Dance With Me | Talei Cama Moroka | FRESH WIND Series | June 7, 2020

Dear God, I thank you so much for your love.

Lord, I thank you for the fresh wind that you've given us.

And Lord, I thank you for being with us no matter where we are in life, no matter where we go.

God, we're so far from being perfect, and we fall and we fell many times, but Lord, you pick us up every single time.

And so, Lord, as I speak today, I just pray that um your presence is felt and your voice is heard through my words.

And Lord, I just thank you for today.

Amen.

Um today's a really special service.

We are in the middle of our fresh wind series.

Um there's been a lot of stuff that's going on around social media, a lot of things um being talked about in the world, so many different opinions, so many different um just discussions being brought up, and I got invited here to speak, and I just want to open the conversation with us today.

And before I say anything, I just want to say like I might I might say the wrong thing, I might um rub you the wrong way, but um I don't want that to stop the conversation.

And I think this is a really good opportunity in the world for us to practice graciousness and practice compassion for people and patience.

And so I don't want um anything that I say to end the conversation, and I think it's really important conversation that needs to have, and I think it's too important that if we just get hung up on words that it ends.

I just think it's um really important that we just dive in, but also just keep in mind, like, hey, I'm um I might not have it all together, so just bear with me today as I just start this conversation with you.

Um this message that I'm gonna talk about today is called Dance With Me.

Um called a Dance With Me because when we dance, it's it's kind of like you're always afraid of stepping on people's toes, and I think a conversation about racism that's going on in the world right now is kind of a lot like that.

Um, people are afraid to step on people's toes, and it can hurt and it can get ugly.

And um, I think it's a really important conversation that we need to have today.

So I'm gonna just invite you to dance with me as I open up this conversation today.

Umroca.

I am the children's coordinator here at KCC.

Um if you have been with us during a service before this whole situation happened, COVID, um, I would usually be chilling around in the service, taking photos.

If I wasn't there, if you didn't see me, I would probably be downstairs in the basement with your kids.

Um I do a lot of, I do, I teach down there in the grades two to six room.

So we'd be eating goldfish, singing songs, playing games, that kind of stuff.

Um but the conversation that I want to talk to you about today is um is very important.

And there's been a lot of things that have happened lately, a lot of tragedies and events that have sparked the topic of racism, and it actually brought to light um how much racism exists today and how important the conversation is.

It's a really tough conversation to have because racism has always been there, but people don't want to believe it, and it's there and it's existing, and it's the conversation about it, talking about it is really, really needed, and it's healthy.

And it seems messy right now, really, really messy, but it's something that's needed to be talked about for a really long time.

But the reason why it's difficult is there's a majority of people who find it you know hard to comprehend because you know, something that's easy for me to see and feel is really different for somebody who doesn't look like me to see and feel because of the color of my skin.

I experience um racism in a really evident way, and some people don't feel that the same way.

And so having a conversation about it is really difficult.

It's kind of like um when you meet a new person, you have to introduce yourself and you have to start with a conversation.

And I kind of get nervous when I meet somebody new because it's like I'm a very outgoing person, I'm super charismatic, and I don't want to like give that off because I don't want to scare them right away, right?

So I have a conversation with someone, and I kind of like you know, beat around the bush because I don't know what they're like.

I don't want to scare them away.

So, you know, you kind of when you meet someone new, you you're kind of trying to find like this level ground, like a common denominator, like some something relatable that you can talk about.

And so there's this thing called small talk that everyone does.

And I'm pretty good at small talk.

It's like just because I'm really like I I'm just I'm not about awkward conversations, like I don't stand for it, so I'll do anything I can to avoid that.

So small talk is in my blood right now.

And you know, if it's talking about the weather that's common, don't be ashamed about it, it happens.

Everyone does it.

So I'll be having small talk with someone when I meet a new person.

And you know, words will just like words will just be coming off my tongue.

It's easy for me to small talk, but inside of my head, I'm thinking about so many things because I want to be able to relate to this person.

Like there's gotta be a point past small talk, right?

