My heart is heavy,
but it does not break.
It would break, for all that needs doing that I cannot do.
It may not be mine to do,
but I would still do it.
Fix, fix, fix.
I want to fix it. I want to mend it. I want to make it right.
Deep, deep, deep.
Deep are the connections we have, though we seem to miss it.
I breathe. I breathe.
I sigh.
I squeeze my eyes shut
and I pray.
It's all I can do.
Surprise, surprise.
I pray.
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
16 April 2010
12 March 2010
Lenten reflection - March 12: Grace is our inheritance
March 12: Grace is our inheritance
By Ross Peterson-Veatch, associate academic dean and Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning director of curriculum and faculty development (Goshen College)
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
DEVOTIONAL:
As the father of two sons, this passage speaks deeply to me of the gift of extravagant love that God has given by blessing me with my boys. It comforts me so to know that God heaps that love on me and also on you. I understand that no matter how far I stray, I am forgiven as soon as I even so much as desire to repent and return. God knows what’s in my heart, and will offer me forgiveness even though I am unworthy.
But it also challenges me to imagine the ways that the things I hold on to affect me. How can it be that the father celebrates the return of the one who wished him dead by asking for his share early, the one who spent that share in the most selfish ways imaginable, the one who disgraced the older brother, himself, and perhaps most unbearably their own father?
In my Lenten prayers, I usually focus on the space I make for God in my life by letting go of something. But this Lenten season, I have been praying about what I hold on to. And in this passage, I read the challenge for us as “letting go of what we hold onto.” As I hold onto my desire to do what is right, say what is right and even think what is right, I can miss that my inheritance is not a reward for being righteous – it is, instead, God’s grace.
That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t strive to live righteously, and to keep the promises I make to others, to myself and to God. But grace doesn’t come to me because I have done those things, it comes to me only because I let go of the human things I hold dear, and hold fast to God.
PRAYER:
May we feel your grace today, Lord, as we seek to love you with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our strength.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)
Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
So he told them this parable:
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe – the best one – and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
By Ross Peterson-Veatch, associate academic dean and Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning director of curriculum and faculty development (Goshen College)
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
DEVOTIONAL:
As the father of two sons, this passage speaks deeply to me of the gift of extravagant love that God has given by blessing me with my boys. It comforts me so to know that God heaps that love on me and also on you. I understand that no matter how far I stray, I am forgiven as soon as I even so much as desire to repent and return. God knows what’s in my heart, and will offer me forgiveness even though I am unworthy.
But it also challenges me to imagine the ways that the things I hold on to affect me. How can it be that the father celebrates the return of the one who wished him dead by asking for his share early, the one who spent that share in the most selfish ways imaginable, the one who disgraced the older brother, himself, and perhaps most unbearably their own father?
In my Lenten prayers, I usually focus on the space I make for God in my life by letting go of something. But this Lenten season, I have been praying about what I hold on to. And in this passage, I read the challenge for us as “letting go of what we hold onto.” As I hold onto my desire to do what is right, say what is right and even think what is right, I can miss that my inheritance is not a reward for being righteous – it is, instead, God’s grace.
That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t strive to live righteously, and to keep the promises I make to others, to myself and to God. But grace doesn’t come to me because I have done those things, it comes to me only because I let go of the human things I hold dear, and hold fast to God.
PRAYER:
May we feel your grace today, Lord, as we seek to love you with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our strength.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)
Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
So he told them this parable:
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe – the best one – and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
08 June 2009
Sunrises and Sunsets - Creation is good
I got to share the sunset over Okanagan Lake with a pair of loons tonight. They're cool like that, as Brandi might say.
At the beginning of my drive out here to Naramata on Sunday afternoon I experienced the euphoria of the summer road trip - sunshine, windows open, 80's music... Maybe you can relate.
It was the continuation of a good day where I watered the garden, brushed the dog and was thankful for all the birthday wishes of the previous day. I absolutely don't feel old but it feels very strange to say that I am 40. hmmm
So big birthday passed and I got to be reflective while driving the beautiful stretch of Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Hope. Primary thought - no regrets. I'm quite happy with the choices I've made so far in life, including the ones that have brought me grief because apparently I learn much better if it's painful!
Am I here on vacation? Nope, but I'm doing something quite enjoyable. I'm hanging out with young union members who might one day (soon?) be young union activists. They're here learning about their union, collective agreements, health and safety, and globalization. And they're having fun.
To echo an earlier post by MahoneyMusings, I am grateful. Grateful for the freedom to make the choices that I have. Grateful for the desire and the guidance to help build a community within a community that is centred around human spiritual and material need. Grateful for the vast diversity in creation and in humanity. We are rich in creativity and compassion, just dig a little deeper.
At the beginning of my drive out here to Naramata on Sunday afternoon I experienced the euphoria of the summer road trip - sunshine, windows open, 80's music... Maybe you can relate.
It was the continuation of a good day where I watered the garden, brushed the dog and was thankful for all the birthday wishes of the previous day. I absolutely don't feel old but it feels very strange to say that I am 40. hmmm
So big birthday passed and I got to be reflective while driving the beautiful stretch of Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Hope. Primary thought - no regrets. I'm quite happy with the choices I've made so far in life, including the ones that have brought me grief because apparently I learn much better if it's painful!
Am I here on vacation? Nope, but I'm doing something quite enjoyable. I'm hanging out with young union members who might one day (soon?) be young union activists. They're here learning about their union, collective agreements, health and safety, and globalization. And they're having fun.
To echo an earlier post by MahoneyMusings, I am grateful. Grateful for the freedom to make the choices that I have. Grateful for the desire and the guidance to help build a community within a community that is centred around human spiritual and material need. Grateful for the vast diversity in creation and in humanity. We are rich in creativity and compassion, just dig a little deeper.
31 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 7
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
Day 7 was tougher. It definitely caught up with me; I was light headed and very sleepy by the late afternoon. Quite glad it was Saturday, after a meeting during the day I did have a nap.
Interesting information gathered at the meeting though. No matter what your attitude about the Olympics is (and you might guess about mine) there are some sobering and inescapable facts to consider. The $1 billion (and climbing) budget for security is going to provide quite a few new 'toys' to the Vancouver Police Department, RCMP and Canadian Forces that they might never otherwise have been able to acquire. High tech spy gadgets and large scale riot gear. $1 billion. That's our money folks, spent on an event that lasts 2 weeks. It also would pay for a quarter of what is proposed in the One Percent Solution .
This hyper security atmosphere is already making life difficult in my neighbourhood. It is documented that the Olympic games causes involuntary displacement of people wherever it is held. Somehow we understand and accept that this is going to happen. Why? Why do those who are going to profit monetarily from this event, either immediately or possibly in the future from the increased tourism, count more than those struggling to survive in their own neighbourhoods? It is a neighbourhood, despite some of the sensational news coverage of the Downtown Eastside. People here look out for one another, keep tabs on their health and safety. And already they are being criminalized and pushed out because of their poverty status. Groups like the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre have already documented and drawn attention to the sharp increase in ticketing for things like jaywalking, vending on the street and sleeping on the street.
Yesterday we found out it happened to a friend of ours. She doesn't live on the street. She's had a rough road in life and been a junkie in recovery for over 12 years, with the accompanying health issues. She's a writer, a good writer. Due to her health she looks kind of rough and rides her bicycle around town, without a helmet. There are a lot of people who ride without a helmet. She was ticketed once, didn't pay the fine. She was stopped again this week and since she hadn't paid the fine, they took her to jail. What else can I say? Your tax dollars hard at work. And she's not homeless. But she fits the stereotype. We are creating a police state atmosphere and it sounds like that's going to be needed so that we don't notice how oppressive the security measures will be in February 2010. Truly the money currently being spent on this kind of behaviour along with the other expenses of the Olympics has higher collective value being spent on real needs in Canada. An expensive lost opportunity.
Day 7 was tougher. It definitely caught up with me; I was light headed and very sleepy by the late afternoon. Quite glad it was Saturday, after a meeting during the day I did have a nap.
Interesting information gathered at the meeting though. No matter what your attitude about the Olympics is (and you might guess about mine) there are some sobering and inescapable facts to consider. The $1 billion (and climbing) budget for security is going to provide quite a few new 'toys' to the Vancouver Police Department, RCMP and Canadian Forces that they might never otherwise have been able to acquire. High tech spy gadgets and large scale riot gear. $1 billion. That's our money folks, spent on an event that lasts 2 weeks. It also would pay for a quarter of what is proposed in the One Percent Solution .
This hyper security atmosphere is already making life difficult in my neighbourhood. It is documented that the Olympic games causes involuntary displacement of people wherever it is held. Somehow we understand and accept that this is going to happen. Why? Why do those who are going to profit monetarily from this event, either immediately or possibly in the future from the increased tourism, count more than those struggling to survive in their own neighbourhoods? It is a neighbourhood, despite some of the sensational news coverage of the Downtown Eastside. People here look out for one another, keep tabs on their health and safety. And already they are being criminalized and pushed out because of their poverty status. Groups like the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre have already documented and drawn attention to the sharp increase in ticketing for things like jaywalking, vending on the street and sleeping on the street.
Yesterday we found out it happened to a friend of ours. She doesn't live on the street. She's had a rough road in life and been a junkie in recovery for over 12 years, with the accompanying health issues. She's a writer, a good writer. Due to her health she looks kind of rough and rides her bicycle around town, without a helmet. There are a lot of people who ride without a helmet. She was ticketed once, didn't pay the fine. She was stopped again this week and since she hadn't paid the fine, they took her to jail. What else can I say? Your tax dollars hard at work. And she's not homeless. But she fits the stereotype. We are creating a police state atmosphere and it sounds like that's going to be needed so that we don't notice how oppressive the security measures will be in February 2010. Truly the money currently being spent on this kind of behaviour along with the other expenses of the Olympics has higher collective value being spent on real needs in Canada. An expensive lost opportunity.
29 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 6
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
Yup, I'm still hungry. But in a kind of zone, cruising along. Human beings are amazingly resilient, if you didn't already know that. That thought comes to me often as we encounter new people and get to know them and they reveal their stories. They come to live with us at our house or just cross our path for a while and are able to share their hope and accomplishments along with their sorrowful past. Homelessness can be linked to so many other struggles in people's lives - physical health, mental health, education, race, and class, to name a few big ones. I think that these aren't really the struggles of the 'homeless' but of those of us who aren't homeless. Our perception of what's normal, reasonable and acceptable in society is really quite narrow. People often end up homeless because they don't 'fit' in society as we've defined it. And their sorrow and pain is related to that sense of displacement and rejection.
I spent time at Children's Hospital tonight visiting with my nephew and his 4 month old son. The wee one is doing better now. His 2 year old room mate was having a bit of a rough night. Now that's a place of hope and anguish. It made me remember again that we are all someone's sons and daughters and that despite our best attempts to love and protect our families, life happens. Is there any greater sense of powerlessness than that of a parent of a sick child? We just want to be able to fix them! Throughout our lives as somebody's child things go awry and we're blessed if we've got family around us who want to support us and fix it for us.
But lots of things can't be fixed just like that and when we are no longer children we need something more than a parent. What we need is a community that cares and looks out for each other as if everyone was their family. What we need is the desire and ability to share our experiences, knowledge and skills so that we can learn from each other and come up with solutions together. We could use less 'doing for' and more 'doing with'. And it would be great if we could honour the survival and resilience in each of our lives with no strings attached and without the expectation to fit into society's mold; to simply be healthy and enjoy one another's company.
Yup, I'm still hungry. But in a kind of zone, cruising along. Human beings are amazingly resilient, if you didn't already know that. That thought comes to me often as we encounter new people and get to know them and they reveal their stories. They come to live with us at our house or just cross our path for a while and are able to share their hope and accomplishments along with their sorrowful past. Homelessness can be linked to so many other struggles in people's lives - physical health, mental health, education, race, and class, to name a few big ones. I think that these aren't really the struggles of the 'homeless' but of those of us who aren't homeless. Our perception of what's normal, reasonable and acceptable in society is really quite narrow. People often end up homeless because they don't 'fit' in society as we've defined it. And their sorrow and pain is related to that sense of displacement and rejection.
I spent time at Children's Hospital tonight visiting with my nephew and his 4 month old son. The wee one is doing better now. His 2 year old room mate was having a bit of a rough night. Now that's a place of hope and anguish. It made me remember again that we are all someone's sons and daughters and that despite our best attempts to love and protect our families, life happens. Is there any greater sense of powerlessness than that of a parent of a sick child? We just want to be able to fix them! Throughout our lives as somebody's child things go awry and we're blessed if we've got family around us who want to support us and fix it for us.
But lots of things can't be fixed just like that and when we are no longer children we need something more than a parent. What we need is a community that cares and looks out for each other as if everyone was their family. What we need is the desire and ability to share our experiences, knowledge and skills so that we can learn from each other and come up with solutions together. We could use less 'doing for' and more 'doing with'. And it would be great if we could honour the survival and resilience in each of our lives with no strings attached and without the expectation to fit into society's mold; to simply be healthy and enjoy one another's company.
28 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 5
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
Today wasn't too bad. I'm definitely low on energy, but then again my daily activity level sometimes is pretty ambitious. I spoke with another 'relay team member' as she was finishing her week a while back. She reflected on the experience and we shared how multifaceted this hunger strike action is.
The issue of homelessness is certainly big enough to warrant our attention to take action. I believe that any action we take collectively changes all who are involved, and changes us in ways we cannot anticipate. Linking two things that should be our right as human beings - housing and food - with political pressure has brought together a wide variety of people and shown them and others our capacity for caring and solidarity. For this indeed is an action of solidarity. While we may say it's a small token action, it is still important. Those of us who are housed and fed everyday cannot really experience what it means to live so precariously but I believe the effort of making such a sacrifice, even for a week, resonates deeply. It is tangible.
My fellow team member, who I don't know for sure but suspect is not a Christian, was able to make the link also with the tradition of religious fasting. (I know that fasting is not just a Christian practice but that's the example she used.) As I understand it as a religious practice, fasting (usually accompanied by prayer and reflection/meditation) is an attempt to bring us closer to God, to be more receptive to the wisdom of the Creator. Well I think that fits very well with this action. As a Christian my basic belief is that we were all created in the image of God (not the body image, not the gender, but the spiritual image) and that our primary purpose is to honour God as we find God in all our fellow humans. Forcing our physical bodies to feel something other than satisfaction by not eating does provide opportunies to contemplate what this is all about. I don't know that other participants would consider that a religious experience but it fits into my reality exactly like that.
Today wasn't too bad. I'm definitely low on energy, but then again my daily activity level sometimes is pretty ambitious. I spoke with another 'relay team member' as she was finishing her week a while back. She reflected on the experience and we shared how multifaceted this hunger strike action is.
The issue of homelessness is certainly big enough to warrant our attention to take action. I believe that any action we take collectively changes all who are involved, and changes us in ways we cannot anticipate. Linking two things that should be our right as human beings - housing and food - with political pressure has brought together a wide variety of people and shown them and others our capacity for caring and solidarity. For this indeed is an action of solidarity. While we may say it's a small token action, it is still important. Those of us who are housed and fed everyday cannot really experience what it means to live so precariously but I believe the effort of making such a sacrifice, even for a week, resonates deeply. It is tangible.
My fellow team member, who I don't know for sure but suspect is not a Christian, was able to make the link also with the tradition of religious fasting. (I know that fasting is not just a Christian practice but that's the example she used.) As I understand it as a religious practice, fasting (usually accompanied by prayer and reflection/meditation) is an attempt to bring us closer to God, to be more receptive to the wisdom of the Creator. Well I think that fits very well with this action. As a Christian my basic belief is that we were all created in the image of God (not the body image, not the gender, but the spiritual image) and that our primary purpose is to honour God as we find God in all our fellow humans. Forcing our physical bodies to feel something other than satisfaction by not eating does provide opportunies to contemplate what this is all about. I don't know that other participants would consider that a religious experience but it fits into my reality exactly like that.
27 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 4
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
Well today I had to be up and out and at a workshop at 7 am. ugh. And didn't go to sleep any earlier than usual, perhaps even later than usual. So combine that with not eating, my body rebelled a little today. Nothing I can't handle, she says smugly. That's because I was able to have a nap after work.
I have somewhere to nap.
I also have hoodies to keep me warm during the day, because despite the quite reasonable weather we're having, I find that my body temperature isn't matching everyone else's. I'm cold. I wasn't as hungry today and not as bothered by the smell of food. But I was cold and not keen on doing or starting any work that requires sustained concentration. I really would have preferred to start that nap much earlier in the day!
One of the (many) tragedies of homelessness is that (actually it's like a lot of other issues in our society) it's something no one wants to take responsibility for and really it will take everyone's efforts to work on. In particular, the 3 main levels of government in our country - municipal, provincial and federal - verbally pass it around like a hot potato. One group may make a (very public) effort to show it cares, like buying buildings to renovate and use, but did it consult with the other 2 about how best to allocate and maintain resources in the long term? Did they ever plan to work together?
I think this is how politics works now for everything. We do things to be popular, to get re-elected and probably make some money, and have no interest in a social legacy for the collective. Even when hard work goes into careful planning, someone always manages to pull the plug on some aspect of the plan, which causes it to crumble and leaves us struggling with piecemeal solutions to big issues. I'm thinking here specifically of the 4 Pillars Drug Strategy for the City of Vancouver. One of the reasons that InSite has had to struggle so hard to stay operating is because it was part of a collective plan that required the support of all levels of government. They came up with the plan but didn't follow through on it. This creates a culture of 'disaster response' to issues rather than a livable society. This is why the call for a National Housing Plan based on the One Percent Solution.
Well today I had to be up and out and at a workshop at 7 am. ugh. And didn't go to sleep any earlier than usual, perhaps even later than usual. So combine that with not eating, my body rebelled a little today. Nothing I can't handle, she says smugly. That's because I was able to have a nap after work.
I have somewhere to nap.
I also have hoodies to keep me warm during the day, because despite the quite reasonable weather we're having, I find that my body temperature isn't matching everyone else's. I'm cold. I wasn't as hungry today and not as bothered by the smell of food. But I was cold and not keen on doing or starting any work that requires sustained concentration. I really would have preferred to start that nap much earlier in the day!
One of the (many) tragedies of homelessness is that (actually it's like a lot of other issues in our society) it's something no one wants to take responsibility for and really it will take everyone's efforts to work on. In particular, the 3 main levels of government in our country - municipal, provincial and federal - verbally pass it around like a hot potato. One group may make a (very public) effort to show it cares, like buying buildings to renovate and use, but did it consult with the other 2 about how best to allocate and maintain resources in the long term? Did they ever plan to work together?
I think this is how politics works now for everything. We do things to be popular, to get re-elected and probably make some money, and have no interest in a social legacy for the collective. Even when hard work goes into careful planning, someone always manages to pull the plug on some aspect of the plan, which causes it to crumble and leaves us struggling with piecemeal solutions to big issues. I'm thinking here specifically of the 4 Pillars Drug Strategy for the City of Vancouver. One of the reasons that InSite has had to struggle so hard to stay operating is because it was part of a collective plan that required the support of all levels of government. They came up with the plan but didn't follow through on it. This creates a culture of 'disaster response' to issues rather than a livable society. This is why the call for a National Housing Plan based on the One Percent Solution.
26 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 3
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
Hmmm. Got pretty hungry today. Also did a lot of work. And somebody on the bus had some fine smelling food! humph.
Here's some thoughts on food and homelessness.
When Vikki and I were trying to vision what the Vancouver Catholic Worker would look like, we were clear that we didn't need to be a 'soup kitchen' because there's a large amount of services that provide food in our neighbourhood. We felt that shelter, in the form of a real home and not a bed between 10 pm and 6 am, was what was needed most. So we have a house of hospitality where people come to live with us.
But let's think again about the food situation down here. There is a schedule of free meals posted on sandwich boards around the Downtown Eastside so people who aren't in the know will know where to go. Because whether you are the working poor, on welfare or completely outside the system, if you've paid for your shelter for the day, week, month - there ain't much left for anything else, even food. And if you haven't paid for your shelter because you don't have one, even if you've got some cash, you've got no where to store food. Or where you might store it you can't cook it or you have to compete with the rodent's and the insects to keep it.
So there's coffee and muffins, some breakfasts, some soup lines, some sit down meals, and piles and piles of bread. Usually you have to line up, sometimes you have to participate in some sort of religious program or at least listen to someone offer their wisdom. And you have to eat on their schedule. Consider that you might be dealing with some bureaucracy in your life, like welfare, or health care, or the police, or the courts, or some other government agency, or you might be sick or have a disability, or trying to find a job. If you can't organize your life around when food might be available, or no one can go and get some for you, you're going to be hungry. Now you might have been able to stock up on some of that bread that's available, but really people, bread? Don't get me wrong, a lot of great people are trying to provide some solutions to people's needs and often doing it without a lot of monetary or organizational support. But let's be clear. This is not a healthy lifestyle, there are serious nutritional deficiencies and that contributes in an unending cyclical fashion to the 'homelessness problem'.
People are whole - they are multi-faceted, multi-talented and their needs are equally complex. That is true for you and me and it's true for the people who sleep in the alcove of the restaurant behind our house.
Hmmm. Got pretty hungry today. Also did a lot of work. And somebody on the bus had some fine smelling food! humph.
Here's some thoughts on food and homelessness.
When Vikki and I were trying to vision what the Vancouver Catholic Worker would look like, we were clear that we didn't need to be a 'soup kitchen' because there's a large amount of services that provide food in our neighbourhood. We felt that shelter, in the form of a real home and not a bed between 10 pm and 6 am, was what was needed most. So we have a house of hospitality where people come to live with us.
But let's think again about the food situation down here. There is a schedule of free meals posted on sandwich boards around the Downtown Eastside so people who aren't in the know will know where to go. Because whether you are the working poor, on welfare or completely outside the system, if you've paid for your shelter for the day, week, month - there ain't much left for anything else, even food. And if you haven't paid for your shelter because you don't have one, even if you've got some cash, you've got no where to store food. Or where you might store it you can't cook it or you have to compete with the rodent's and the insects to keep it.
So there's coffee and muffins, some breakfasts, some soup lines, some sit down meals, and piles and piles of bread. Usually you have to line up, sometimes you have to participate in some sort of religious program or at least listen to someone offer their wisdom. And you have to eat on their schedule. Consider that you might be dealing with some bureaucracy in your life, like welfare, or health care, or the police, or the courts, or some other government agency, or you might be sick or have a disability, or trying to find a job. If you can't organize your life around when food might be available, or no one can go and get some for you, you're going to be hungry. