As we drove down the street in small town rural Kentucky I mentioned to my friend and fellow Christian, Ryan Swolsky, how often I feel stuck, how those who know me have told me to take the first opportunity to leave to bigger and better things. Small town Kentucky has a way of doing that to you, it seems those who live here are either the cast-a-ways of society or those who just didn’t have the will to leave. Almost everyone you meet who is younger tells you how the first chance they get they are going to leave and almost everyone you meet who is older tells you if they could do it over again they would take the first chance they could get to leave.
That seems to be the sentiment of this small, rural, riverside, county in northern Kentucky. Not to say there aren’t those who are well off, there are of course the wealthy businessmen and the local political figures as well as those of a more illustrious career such as my above mentioned friend Ryan who is a Deputy-Sheriff. He certainly doesn’t make a fortune but is probably better off than the majority of Mason County’s impoverished residents.
Our drive takes us to one such impoverished location in downtown Maysville often referred to as ‘The hood’ by the locals. ‘The hood’ is, statistically speaking, composed primarily of an African-American community that, to say the least, don’t have the best living conditions. The sight of a Sheriffs Car does garner some attention as we wind through the streets passing homes with barred windows. Ryan in his ever cordial character decides to stop his Dodge Charger and get out and speak with a young man on a skate-board.
The kid was at first taken by surprise to be talking with an Officer of the Law but seems to relax a little bit as Ryan watches some of his skate-boarding skills in action and shows him a few tricks of his own. Then the young man seems to tense up a little bit as he steps away from the skate-board and closer to me. As a bystander begins to video tape the talent exhibition the kid leans over to me and asks ‘Why did you all stop and talk to me?’ I answered quickly that Ryan was a nice guy who was interested in skate-boards and just wanted to get out and talk.
The kid then posed the question to Ryan only revealing something a little more sinister about his outlook, ‘Why did you stop me?’ he asks ‘Is it because I am black?’ Ryan and I were both taken by surprise. As we get back into the squad car Ryan and I exchange looks as he vents his frustration with situations like this. It seems that no matter how hard you try to break the barriers and extend an act kindness, compassion, or friendship something always gets in the way. I encouraged Ryan to keep doing what he knew was right even when things didn’t seem to pan out for him and in his ever courageous attitude he assured me he wouldn’t stop reaching out to this poor, hurt, and dare we say at times deceived community.
About a week later as I read through the online News Paper I noticed something… an article about Ryan. Turns out that the woman who captured the video of the scene contacted the local Paper and after reviewing it the Ledger-Independent decided to publish a very positive article about Ryan’s “Awesome” act of outreach. As I spoke with my co-workers that afternoon they all were stoked about ‘the skate-board cop’ who took a few moments to reach out to their community.
At that moment it dawned on me. Here in a rural Kentucky river-town, a place where the community felt at times cheated by life, a small act of kindness had made their life just a bit better. Ryan had an opportunity to share a little bit of Christ’s love in a place of darkness. It took him 5 minutes and yet he will be remembered for 5 years. It struck me that the answer to helping this community of people who felt stuck, cheated, and cast aside wasn’t to leave them to their own fate but to reach out, show Christ’s love, and take 5 minutes to share some love of our own. Deputy Ryan Swolsky is a hero in Blue who represented well his savior, and our ultimate hero Jesus Christ.
That seems to be the sentiment of this small, rural, riverside, county in northern Kentucky. Not to say there aren’t those who are well off, there are of course the wealthy businessmen and the local political figures as well as those of a more illustrious career such as my above mentioned friend Ryan who is a Deputy-Sheriff. He certainly doesn’t make a fortune but is probably better off than the majority of Mason County’s impoverished residents.
Our drive takes us to one such impoverished location in downtown Maysville often referred to as ‘The hood’ by the locals. ‘The hood’ is, statistically speaking, composed primarily of an African-American community that, to say the least, don’t have the best living conditions. The sight of a Sheriffs Car does garner some attention as we wind through the streets passing homes with barred windows. Ryan in his ever cordial character decides to stop his Dodge Charger and get out and speak with a young man on a skate-board.
The kid was at first taken by surprise to be talking with an Officer of the Law but seems to relax a little bit as Ryan watches some of his skate-boarding skills in action and shows him a few tricks of his own. Then the young man seems to tense up a little bit as he steps away from the skate-board and closer to me. As a bystander begins to video tape the talent exhibition the kid leans over to me and asks ‘Why did you all stop and talk to me?’ I answered quickly that Ryan was a nice guy who was interested in skate-boards and just wanted to get out and talk.
The kid then posed the question to Ryan only revealing something a little more sinister about his outlook, ‘Why did you stop me?’ he asks ‘Is it because I am black?’ Ryan and I were both taken by surprise. As we get back into the squad car Ryan and I exchange looks as he vents his frustration with situations like this. It seems that no matter how hard you try to break the barriers and extend an act kindness, compassion, or friendship something always gets in the way. I encouraged Ryan to keep doing what he knew was right even when things didn’t seem to pan out for him and in his ever courageous attitude he assured me he wouldn’t stop reaching out to this poor, hurt, and dare we say at times deceived community.
About a week later as I read through the online News Paper I noticed something… an article about Ryan. Turns out that the woman who captured the video of the scene contacted the local Paper and after reviewing it the Ledger-Independent decided to publish a very positive article about Ryan’s “Awesome” act of outreach. As I spoke with my co-workers that afternoon they all were stoked about ‘the skate-board cop’ who took a few moments to reach out to their community.
At that moment it dawned on me. Here in a rural Kentucky river-town, a place where the community felt at times cheated by life, a small act of kindness had made their life just a bit better. Ryan had an opportunity to share a little bit of Christ’s love in a place of darkness. It took him 5 minutes and yet he will be remembered for 5 years. It struck me that the answer to helping this community of people who felt stuck, cheated, and cast aside wasn’t to leave them to their own fate but to reach out, show Christ’s love, and take 5 minutes to share some love of our own. Deputy Ryan Swolsky is a hero in Blue who represented well his savior, and our ultimate hero Jesus Christ.