While I was in Jackson, MS I went to a organization where they fed over 300 people each day. It was in an old building, 5 stories high, filled with services, people and smells. Some pleasant, some not. After meeting the Director I was invited to their chapel service. I wish that all of you could have been there with me.
My face was the palest in the crowd. People kept "getting the Spirit" and standing up to share the songs or scriptures on their heart. One woman, who I later learned was named Geneva, really struck me. Her voice was raw, rough, from the heart. Her eyes soft, loving, gentle.
After the service I started talking to her about the song that she had sung. It had talked about how the world can't give it, so the the world can't take it away. The "it" she was singing about was joy. I asked her where she had learned to sing and she told me that at an early age her mother would speak songs to her and she would then just sing them.
Quickly she asked me if I wanted to hear the "ABC" song. I told her for sure. For the next two minutes I laughed, people hollered and swayed, we were all moved.
I went back the next day in between working and recorded the song and made a quick portrait of her.
I hope you are encouraged by Geneva as much as I was.
Click here to listen to Geneva.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Mark, thank you so much for sharing that with us. What a privilege to meet and hear such beautiful witnesses to the joy the world can't give or take away. I too wish I could have been there with you.
Wow. What a voice.
freakin awesome. You should do a whole story on her and have her sing certain parts of it.
Post a Comment