I was visiting after the conclusion of another seminary class.  I was sharing with one of my friends how I enjoyed the diversity of Andrews University.  Our conversion turned to how much progress our country has made in civil rights.   I asked what has been her experience as an African American growing up since MLK and the civil rights movement.  She was a little younger than myself so I expected a pretty mild testimony, especially as my friend came from the North. My friend shared how her father was blessed to be able to earn an education and get better employment.  She shared how excited they were to move into a “nicer” neighborhood in the NY suburbs.   But when they arrived, the neighborhood was not very “nice” to them.  They were called the N-word regularly and treated as though their presence was polluting the community.  One time on the way home from school she and her siblings even had dogs sent after them!  In self-preservation the children scrambled up on cars roofs to get out of reach of the attacking canines.  The police were called and upon arrival scolded the children to get off the cars, but did nothing about the neighbor who sent his dogs to attack them!  I remember thinking “What?! This continues to happen in my lifetime?” As our conversation came to a close she mentioned that it was nice talking to a white person who seemed interested in her experience and struggle as a black person.  As God has blessed me with many more cross cultural friendships, I continue to struggle with what is my role in all this as a white farm boy from the North.  What ought a Seventh-Day Adventist disciple do to address the ongoing racial divisions and inequalities in a nation that was founded with “…all men are created equal…”? - Pastor Walter Rogers