They tell me it’s a bad area

This place where you go to school every day

Where we come on Wednesdays

To tell you about

Jesus

And the Bible.

They tell me it’s a bad area

And they tell me that some of your parents are in gangs

But I never would have guessed

By your innocent

Faces

And your smiles.

 

They tell me it’s a bad area

But mostly it just looks empty.

There are tall brick walls around the outside

I suppose to

Protect

Along with barbed wire.

      

 

They tell me it’s a bad area

Here where you live.

You tell me that you are five

And I see that you love to

Dance

Just like me.

They tell me it’s a bad area

And it breaks my heart

To think that any child should have to live

In a place like that-

“Bad�

Or so they say.

 

They tell me it’s a bad area

But I know better.

Because God takes things that are ugly

And makes them

Beautiful

And He is here.