Like they can't, I can't stay in that small talk area forever.

So in my head, I'm thinking questions like, okay, like what kind of like who is this person?

Like what are they like?

And I think like, okay, what kind of music do they listen to?

And I ask, like, okay, if I if I drop a voice to men reference right now, are they gonna understand it?

Like, are they into that?

Are they like voice to men?

Or if I drop a voice to men reference, they're just gonna think I'm weird for like being 20 and still listening to early 90s RB.

I don't know.

That could be that could be something.

So so that's what's going on in my head whenever I do small talk, right?

So maybe I work up the courage and I drop a reference, and this person picks up on it, and they they also like boys to men, and then all of a sudden we have this easy conversation because we both listen to the same music.

And I think racism, talking about racism, is a lot similar to the situation of meeting a new person.

I think when you meet somebody new, you're you know, you're you're beating around the bush and you want to find out who this person is, and you're a you know, you're you're trying to find this common level, something that you can both relate to.

But the thing with racism is it's very different for everybody.

Some people experience it more than others, and some people don't experience it at all.

And so when you're trying to find out the common denominator between people, it becomes a really awkward conversation.

So racism right now is a really touchy situation, but it's something that really needs to be talked about.

And it's awkward, and I get it, but it's something that needs to be talked about.

Um see, being black, I've experienced a lot of racism and prejudice in my life, and that's just not something that a white person can relate to the same way I can.

And so, my story, a little bit about me, is my dad's full Fijian, and my mom is white with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Um, so color of our skin, our race, it's always been something that we've just always known, something we've talked about.

My parents made it clear to us at a young age that we look different than other people.

There was a point where Moana, my older sister, told my mom, hey, I want to look like you and I want to have white skin and I want to have blonde hair and blue eyes because you're so beautiful.

And my mom heard that.

And as soon as she heard that, she made it clear to us that, hey, like, we are beautiful.

The color of our skin is beautiful.

And if anybody treats you differently for the color of your skin, if anyone devalues you or dishonors you or disrespects you for the color of your skin, that is wrong.

So for a lot of my childhood, I grew up knowing that I was different.

And there was times where I felt that from other people that I was different, but I knew I was beautiful, I knew I was valued, I knew I was honored.

But racism is still something that is super evident in my life, and it's just something that I know exists.

Um racism, prejudice, and privilege are all things that people relate to on very different levels.

And a common subject, a common statement right now in the media is privilege.

A lot of people don't believe that it's real.

Some people think that it's real, some people are, you know, just fighting and it's there's a lot of bicker about it, and there's um, you know, it's it's caused heartache on a lot of people.

But if I give you a definition of privilege, it would be when you think something is not a problem, because it's not a problem that you experience personally.

And it's really hard for people to s to understand that because it's it's just something that they don't experience, racism.

And so privilege is, you know, when when you think that racism isn't a problem because you don't experience it, it's really, really, it's it's it's it exists, it's real.

And the thing is, there's a big statement that comes about that that's called people say all lives matter.

And um again, like all lives matters, all lives do matter.

I'm gonna tell you straight, all lives do matter, but right now what's happening in the media, what's happening across the globe, there are people who don't feel like their lives matter.

And they're hurting, and they're facing injustice, and they're being oppressed.

And when they they're raising up their voices so that they can feel like their lives matter, and all lives matter is a really touchy subject, and it's a really bold, bold statement to make.

But the thing is, within today's context, it can be really misconstrued.

I have different experiences, I have different opportunities.

I don't get as many opportunities as a white person would get, and that's just how it goes because of the color of my skin.

So black people are oppressed, and black people are sad, and they're they're being hurt in so many ways that maybe some other people don't get to experience, and they're saying, Hey, my life matters, like help me, I need help, like stand with me, come be with me and help me and be united so that people can see that, hey, we want help, we want to be seen.

And then when somebody comes over who is not at the same level of oppression, not at the same level of missed opportunity, of bad experiences, of facing racism, when people like that come and they say, Hey, but don't you know that all lives matter?

