My name is Jamesetta Ferguson, and I graduated in December 2006 from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. I am pastor of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, which is a renewing church located in urban Louisville, KY. This 160 year-old church is located in the Russell community, directly across the street from the largest public housing community (Beecher Terrace) in Jefferson County, KY. There are approximately 743 head of households living in this community, with an estimate of 5,000 persons, primarily children and youth under the age of 18.
I am so excited about going to South Africa. This trip has been a life-long dream of mine, and I am so grateful to God, my family and friends for helping to make this dream come true. When I was a teenager, I read and looked at anything I could get my hands on about the African continent, so to actually be going is just so overwhelming for me.
I believe this trip will be a most transformative experience for me, because it will confront my understanding of human rights and social justice in this part of the world from a western culture prospective. The United Church of Christ has a tremendous Global Ministry that addresses human rights and social justice around the world and I hope that I will be challenged to participate more fully in its efforts, as well as lead the St. Peter’s UCC congregation to be more concerned about our brothers and sisters beyond the borders of the United States. The prophet Isaiah reminds us in 1:17 to “Seek justice, and to encourage the oppressed” not for some but for everyone and that’s a difficult task for many in our St. Peter’s faith community, because of the oppression that many of them experience right here in Louisville. For us to realize that even with our little we have more opportunity than many South Africans will be a powerful awakening. When I return, I hope to do a series of presentations about our trip to help communicate these benefits not only to our church community, but to other local faith communities. Also being an African American, this experience will give me an opportunity to share our rich African heritage with those in the community.
I am so excited about going to South Africa. This trip has been a life-long dream of mine, and I am so grateful to God, my family and friends for helping to make this dream come true. When I was a teenager, I read and looked at anything I could get my hands on about the African continent, so to actually be going is just so overwhelming for me.
I believe this trip will be a most transformative experience for me, because it will confront my understanding of human rights and social justice in this part of the world from a western culture prospective. The United Church of Christ has a tremendous Global Ministry that addresses human rights and social justice around the world and I hope that I will be challenged to participate more fully in its efforts, as well as lead the St. Peter’s UCC congregation to be more concerned about our brothers and sisters beyond the borders of the United States. The prophet Isaiah reminds us in 1:17 to “Seek justice, and to encourage the oppressed” not for some but for everyone and that’s a difficult task for many in our St. Peter’s faith community, because of the oppression that many of them experience right here in Louisville. For us to realize that even with our little we have more opportunity than many South Africans will be a powerful awakening. When I return, I hope to do a series of presentations about our trip to help communicate these benefits not only to our church community, but to other local faith communities. Also being an African American, this experience will give me an opportunity to share our rich African heritage with those in the community.
I’ve traveled to several foreign countries and have always enjoyed adventuring off from the tourist routes to come together with inhabitants from the country. I’ve been blessed to go to Mexico, Italy, France, Germany, Grand Cayman, various other islands in the Caribbean and Spain. The city I enjoyed the most was Barcelona, because the people were so hospitable and made such a concerted effort to include me into their culture. I believe that this radical hospitality will be present in our voyage to the Motherland. Asa’
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