The fifth-largest city in the U.S., Philadelphia, Greek for “brotherly love” (from philos, “love” or “friendship”, and adelphos, “brother”), was founded in the 17th century by William Penn. A Quaker, Penn had been subjected to religious persecution and wanted this colony to be a place of religious freedom.*
Do you remember the 1990s sit-com The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Will Smith? The whole series begins with Will Smith’s character being shipped off to live with his aunt and uncle in a southern California suburb because his mom got scared of the potential trouble he’d get himself into in his hometown, west Philadelphia.
Would it be far-fetched to think that in reality at the time, things were that grave in Philadelphia that if given the chance, parents would rather send their kids off in the hopes of a better future?
Now in the 21st century, a sizable portion of the City of Brotherly Love are, quite frankly, unloved and overlooked. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (found by way of Wikipedia), almost a fifth of the city’s population live below the poverty line.* The city’s made great strides but has a long way to go. In the span of three years, Philadelphia went from being ranked the sixth-most dangerous city in the U.S. to the 22nd-most.*
See firsthand what it is about this city that would compel people like Shane Claiborne to create community like The Simple Way, when twenty years ago, most people would leave.
Click here to learn more about the impact you could make in this city, even over the course of a few days. Witness how God’s presence has always been in Philadelphia, and join him in renewing the city through seemingly small acts of service and building relationships.
*Wikipedia, “Philadelphia”
*Photo credit: Wikipedia user Parent 5446
