The Road Less Traveled

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

• Robert Frost

In January of this year I took a chance and applied for the Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Internship Program of the United Methodist Church. I wasn’t sure what was going to come, but I knew it could be an amazing opportunity that could equally become an irreplaceable learning experience.

So I took the road less traveled.

I applied for this internship over the winter break of my freshman year of school. The application required me to answer questions concerning my personal belief on social justice and how it works with religion. In many instances we as Christians use the Bible to punish others ( and each other) and primarily utilize it to point out sins: “The Bible says don’t do this ….. Don’t do that… watch out for this or you’ll go to hell.” However, when it comes to social justice and advocacy I believe the Bible instructs us to speak, heal, and transform those who are most unlike us; those who don’t have a voice, and especially those who don’t know the love and forgiveness Jesus brings. We are all created in His image and the failure to care for one another really is a failure in our faithfulness. From the application of the internship,  I could tell it could bring more depth into how social justice and the United Methodist church worked together to make this world a better place.

And I began on the road less traveled.

April 11 I received news that I had been accepted into the EYA Internship Program of the UMC Church and Society. Tears ran down my face as I read the acceptance email in the halls of my freshman dorm. I was overwhelmed not only with excitement but also gratefulness of what was about to come. A couple months later I was beginning to pack for the newest piece of my journey.

Moving forward on the road less traveled…

I am proud to say that I currently intern for the NAACP Washington Bureau as a Legislative Assistant. This branch of the organization focuses on the legislation that is passed by Congress that affects the equal rights of all humans, especially those in minority groups.  I am researching the bills and federal  programs, and its effectiveness,  towards one of the biggest issues in America today: homelessness. In conclusion, I can’t go any further without referencing one of my  favorite Bible verses, 1 Timothy 4:12 which states “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (NIV). This verse has often motivated me to work hard, be intentional, and lead those around me especially as a young, female, black Christian leader. As my father has taught me, nothing in this world  can get done if you let fear get in the way. Although, accepting this internship meant leaving my family and friends for two months,  I must say that in the few weeks I have been in DC my life has been impacted greatly. Thus, the late Robert Frost summed up my feelings of this adventure in the best way by saying, this summer  “I took the [road] less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Iris Gadsden

Summer ‘17

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