Rivers of Mercy - a Bridge to a Better Future

When people say Pastor Dawn Clark is single handedly changing lives in a Monroe community, he says that’s not true.

Many, however, disagree.

“I’m getting a lot of help from other people in the community, from other churches in the area,” Clark said. “I’m not doing this alone.”

But without Clark and Rivers of Mercy Church on Davis Street in Monroe, it is unlikely anything like the project he is heading up would have happened at all. For Clark, it happened sort of by accident.

“Some might say it was a Godly accident,” Clark said. “I decided I wanted to go back into pastoring and was looking for a place to get started. At first I was going to start in my home, but I had a little bit of money and the building here on Davis Street was offered to me at a price I couldn’t say no to. I had to take what was offered to me.”

Clark, who lives in Grayson, said he had concerns when he first saw the building that now houses Rivers of Mercy Church on Davis Street. Not only was the building in need of repair, but it was also in a community that was just as much in need of repair. For generations Davis Street has been a problem area in Monroe – a place where gangs, drugs and crime often originated.

“I had concerns, I can’t say I didn’t,” Clark said, “But it was what I had in my heart to do. I got here and found that many individuals and other churches have given us things and helped us make it work. It is a community effort.”

Now, almost three years in, Rivers of Mercy is more than just a church in a community in need. It also is a community garden where people can pick their own vegetables, it is ballet and karate classes for children who might not otherwise have the opportunity and Zumba for those in the community who want to improve their health.

“Each one of the people involved has donated their time to the particular discipline just so they would be able to help the community out,” Clark said. “It is more like a cultural exchange program. With my wife being a middle school teacher (in Lilburn) we recognize the importance of education for us.  Things like karate and ballet also help build a bridge for these kids to see what’s possible in their lives.  They come here to class every week, but when they have to take a belt test they have to leave here and go somewhere else to actually take the test. Believe it or not, some of these kids haven’t ever been outside of Monroe. One of the issues when they don’t see anything outside of the area they come from, is that they can’t even perceive any other possibilities for themselves.”

Included in the cultural exchange program that Rivers of Mercy has offered was a trip to the High Museum of Art – with a stop off at the Varsity for lunch - and a visit with the Atlanta Braves.

“We feel it is our responsibility to take them beyond here,” Clark said, “So they can begin to see other possibilities for themselves.”

Clark also doesn't believe the economy should be used as an excuse for poverty.

“Some of things that keep people in poverty are ingrained, they’re taught, even the mindset that goes along with it,” Clark said. “Unfortunately it takes constant information and a repetition of seeing things happen in a different way for a person to actually break free of that. Many are unable to escape unless someone from outside comes in and helps walk them through it. Someone actually has to show them there is a different way.”

Clark said for him patience is a virtue that he personally has to work on. He would like to see things happen quicker. He has plans for the future and is ready to get them implemented. One of the things he has already managed to do is a regular Friday night dinner. One of the other churches or civic organizations comes in on a regular rotation to provide the community with a free dinner. Clark and some volunteers walk through the community regularly, inviting people to attend the church services, the dinner and the ballet, karate or Zumba classes. He also is working on an after-school program for the children and is looking to renovate a house in the community that was purchased on the courthouse steps.

“We want to have people settle here in the community,” Clark said, adding he has also spoken to the Monroe Police Department about possibly locating a precinct in the Davis Street community at some time in the future.

“Chief (Keith) Glass has been a great help – they have stepped up patrols – we have got so much help from everybody in the community,” Clark said. “Like I said, it really is a community effort.”

It might well be, but the community agrees it wouldn’t be anything if Clark hadn’t stepped up and got the ball rolling.

“He is doing great things for downtown Monroe,” said Monroe resident John Howard. "He really is making a difference."

(Editor's Note: Pastor Dawn Clark is one of the first bloggers to sign on to Local Voices in Monroe-GA Patch. His first blog also is featured in this inaugural edition.)