It totally just disregards everything that the black community is fighting for.

And you can see in Luke 3, there's a parable of a lost sheep.

Jesus with his 99 sheep, one of them, he there's a hundred sheep, one of them goes astray.

That one sheep is lost and it's broken and it's hurt, and it's oppressed, and it's it needs Jesus' help.

And there's Jesus leaves all these 99 sheep aside, and he goes and he fights for the sheep and he finds it and he he finds it and he brings it back, and all the other sheep are saying, Hey, hey, like why what's wrong?

Like, what about us though?

Like, why are you leaving us?

Don't we matter?

And Jesus says, Hey, like these sheep, this this lost sheep, this broken sheep, they need me the most right now.

And that's kind of the same idea of like saying all lives matter.

It's where you you you sit at a place of like not being in the same position as this hurt sheep, and you say, Hey, but I'm I matter.

It's like, yeah, but this sheep is saying, I really need help right now.

And I really need you to be united with me and help me in this matter.

And I think you know, with Black Matters, it's Black Lives Matter is this big movement that's just across the world right now where black people are just standing up and they're trying to like recognize the racial injustice towards black people.

That's what this movement is all about.

Just recognizing racial injustice, and it's a thing.

And it's a really heavy conversation today.

And I know that some of you might have your kids with you in the room today.

Um, KCC Kids, I love you and I miss you so much.

I really can't wait till we get to be together.

And I want to make myself really clear today with you kids.

If you're watching, I want to I want to speak simply and I want to speak really clear, and I want you to be able to understand what I'm trying to say to you today.

So I'm gonna start it with this.

The color of my skin, because of the color of my skin, I'm treated differently.

And because of the color of my skin, I'm seen differently, and because of the color of my skin, I'm thought of differently.

And I'm not asking for you guys to do otherwise, but I'm asking for you to do it out of a place of love instead of hate.

Black people are hurting every year, everywhere, every year, and we are being treated based off of what we look like.

Um there's a common misconception that happens, like people seem to have this preconceived idea of who we are, and there's usually an action that comes along with it.

So, kids, I'm gonna make this easy for you to understand.

If um if I'm walking on the street and somebody looks at me, they see me as being a black person.

And when they see me in the color of my skin, they there's an idea that pops in their head, an automatic assumption of who I am, a first impression, and they look at me, and based off of my black skin, they they sometimes think really mean things about me.

And they maybe it's somet maybe it's fear that they think.

They think that I've done something wrong, they think that I am someone mean, and they think that I'm not a good person.

And sometimes with those thoughts, with those preconceived thoughts, with those first impressions of me, an action follows it.

And in action, sometimes that happen aren't nice, and they're really mean, and sometimes they hurt my feelings a lot.

And I have a simple question for everyone, and I'm not pointing fingers at anybody, I'm not pointing fingers at a specific race, I'm not pointing fingers at a specific generation, I'm not pointing fingers at a specific gender, and I'm not pointing um fingers at a specific group of beliefs, okay?

And this is the question.

But what if the preconceived notion, the first impression, what if the first impression of who we thought someone was and the action that came along with it was simply love?

What if the first impression was simply God's love?

What if I looked at somebody on the street and I felt an insane love for them, an intense love for them that I couldn't explain?

What if I saw them and I didn't immediately jump to conclusions based off of the color of their skin?

What if instead I looked at them and saw what God sees in them and God says that they are?

Because that's who they're called to be.

And what if instead of choosing to believe what I think that they are, what if I chose to believe what God knows and says that they are?

There's neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither slave nor free, there's no male and there's no female, for we're all under Jesus Christ.

It's so easy in this world to judge people based off the color of their skin.

And it's hard.

Like even me, I'll walk the streets and I like everybody has a first impression of someone.

Everyone does.

And if love is the preconceived notion, the action we all want to see happen in the world, then let's be it.

If if we want love to be that first impression, and if we want love to be that first, that first action, let's be that love, because we can be that love.

We live in a broken world, but God sent his son to this broken world to save us broken people.

