Quote of the Week

"We should essentially establish the elimination of child poverty as a great national objective, not unlike what we did with the case of the deficit."

-Paul Martin, Federal Minister of Finance

In a world where social justice issues seem to press in on us from every possible angle, it can be exhausting to decide where to channel one’s energy. But when it comes to matters of finance and the common good, who sets our priorities?

The government holds great potential as a vehicle for change; but it often places little value on the voices of the poor and weak in our midst, despite their real and ever-growing needs. Take the Canadian healthcare system, the source of pride among so many national citizens. Despite this renown, a recent study by researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital found that 1 in 6 people experiencing homelessness in Toronto suffered from unmet healthcare needs over the course of the past year.

Perhaps we ought to take another look at just who benefits from this supposedly ‘universal’ system, and how that system responds to those who have fallen between the cracks. The painfully biased priorities of the Canadian government are also evident in its recent decision to shut down the federal prison farms program, rejecting a system of rehabilitation and sustainable, restorative justice in favour of prison cells and punitive action.

Jesus called for us to walk compassionately with the weak, the ill, the prisoners, the poor. Surely the plight of our neighbours ought be a national objective which carries the same weight as the government’s pledge to balance its books from year to year.

If we speak out and demand that our government tackle poverty with the same determination that it expends on its own internal priorities, perhaps we can start down the path toward a truly equal system.
 
*For more information or to get involved in the fight for the prison farms, check out the movement's website: Save Our Prison Farms.

Quote of the Week

“When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises.”

-Archbishop Oscar Romero

We’ve all heard the ancient proverb ‘ignorance is bliss’. Yet however much easier it might be for us if we could simply tune out the realities of urban poverty, it’s difficult to remain truly ignorant when we come face to face with social inequality every time we walk down a city street.

Many of those in our midst struggle to understand the causes of suffering that leave so many of our fellow people in despair. What are the causes at the root of homelessness and urban poverty, and how can we respond to these structural issues, which are often so complex and difficult to grasp?

The history of suffering is complex, and every individual’s story is unique. Yet as anti-poverty activist Mike Creek points out in a recent Toronto Star article, current government programs often serve as a “trap” that can hinder, rather than assist, those struggling to rise out of poverty.

We can’t feign ignorance. At the same time, we cannot condemn the social structures from which inequalities arise without recognizing our own role in perpetuating them. As many have said before, inaction is a form of action: if we do nothing to work for social change, then we are accepting and affirming the system as it currently exists.

We have heard the cry of the oppressed- and we, the church, must respond.

Going 'Behind the Scenes'

“My TOOLS weekend was really awesome! It opened my eyes to the reality of it all. I always knew there were homeless people and that there were shelters available to them, but this weekend I realized just how much work goes into running a shelter. There's so much that needs to be done, and so many people that work behind the scenes.

If we all did our part to help the homeless through shelters or just talking to them and giving support I'm sure the world would be a much better place for everyone! Not just the homeless, but the caregivers as well. Giving time and help feels great and is very rewarding!

Thanks for guiding me and my youth group around Toronto and the great talks we had. We all enjoyed the weekend and learned a lot.”

-Julianne Janzen, Vineland United Mennonite Church

Quote of the Week

“But if we mean it, if we do believe the biblical doctrine that God and his people have a special concern for the poor and the oppressed, we must teach it and live it in a world of injustice and starvation.”

-Ronald J. Sider,

author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

In reflecting on the word of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ, believers and non-believers alike speak often of the ‘radical’ nature of the Christian faith. Jesus speaks again and again about radical political concepts: redistribution of wealth and the rejection of unjust laws, among others.

As we struggle to live out our faith through everyday acts of love and kindness, however small and humble, we clearly express our strong belief and commitment to Jesus’ teachings. Yet how willing are we, as Christians and as citizens, to truly engage in the sort of radical political and social actions that can challenge these systems of oppression at their core?

As our TOOLS participants have seen, the causes of urban poverty and homelessness extend far beyond the simple lack of food or of a bed. Structural violence is a major player in the sequence of events and oppressive circumstances that continue to leave thousands of people living on the streets in Toronto and around the world.

