December, many changes have occurred. I had gotten used to reading the STJ online, and now find the hard copy is not available with morning coffee, but as an after dinner read! 

That is OK. 

I understand why, though it takes some getting used to, but I do not mind. 

Will Whaley, the young editor, is doing a good job with the paper and I am looking forward to his columns on how to improve Selma by all, knowledge gleaned from being in Leadership Selma.  Adam Powell is a really gifted writer that reports happenings and writes columns with skill. 

It has been great getting back to swimming at the YMCA, welcoming the new CEO from Birmingham and I loved the combining of history in the renaming of one of the first YMCA’s in the nation. 

The Grist Brown Memorial YMCA continues to be a bright spot in our city.  Just this morning,  a rainy Saturday, there was a gym full of young basketball players on various teams, whistles blowing, refreshments available in the room off the gym, parents, coaches and others enjoying the games. 

Last night as we were leaving the Y, there were young adult men coming, some with their own children, to coach teams of mixed races and mixed gender of children.  It was an awesome picture of camaraderie and caring, seeing the coaches readily greet and high five young men, many of them needing that caring male in their lives. 

Thank You, Father, for those caring men and their families.  My husband began coaching such a team 22 years ago in Donelson, Tennessee at the Y when our son was six.  I know that caring spirit of businesses and coaches will extend on into baseball season. 

I pray our city government will rally around that wonderful summer activity for the children in this area and that it will go forward as it has for many years. 

Also, I appreciate what Clay Carmichael does for Selma and AC Reeves, and Ann Murray’s new Look endeavor on the first Saturday of the month. 

Dr. Avis Williams has brought a fresh outlook on education in the area and that is a boon for us all. 

The Selma Center for Nonviolence has been faithfully administering requirements to keep the grant for Selma given to the Black Belt Community Foundation by W.K. Kellogg. 

Some city entities were the recipient of re-granting funds this year. 

Thank you to all. 

There are so many others working and praying for Selma to be all she can be, to be healed and walk-in transformation and unity and I say, as God would have it be to His glory. The Army of Mothers and Army of Fathers started by Ainka Jackson, Malika Fortier and Christopher Minter after the couple from Crosspoint prayed at the Edmund Pettus Bridge for a month was awesome.

The purchase of Concordia by Christians from Korea is an answer to a prayer it would be used to help Selma again in the future. It will be exciting to see what happens there. It is good to be home, faced with a new year of opportunities (even if Alabama did lose the National Championship).  This year let’s pray for our city, our leaders, against violence, and let’s work together in ways that show love and care for others.  Thank You, Father, for Selma. 

Sincerely,

Gail Box Ingram

Valley Grande