And that's the truth of it.

That's some KCC truth.

We live in a broken world and we're broken people, but God sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save us broken people.

And this is the thing is the the problem is in the heart, and we need to find the person that fixes that heart issue.

And there's so many protests going on in the world right now, um, people standing up, and you know, I don't believe that a politician can save us, and I don't believe that a law will necessarily save us.

I know that it can help.

Um I don't believe that any amount of money will help us.

I don't think it will save the issue.

I don't think it will it will save the topic of racism.

And I really don't think a a social ad a social justice advocate is gonna save us.

The only thing, the only person, the only one who can save us is the one who created us.

He's the one who heals us from our sin.

He's the one who sent his son to save our sin, save our lives.

Racism is in the heart, but thank you that God, that we know how we can be healed, it's Jesus Christ.

Um the thing is, God had grace on us.

He had grace on us, and it all started with his love.

And when he had grace on us, we are then able to have grace on other people.

Um it all started with his love.

And that same love, this is something that we talk about a lot in kids' church.

So, KCC kids, if you're here and you're listening, you've learned a lot about this, that the same love that God had for us is in living inside of us.

And that same love that we get to have from God, we get to pour out into other people.

And there's something interesting is we, you know, I can live my life and I can have someone come up to me and speak something really mean, and um, you know, they'll have an idea about who I am, they'll follow that up with a mean action, and it's super easy for me to lash out of anger, to get angry and get frustrated and get upset, and and just be mad because this person had no reason to come up to me and say these mean words to me.

They had no reason to.

I didn't do anything to provoke them.

Why should I just be okay with this and let this happen?

But the thing is, is we can't let those emotions contradict our response to that person.

And we can't let anger and frustration and hate guide our actions.

We have to let the true love of God do that.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.

God is bigger than this.

God is bigger than this, and he's given us a fresh wind, and he's made sacrifices to the world.

God loved you so much that he gave his one and only son to save you.

But here's the thing, and this is kind of hard to swallow, but listen, there's some people who don't know of the sacrifice that God made for us.

There's people who know of it and they choose not to believe it, and there's people who knew of it got hurt because we weren't doing our job.

Why don't we just love?

Why is it easy for us to choose everything but love?

The truth is there are things in life, KCC kids, we talk about this all the time.

There are things in life that hurt you, there are things in life that make you sad, there are things in life that make you really, really frustrated.

And all these emotions might make acting out on bad behavior seem okay.

It might it might make revenge and rebellion seem good, but it's not.

We can't let those emotions take control of how you choose to treat somebody.

We can't let these emotions take control of the justice that Jesus already served on the cross.

He died for our sins, and he died for racism, and he heals our broken hearts, and the world needs him now more than ever.

I want to challenge you, church, to really think about the preconceived notions that we have against people.

We all have them, I have them, and it's not an overnight thing, you know, like ending racism for me to sit here and tell you, like, hey, like just think about it.

Just think about the next time you see someone, think about how God created them.

It's not an it's not an easy thing.

It's not an overnight thing, it's not something that I can just tell you right now and tomorrow racing racism is gonna be gone.

It's something that we have to work on.

But the thing is, to putting an end to hate, it starts in your own heart and it starts in the home.

And it's not easy because we're not perfect, but we have a perfect God with a perfect plan and a perfect purpose.

And I know that without him we couldn't do any of this.

So let's choose love.

Um black community of KCC.

Um, as a person of color, I want to say that I stand with you and I'm united with you.

And there's so many things that we want to change, see changed in the world, and your voice is heard and you're seen.

And black community of Kelowna, you are seen, and your voices are heard.

Black people of the world, you are seen, and your voices are heard, and I stand with you.

I'm a children's coordinator here at KCC, like I mentioned before, and um I spend almost every Sunday downstairs with your kids, and KCC, your kids are my kids.

And I'll teach on a Sunday, and I'll see Destiny, little black destiny come into my class, and I'll see a Daisy, and I'll see Kiana and Twain and all these black kids, and I see them, and I think about them growing up and having to experience bad things that other kids don't have to just because of the color of their skin.