As Jack Layton, leader of the federal New Democratic Party, emphasizes, “Eliminating poverty in Toronto will take collective action. The province, the city and the federal government must all do their part. But they won’t always be willing participants and it’s up to each citizen of our city to demand that more is done.”

We are Christians-- and we are also citizens. In a secularized society characterized by the separation of church and state, how does our faith define our political identity? How radical are we prepared to be in our response to the structures and systems that govern life beyond the ‘day-to-day’?

On Being Grateful

“I really enjoyed doing the street walk on Friday night, to put ourselves in the situation of people who find themselves on the streets- just to see how hard it would be just to find a place to sleep, food to eat, and even clean water to drink.

I also really enjoyed listening to Steve’s story about how he became homeless, and how his life pretty much just got thrown away- but then it was amazing how God worked in his life just so that he could live a “normal” life again.

I think that we learned a lot this weekend. I especially learned that none of us should be complaining that we don’t have enough, because we actually have more than enough. Unlike the people experiencing homelessness, we actually have houses to live in, more than one set of clothes to wear, food to eat, water to drink and lots more. So we should all be very grateful for what God has given to us.

I really hope that we can have another experience like this again sometime.”

-Lorissa Brubacher, Alma Bible Church

God at Work

“We learned and experienced much during our TOOLS weekend. I particularly enjoyed connecting with one of the street people who came to the Church of the Holy Trinity on Sunday morning for breakfast. She was very free in her conversation with me, and shared a lot of her life experiences.

When she thanked me for talking with her because it helped her feel “normal”, I was impacted by the realization that just by offering myself, my time, my attention, that this is a gift in itself, and the love of God can impact another through me.

Amazing how God works. He has put in all of our paths people who desperately need input, and His love to be shown in a very practical sense.”

-Sandra Brubacher, Alma Bible Church

Quote of the Week

We feel that as a care giving organization, it is not fair to our people if we only address their needs. If people are only asked what their needs are, they begin to only think of themselves as needy. But if we begin to ask what they can offer through their gifts, they begin to realize they have value and that they are worth something. Jesus said 'it is more blessed to give then receive'. (Acts 20:35) In many ways, caregivers have made people needy so that they could receive the blessing of giving. However, we need to turn the tables and provide opportunities for our residents to give so that they too can receive that blessing.

-Mission Statement, The Salvation Army Gateway

As we think about issues of urban poverty and homelessness, it can be very easy to put the problem before the person. It can be easy to forget that people, whatever their circumstances, are much bigger than the problems in their lives.

Nobody likes the idea of receiving ‘handouts’. However well-meant a gift may be, there is often a sense of helplessness associated with receiving something that you feel unable to reciprocate in any way. ‘Handouts’ are often seen as impersonal, discouraging, and limited in their ability to really foster any meaningful change for the better in peoples’ lives.

We are all equal in the eyes of God; by meeting people on equal ground and inviting them to share their gifts with us, we stand to learn a valuable lesson about the meaning of service.

Service is not just a one-way street. Sometimes we can serve better simply by accepting the blessings and service of others. In so doing, we can offer a great deal more than just a ‘handout’- we can make it possible for people to empower themselves.

Sacred Children, Precious Stories

“As we settle back into life here at home, I am realizing how much we learned and were exposed to while in Toronto with TOOLS. It was a full and tiring week but I would not want to miss one part of the experience we had. As a youth leader, I was looking for a program that would include a primary focus on learning along with service work. TOOLS is a wonderful example of a program that seeks to help participants learn about the issues of poverty and homelessness and connect those issues to the people and organizations that we serve throughout the week.

For me, the most important part of the week was the opportunity we had to share food and conversation with people experiencing homelessness. This was not an easy thing for many of us - what do you talk about with people who live on the street? Our group reacted to these experiences in different ways but for all of us, our stereotypes (even if lightly held) were blown apart as we were introduced to the astonishingly diverse community that frequents places like shelters and soup kitchens. While some individuals fit the average description of people who live without a home, many surprised us and helped us to see every person as an individual with a story; a story that was worth listening to.

