by rofum | Jun 18, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
Church has not always been a safe place for me. The churches I grew up in made it very clear that people like me were not welcome. The exclusions were plenty; the empathy was scarce. I had sworn off church because of the bitterness that had grown. That all slowly...
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by rofum | Jun 11, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
Sometimes adults get it- sometimes they don’t. Jennifer always got it. She always let us tease her for the way she said “Ha-le-LU-jah.” She always set us up with the chords to start singing “Siyahamba” knowing fully well that we would respond by making fun of how she...
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by rofum | Jun 6, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
A great teacher can change your life. Besides all my music classes, one of my favorite classes in High School was Ecology with Mr. Chamberlain. Interlochen Arts Academy is tucked on a strip of land between two quiet lakes and surrounded by a state park and pine...
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by rofum | Apr 23, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
“I need you mommy,” she says as she extends her delicate arms out reaching for me. I sweep her up and embrace her tightly. I never want to let go. I want her to always need me, to always love me- exactly as she does in this very moment. But within seconds,...
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by rofum | Mar 21, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
In 2009 I came to ROFUM in search of a part time custodial position. Little that I knew at that time is that GOD had a full time career awaiting me in ministry. I was born and raised in Detroit, MI. I grew up in a low income household with a high energy of love with...
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by rofum | Feb 14, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
A BLESSING AND A CURSE…my name is laci marie basel…aka…born jim…sep 2, 1947…i have lived the past 15 months as my ‘true self’…a 70 year young transgender woman…i am the happiest i’ve ever been in my entire...
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by rofum | Jan 2, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
My name is Cathy and I have worn a lot of hats in my 33 years here on this planet. I was the Little Red Hen, in my kindergarten production of “The Little Red Hen,” a babysitter, an acolyte, lacrosse player, Captain of my Cheerleading squad. I was a college student at...
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