When Morning Comes by Brandon Thibodeaux

Issue 40

There’s a little white church down behind Alligator, Mississippi. A few wooden signs nailed to trees along the gravel farm road guide the way. It’s a Traveler’s Rest Baptist Church led by Pastor Freddi Green. There were no more than a dozen in attendance on that hot summer morning, and three of those made up the choir. They sang songs like By and By, This Little Light of Mine, and Take My Hand Precious Lord, songs that speak about faith and perseverance.

“Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home”

I’d traveled to the Mississippi Delta in the summer of 2009 because I needed to breathe after my own troubled times. I was in search of something stronger than myself and three years later I still look for the symbols of strength and pride that I first witnessed. A simple beauty resides amidst the people and places that I have come to know in this journey. My ongoing project, When Morning Comes, seeks to recognize the struggle while celebrating the obstacles overcome.

“By and by, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God are gathering home.
We will tell the story how we've overcome,
We will understand it better by and by.”

Brandon Thibodeaux is a Dallas, Texas based photographer.
To view more of Brandon's work, please visit his website