Hope for My Hometown

St. Albans, WV is situated at the confluence of the Kanawha and Coal Rivers.

(awesome photo by Joey Puterbaugh)

Several years ago I started a Facebook group page for my hometown, St. Albans, WV. I did it on a whim and invited all my high school friends to join. Within a couple of weeks the group had 200 members. I was shocked. Today there are over 9,500 members and counting. That's nearly as large as the current population of the town. The group page is a place to share memories and catch up on local events. A significant portion of the membership no longer live there. Like me, they want to remain connected to the place that still has a piece of their heart.

The group page is often a source of angst for me, and I suspect it is for many of the group members as well. The fond and pleasant memories are occasionally interrupted by present day turmoil. Tempers flare, divergent opinions are expressed, harsh words are used...all from behind an electronic device and little good is accomplished.

You see, drugs and crime have become part of everyday life in my hometown (like many in our country). At times these things seem to overshadow everything else. Its bad and people are dying. The drug epidemic has impacted me personally. However, I'm certain the solution is not ranting on a social media page.

Many who are caught in the terrible cycle of addiction don't believe there is another way to live. They are physically enslaved by the toxins and emotionally overwhelmed by a series of bad choices. Add to that the stigma and shame heaped upon them by others, who scratch their heads in dismay at so much tragic mess. On a practical level there is no quick fix or simple solution. Government and law enforcement can assist, but they do not hold the ultimate remedy. Treatment facilities, community support groups and early intervention can also play a helpful role. But, it is a messy and complicated situation that brings pain and leaves many suffering.

Hope, healing and freedom are possible. Ultimately these are found in God's love, that was demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Furthermore, if and when the people who claim to know Jesus will risk graciously extending that love, to those who are struggling, perhaps a visible impact will be made. One life at a time. In one small hometown at a time.

P.S. There are good things happening in My Hometown like this, this and this, as well as more I don't have time to mention.