Montgomery/Jackson

SO, today is the last night of the trip and I must say that it truly was a life changing experience. When I first signed up to go I almost had a change of heart, I wondered if I should just do the same old, same old for spring break and go home, sleep in late, wake up in the evenings, yeah just completely become a lazy bum for a week. But I am VERY greatful that I made the decision to be involved in the Civil Rights Tour.

Yesterday, we visited Selma, Alabama, a city which played a vital role in the Civil Rights movement. Though a quiet little city, it was as if I could still hear the singing of African Americans longing for their freedom, just to be given the treatment they deserved. One of my favorite parts of yesterday was when we visited the museum in which we were able to role play directly, as if we were slaves who had been dragged into a new world in which the language, customs, and people were foreign and you were beaten and called everything but a child of God because of it. It enabled the group to be able to open up to the issue of race without having to walk on egg shells, which is a major problem in our world today, instead of just talking about our issues and letting each other know how we feel, we sometimes tend to be afraid that we're going to offend someone. I learned a lot from the people in the group, especially those of different races, when it came to the issue of race.

Today in Jackson, Mississippi our visit focused mainly on the issue of poverty, which is MAJOR in this state, esp in the Mississippi Delta. It's sad what these individuals have to face, and the decisions they have to make that ultimately take a GREAT toll on their futures. I can honestly say that I'm greatful for how God has blessed me and I feel that I'm called to bless and encourage others. I'm also interested in the initiatives that Jackson State University has taken and the programs they have created for their students, hopefully as we progress, Baylor will be able to do the same.

**Shout out to EVERYONE who was a part of the Civil Rights Tour 2010, yall are an AwEsOmE bunch and I'm glad I was able to spend the last week getting to know each one of you!**

Glad to be headed back to Texas in the morning, and for that reason I must call it a night, for my body is tired but my spirit will fight on for the cause...

Jessica Evans