To the citizens of Northview Subdivision, and the City of Natchez and surrounding areas: in the last several weeks or maybe months, I believe God the father has been speaking to my spirit about the crimes and violence that we have seen or heard about taking place in our city.

God has been saying wake up my people, look around and see, really see what is happening in our wonderful city. The city we all love so much and have worked so hard to build. Each morning we pick up our paper and we are praying in our heart, “Lord please not another death or robbery today.”

Every day we do see these things happening in our own neighborhood or to some of our friends around town.

The question that plagues me is, what do we do about it?

We can all do something if we come together and put our collective minds to it. I read an editorial the other day and the writer said so very well “criminals are not invisible” and that is true.

Everyone has eyes and ears so we need to be aware of our surroundings. I listened to a sermon preached in our church recently, that was taken from Nehemiah 1:3, it was about being a burden bearer such as Nehemiah who was considered a cup bearer.

What it all came down to is being your “brother’s keeper.” We may not all be called cup bearers, but we all have weapons that we can use to defend ourselves and our neighbors as well.

We must watch for what is happening, and most of us have cell phones, so use them.

The police have no eyes or ears except yours and mine, so let’s get to know them. They want to serve us, but they need us to give them information about what’s happening.

We must get to know their numbers and always remember that laws on the book are only as good as the people who enforce them. We can all do that too.

I believe the sermon on the “cup bearer” was confirmation to me of what God had been speaking in my heart.

I took action. I called my neighbors together and the Northview Subdivision Neighborhood Watch has now come alive and active again. Come on people. We can do it. We can’t sit idly by while criminals take over and rob, tear down and trash our neighborhood.

We have worked hard all of our lives to own our homes, and raise and educate our children. So let’s not allow others to destroy it.

We will fight back. So let’s take it by force. There is strength in numbers and love conquers all.

Let us love our neighbors as ourselves.

Maxine Rounds is a Natchez resident.