It’s all about being there

An article about Eugene Rivers in the National Post (subscriber access only):

Eighteen years ago, he moved to Dorchester, one of the grittiest neighbourhoods in Boston.

A local drug dealer showed him the ropes and told him something he has not forgotten: “I’m there when Johnny goes out for a loaf of bread for Mama,” the dealer said. “I’m there, you’re not. I win, you lose. It’s all about being there.”

Rev. Rivers has committed himself to living and working with the poor, a model that is already in practice in such neighbourhoods as Regent Park, with the presence of The Salvation Army and its foot soldiers.

“We shop here, we worship here, we become a part of the community and that’s what brings transformation,” said Major Geoff Ryan, who acted as tour guide for Rev. Rivers.