Were You There
This song is traditionally sung during Lent in Christian communities and has been reclaimed by the Freedom Church of the Poor for the Season of Struggle and Lament. The lyrics were first rewritten by Rogers of Picture the Homeless during the Potter’s Field Campaign—an effort to expose how unhoused people are denied dignity not only in life but also in death, buried in mass, unmarked graves with no place for loved ones to mourn. Rogers sang, “Were you there when they buried all the poor?” as a prophetic reminder that God is present with and among the poor.
As we reflect on the life and crucifixion of Jesus—and the violent systems of empire that led to his death—we return to the haunting question of "Were You There?" to ask: What are the crosses our people are forced to bear today? What death-dealing realities does empire still impose on our communities? This song calls us to remember that God stands with the poor and oppressed and walks with us in our struggle. Lent is a season of reflection and repentance—an invitation to confront the suffering in the world, reject the systems that cause it, and commit ourselves to building a movement for justice, dignity, and liberation.
