My words are inadequate to the burden of my heart.

Last week, Ryan spent some time in Ferguson talking to people and observing. Today we all went. I wanted to see it for myself, and I really wanted the children to see it. I wanted them to see that Ferguson isn’t a bad place, I wanted them to see people using their Constitutional right to protest, I wanted them to see the way the community has come together, and, most of all, I wanted them to see the good that is being done there.

The media is still out, but in smaller numbers than they were:

The police command center is still a busy place, but with less National Guard presence:

There are businesses with boarded-up windows, many of which are once again open for business:

And others promising to return:

Other businesses are completely untouched, and doing well:

Even after two weeks, there is an eerie feeling surrounding the memorial:

There are people everywhere, and they are trying to make some good come out of this tragedy.

People have worked hard to express their feelings.

Even if their “approved assembly area is a small space.”

The Quick-Trip, which was the first target of looters and destruction, has been fenced off.

But overall, there is a sense that people love their community:

As we were leaving, an organized march of protest was getting ready to go down Florissant Road. And the police were working with the people, and blocking off part of the road so they could march in safety. Some officers were even marching with the people! A wonderful change in tone and attitude from what we were seeing on the news last week.

It is a hard thing to see, because as you look around, you don’t see the inner city or a ghetto…you see suburban America. This looks a lot like my town, and I bet it looks a lot like yours. We must never forget that this could happen anywhere, and we must work to improve things to make sure it doesn’t happen again.