I don’t know about you but the older I get the more friends I have. I am so fortunate to have traveled quite a bit and have made acquaintances with people from a variety of cultures and races. Some of these people have become really good friends and I can’t imagine not having them in my life.They make my life richer and more interesting.
I have made friends from mission trips, workers and inmates from a maximum security prison, England and Scotland. Some of my friends are Catholic, Jewish, Christian, Amish, and undecided about religion all together. I have friends that are black, white, Latino, and mixed races. We may not agree on everything, but because we love each other the differences enrich our lives.
My heart is beyond sad with what has been happening in our world lately. I have lived most of my life in Henry County, Indiana. I don’t remember my parents even discussing the idea of prejudice and I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s so I know it was an issue. I often feel naive and sheltered in my little section of the world. My friends in prison have really opened my eyes about the fact that prejudice still exists even though I don’t want to believe it. I wish I could give you a formula for why I don’t feel prejudice towards other people. Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone has some prejudice against someone or something. Part of it is fear of the unknown and part of it is how you were raised. I believe both of those mind sets can be changed.
God and Jesus are the biggest influences in my life right now. God loves all people and expects us to follow Jesus’s example of loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. I am not expecting you to like everyone, but I am expecting you to RESPECT the fact that ALL people have a right to exist and be part of this world.
I believe that if you would take the time to get to know someone from a different culture or circumstance that you would find you have much in common and the differences would make your life richer!
Nancy Wadman
Nancy is currently the Interim Ministry Coordinator for Spiceland Friends Church. She has been a member at SFC for 23 years and loves her church family! She retired from Tri Elementary School in 2014 after teaching 6th grade for 39 years. In her free time, Nancy loves to travel and walk the trails at Summit Lake with her dog, Gracie!