TOOLS invites participants to consider these stories, to see people experiencing homelessness as sacred children of God. The passion and commitment of the people at the organizations we served with was a wonderful example of people seeking to offer dignity and respect to people who are continually marginalized in our society. We were inspired by much of what we saw in Toronto and I hope that we will take our experience there and find a way to allow it to transform how we interact with people living in poverty here in Goshen, Indiana or anywhere we might end up.”

-Tamara Shantz, Assembly Mennonite Church

The Proper Response

"Last summer, my youth group and I were approached by a homeless woman panhandling for money. This incident deeply divided the group on how we as Christians should respond. Half felt she was clearly in need, asking for financial help and we should give it to her. The other half of the group did not view it this way and felt giving her money could further perpetuate her problems and would not be helpful to her at all.

In preparing for and embarking on our TOOLS weekend, the great debate once again rose to the surface. TOOLS was a great experience in that we learned about our own prejudices and misconceptions about the homeless. The truth was, we didn’t know this woman’s story, and we knew absolutely nothing about her at all…how could we respond properly?

We also learned there are many practical ways in which we can help such as volunteering at and/or donating to local shelters and food banks. On our street walk we learned about what complex issues homelessness and poverty are. From individual bad choices and unforeseen circumstances to ineffective government polices, this is clearly not an easy problem to solve, and one that is not going away anytime soon.

Most importantly, we learned that we are called to follow the example of Jesus, and to love one another. This means taking the time to get educated on how some of the decisions we and our leaders make affect not only us, but those around us. This means looking for creative practical ways to help. This means taking the time to learn who these people are, to hear their story. Then and only then can we properly respond with love and compassion."

-Susanne Thiessen, Faith Mennonite Church

Quote of the Week

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

As this Bible verse asserts, wealth is always uncertain. Living in Canada, one of the world's most wealthy countries, it is easy to forget that we all run the risk of becoming marginalized peoples. Yet we are all susceptible to emotional trauma, abuse, workplace injuries and mental disability- to name just a few of the many unpredictable circumstances that have characterized the lives of many people experiencing homelessness and poverty in our cities.

If we want to truly live- to experience God's love, and lead a life on Earth that is meaningful, fulfilling, and rich- we must recognize our responsibility to share time, resources and love with our neighbours from all walks of life.

In so doing, we also stand to gain a great deal from those to whom we open ourselves up.

Opening Our Eyes and Extending Our Arms

"TOOLS was an eye-opening experience for my youth. Most of the youth that attended this service experience were from rural and suburban homes. TOOLS helped to breakdown stigmas and stereotypes that exists about homelessness.

Our street walk guide, Anthony, brought us to everyday places and explained how people that are experiencing homelessness see these places. The youth were able to empathize with people experiencing homelessness and see firsthand what situations confront this group of people.

This service experience helped them to see the complex issues surrounding people experiencing homelessness and it provided them opportunities to help assist these people. TOOLS helped draw our youth group closer together as well as draw them nearer to Christ."

-Martin Misener, Vineland United Mennonite Church

Quote of the Week

"...Maybe it's low-wage work in general that has the effect of making you feel like a pariah. When I watch TV over my dinner at night, I see a world in which almost everyone makes $15 an hour or more, and I'm not just thinking of the anchor folks. The sitcoms and dramas are about fashion designers or schoolteachers or lawyers, so it's easy for a fast-food worker or nurse's aide to conclude that she is an anomaly — the only one, or almost the only one, who hasn't been invited to the party. And in a sense she would be right: the poor have disappeared from the culture at large, from its political rhetoric and intellectual endeavors as well as from its daily entertainment. Even religion seems to have little to say about the plight of the poor, if that tent revival was a fair sample. The moneylenders have finally gotten Jesus out of the temple."