And I see them missing opportunities simply because of the color of their skin.

And I know, church, that we can make a change to this, and that possibility might not actually be the true outcome because we can change, and it's in our hearts.

I want to invite you guys to walk with me, to walk with destiny, to walk with the Daisy, to walk with Mila, to walk with all the kids whose future could look scary.

The key verse this month in KCC kids, if you know it, you can say with me.

It's Psalms chapter 5.

Psalms 5 · chapter mention

51 verse 12.

Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails.

There's a group of people in this world right now who are trapped in this gray exile right now.

And they're calling people to help.

And they're calling people to stand with them.

They're calling people who don't know how to relate to them to be with them, to help them.

And it might be hard for people to see that.

But the thing is, there's always a way out.

It just starts in your heart and it starts in your home.

So walk with me, dance with me.

And this conversation is nowhere near over, I think.

Um I want to, I want to just close.

I want to, I just want to pray.

I want to pray for children.

I want to play, pray for um your kids from for my kids.

Um I want to bless you guys too, though, because it's a crazy world, and I know everybody has a lot of questions, and I know everybody has a lot of opinions, and um it's scary, and I know that it's scary to put your opinion out there on social media, and people are doing that all the time.

And I know that it's scary to even have the conversation because you might not feel capable um of doing that.

Um I just want to pray, dear God, Lord, I just thank you so much for your love of us as your family, Lord.

We are one family under you.

And it's really hard, God, for some people right now and they need your help.

And Lord, as a church, we have the opportunity to unite with them and hold their hand as they're seeking value and they're seeking love and they're seeking honor and justice, Lord, in this world.

Lord, I thank you for sending your son down to save us.

Thank you for healing our broken hearts.

Thank you for searching, leaving the 99 and chasing after the one that needs help in that very moment, God.

Lord, I just pray that as this conversation continues to flow, um, Lord, I just pray that people take it into their connect groups, into their small groups, and they have healthy conversations and they can hear each other out and hear um what kind of experiences have happened.

And Lord, I just pray that they can empathize and just be with people who are hurting in this moment.

Lord, I thank you so much that your love is always there.

And I just pray that we are that we just are wrapped in your abounding love, God, because that that's what people need right now.

So Lord, I just pray that your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Lord.

I thank you so much for the healthy conversation.

Lord, I pray for people grieving and mourning.

And Lord, I just pray for justice and righteousness to flow through the world right now at this moment.

Um, KCC, I want to leave you with some with one thing.

Um obviously, everybody has questions, everybody's has opinions, everybody has thoughts and um answers that they can be um just contributing into the conversation.

So I want to challenge you guys, like um continue this conversation into your small groups, in your home.

It's racism is not a conversation that is supposed to be had when you reach a certain age.

It's not a conversation that's you know supposed to have if you're only um if you're experiencing it, only if you're experiencing it.

It's racism is a conversation for everyone and it's something that can be talked about.

Um so I just I encourage you guys to take these conversations home with you, have it in your house, and to talk about it with your friends and your neighbors and your co-workers because it's something that's super important this whole week.

I've I think is the first time that I've actually sat down with somebody and talked it through.

I've always known that it was existing, and always knew that racism was something that I experienced, but actually talking about it and hearing, like me understanding how Malachi can't understand what I'm going through, it changes me in my perspective, and it it makes it allows me to practice grace and to practice patience, and this is the healthy conversation that needs to happen.

So um I just want to say, dance with me through this, dance with me in these conversations, don't be afraid to step on my toes.

Everyone's gonna step on toes, and that's just in life.

Everyone's gonna have the toes stepped on, and everyone's gonna step on each other.

So I just want to encourage you guys, like keep this conversation going because this isn't something that ends today.

You know, next week we will be continuing our series on fresh wind, but this this isn't something that ends here with me right now.

And um, I just want to encourage you guys today and thank you for joining us on our service, and uh, we'll see you next week.