Albermarle, North Carolina: Right now, I am sitting at a table surrounded by books like Kid Concoctions of Biblical Proportions, Discovering Jesus in Exodus, The Little Lost Sheep, Hurry Up Noah, Discover God’s Love (Ages 3 and 4). That’s right, I am in the kid’s section of a Christian Book. The Abermarle Christian Bookstore, to be precise, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. (I literally just sneezed and two women said “bless you,” and I knew they really meant it). The store is home to hundreds of Christian paraphernalia, countless books and even some very witty T-shirts (“Global Warming: Don’t be here when things really heat up” a shirt tells us with a picture of the earth engulfed in flames).
For some, however, this shop is a place to find more than books. For Nicole a 21 year-old store clerk from the nearby Norwood, this is a place to spread her faith.
“Working here gives me the opportunity to minister people who wouldn’t necessarily end up in a church,” she says. “God brought me to work here, and it’s amazing to see who he brings here on a daily basis. I offer books, but I also offer hugs and prayers.”
For Nicole, it’s her faith that guides her in all areas of life, including politics (an area she says she is paying attention to for the first time in her life).
“As a Christian, I am pro-life and absolutely don’t agree with gay rights,” she says. “These things are sins, and all sins are serious in god’s eye. I’d also vote for anything to do with lowering gas prices. This has nothing to do with my faith, but I’m broke.”
Still, despite these strong stances, Nicole is not sure who she is going to vote for, or even if she is going to vote. She has never been told how to register, and she says that might just be enough of a hindrance to keep her from the polls.
As we sit around a table in the back of the store, Nicole drops by to ask our names so she can pray for us.
2 responses so far ↓
jhonny // June 13, 2008 at 6:05 pm |
this entry reminds me of jesus camp, ever watch it? it’s a 2006 documentary of children at a pentecostal summer camp (children dancing to christian metal, children’s nervous autonomic tics, etc) . there’s also this radio dj talking tangentially about this group of christians and securing their political voice in the govt. relevant? perhaps. btw, hurry up noah is such a cute little title.
And it ends… « Across the Great Divide // September 12, 2008 at 8:58 pm |
[...] I went, the importance of the internet was ubiquitous (says the internet journalist…). In Albermarle, North Carolina I had young and old people alike telling me that for the first time in [...]