511: Seen & Heard
What is 511?
At Church in the City the term “511” pronounced Five-Eleven, comes from the scripture:
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up”
At our church we share different stories from our lives, where we know God has blessed us. We practice this scripture, so that we can be an encouragement to others, as they may be facing a similar situation, or maybe they know someone that would be encouraged by someone’s life experience.
Check out the latest story from ‘Jeanette Robinson’ who will share about the importance of family and the the miracle of God’s timing. This is her 511 #beencouraged
An Exhibit at the AGO
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory.
- Ephesians 3:20-21a
After years of having an on again off again relationship with my parents, this summer I found myself longing for a stronger connection with them. I began praying and asking God to show me how I could honour my parents.
Then one day near the end of August, I took my mother up on a birthday gift offer she had given me in May. I asked her for a membership to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). The next day I was at the AGO buying my membership and I arrived a half an hour before close. There was an exhibit going on called What Matters Most, Photographs of Black Life
In this exhibit, there was approximately 500 hundred displaced polaroids of black families. The artist, Zun Lee, had collected and curated them from Detroit, South California, and eBay.
I was in the gallery for no more than 5 minutes when I spotted a picture of my father, a 19 year old young man at the time, dapperly dressed holding a trumpet, and I recognized him immediately.
There were some young people near by that heard me exclaim, “that’s my dad!” Though they were not impressed with my excitement, it did not take me long to realize that something very special was unfolding. The exhibition offered contact information for anyone who recognized someone in the exhibit, so I reached out by email.
The picture of my dad that caught my eye!
When I left I also reached out to my father. It had been quite some time since we had spoken. He answered and was a bit down with the ‘ebb and flow’ of life. He said he was singing the Curtis Mayfield song, ‘Keep on Pushing’ to keep him motivated.
I told him I wanted to share something that might make him smile and told him about what I found at the exhibit. Tears filled his eyes and he was profoundly touched. The next day we went to the exhibit together, and he looked at the photo of himself. He was able to recall that whole memory of the day it was taken. He said that it was my mother who took the photo and he still has the same camera to this day.
After telling her about it, my mother went to the gallery to see the exhibit. Her visit was also timely as the artist, Zun Lee, was present. She was asked if she recognized anyone and she identified the photo of my father. They were very excited to meet her as the gallery was aware of my story with discovering the photo.
The week that happened, I was able to sit with my father over a tea in good old Tim Hortons. We talked and listened, forgave and accepted, shared and loved. My mother and I have bonded as well. In a mini field trip with her, she explained to me that the home in the picture was on a street called Clinton Street, here in Toronto near Christie Pitts. We walked down the street together and she showed me the house that was my first home after I was born. My parents got married in this home and she expressed some of the good memories, like finding $20 bill by a big oak tree that she used to buy her wedding dress. Also some hardships, of being a new immigrant in Canada and my father not having enough to buy proper shoes in the winter.
Since viewing the exhibit the three of us have been able to spend time together and reminisce over old photos as I served them pizza. We speak almost every day now.
My parents have decided to allow the AGO to keep the picture to share with others. My mom has been recognized as a photographer and the AGO now owns their first Angela Robinson. As for how the photo ended up to where it could be bought by the artist, that’s still a mystery. Perhaps an old family friend who visited from California made away with it. However it got there, it was meant to be and divinely orchestrated.
Not only have I been able to honour my parents, but they too were being honoured and seen.
In the words of my father, “This was a God moment.”
I thank God for family and will always be amazed by God’s timing. My name’s Jeanette Robinson and this is my 511.
You can check out a few other places that feautured Jeanette’s story!
www.cbc.ca & globalnews.ca
We would love to connect with you and get to know you better! Connect with us and we will do our best to serve you!
