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?