-Barbara Ehrenreich, in Nickel and Dimed

The mass media, undeniably, has its flaws. Yet when we turn on our television sets at night, it's much easier to reflect on the things that we do see- the stereotypical portrayals of gender roles, for example, or the often-biased news coverage about global warming- than about the things, and people, that we don't see at all.

It can be all too easy to avert our eyes, to avoid recognition of the poor in our midst as we walk down city streets or past shelters and food banks. When even the media turns a blind eye, who is left to remind us of the rich stories and histories that characterize the lives of these "invisible" people?

Check out the NY Times for Barbara Ehrenreich's 2009 editorial series on America's working poor.

Breaking Down Stereotypes and Living God's Love

“The weekend was definitely eye-opening, as I did not really know what to expect going into it. I had this idea going into the weekend that people living on the street were unintelligent, because if they were intelligent they would get a job and a home.

I realized through the course of the weekend that I really have no idea how people ended up on the street or how intelligent they are. All I really know about is that they are God's most precious creation, and they should be acknowledged and respected as that.

I learned that God is the ultimate judge in a way I never really considered before, and I also came to the understanding that God created us to love us; He loves every one of us, and I am called to be an extension of that love to the people I meet.”

-Trevor Martin, Alma Bible Church

Quote of the Week

“I could not explain this sadness to the apartment dwellers who surrounded me. They had no idea of the precious comforts they took for granted: to be able to know your kitchen sink, to look at it comfortably and know it will always be yours; to sit on your back step and contemplate your yard; to look calmly upon your front door with no danger of not seeing it again; to lavish in insideness, your walls, your light fixtures, your toilet paper holder."

–Lisa Gray-Garcia, in Criminal of Poverty: Growing Up Homeless in America

What does it truly mean to "be privileged"? Those of us who have experienced steady and secure housing, employment, and lasting long-term relationships- amongst countless other blessings- inevitably see the world through a very different lens from those of us whose reality has been less stable. Yet even at the most basic level, hidden inequalities pervade even the most simple aspects of our daily lives.

As Lisa Gray-Garcia points out, even one's understanding of what it means to "be privileged" can actually bear the marker of that same privilege. If someone has never lived in fear of eviction, it might never even occur to them that such stability could be considered a privilege.

In a society that teaches us to strive constantly for more- more pairs of shoes, more garage doors- it's easy to lose sight of the simple things. Whether it be the humble fixture that holds our toilet paper, or the simple fact of coming home to the same front door every day, many of us have the privilege of taking for granted the most basic of luxuries- blessings so simple that we often forget to consider them luxuries at all.

Reflections...

"My experience with the TOOLS program was really great. It really opened my eyes to see how people on the streets actually live and survive. I really enjoyed going on the street walks to learn how people on the street find their food, clothing and shelter.

It was really neat being able to talk to homeless people and realizing that they really aren't as scary or crazy as some people think they are. I had assumed that the homeless would keep to themselves but, I soon found out that most of them seemed to want to talk to someone and they could easily strike up a conversation with you.

I really liked going to another church (Grant A.M.E.) too. It was cool to see how different but yet how similar every church is. I thought it was really neat that we got to kind of explore a lot of Toronto. There were so many places that we went to see and it was a lot of fun just to roam around the streets.

Probably the biggest thing I learned from my experience was how fortunate I am. Since then, I have most definitely been a lot more thankful for everything God has given me."

-Kayla Martin, Alma Bible Church

Quote of the Week

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, than what am I? And if not now, when?”

–Rabbi Hillel

Service is about more than just ‘work’. It is about extending ourselves beyond the boundaries of daily living, beyond our personal privileges and accomplishments, and recognizing that we cannot be “for ourselves” without also being for others.

As Jesus says to the Disciples in Matthew 25:40, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ We are all a part of the same body, and we are all equal in the eyes of God. Yet as we go about our daily routines and activities, it can be easy to forget about the suffering in our midst.

If we turn a blind eye to poverty and suffering, and spend our days solely in pursuit of material things that “make us feel good”- iPads, big-screen TVs- are we really doing ourselves any favours?

If we choose not to speak out against injustice, aren't we committing an injustice against ourselves?