Faith, trust, action meet at powerful homegoing service for youth mentor Mark Myles

“I don't know if anyone has any ill feelings toward the young man that shot Mark. Don't. Forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive. And, let it go.”

These are the words spoken by Chinia Myles, the mother of Mark Myles at his funeral on Saturday in Selma High’s auditorium, as she referred to Allen McCampbell, who has been charged with shooting and killing her son.

She went further and stopped in the middle of her remarks saying, “Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for Allen right now in the name of Jesus. You know all about Allen because you made him, Father. And he is faithfully and wonderfully made. Mighty are the works of your hand. I lift him up to you today, Lord.”

It was a powerful homegoing service. It was where faith, trust and action met and had a deep conversation and ran with it. We witnessed a great number of young people who had stood earlier as mentees to Mark go down both aisles to the ministers who were waiting to receive them in prayer. According to Gospel Tabernacle Pastor John Grayson, who did the eulogy and altar call, about 40 young men came crying to the altar to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Many spoke of the impact Mark had on their lives. 

“Mark was in the trenches. He was in court. He was everywhere,” District Judge Vernetta Perkins said. 

His co-worker, Ainka Sanders, said Mark was a peacemaker and a LOTUS (Leaders of the United States) in the making. 

Dr. Alisa Smiley-Rudolph read a note by Messiah Smiley, a ninth grader at Selma High School. “I gave up more than once,” the letter read. “But just hearing Mark telling me, ‘God gave you a gift that not many have.’” 

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Rev. Jon Chappelle brought comic relief as he told the story of how he and Mark met and how they gave pastor Daniel Martin (who carries a large cross across the streets of Selma) a run for his money. He said it started with a few "yo mama jokes." The crowd laughed. They were the best of friends after, he indicated, and said he saw a man that had a strong conscience and conviction and who loved social justice and met people right where they were. 

Selma Mayor Johnny Moss III presented a proclamation, and Sen. Robert Stewart and State Rep. Prince Chestnut each presented a resolution. Lydia Chatmon coined a new hashtag: #LiveLikeMark.

Mark's mother, however, took us on a journey of Mark that painted a vivid picture of how a young teenager got into mischievous things time after time and later came to God and set a different course for himself and other young men. 

“It finally stuck,” she said. This opened the door for Pastor Grayson to share about his own life. He shared how he was without his parents, tossed from home to home to whomever would take him in. This found him getting into a lot of trouble. He took a note from Mark’s mother and showed how he later changed his ways and came to God. This allowed the young men to freely come to the altar just as they were, in tears and hungry for God. The altar was for those who wanted more God in their lives.

Young people respond to the hard, cold truth. Chinia Myles gave them that – a chance to see the whole picture, the whole Mark. She told them that it is not where you started; it is where you end up. She made a plea to all men to “rise up and help. When you see a single mother struggling, help her. Men, we need you. We need your help.”

How fitting. How strong. How inspiring and challenging. 

Mark Myles has left an indelible mark on those who encountered him. It was evident at his final stand. He left a meeting to go see about a friend. Pastor Grayson quoted scripture, saying, “There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend.”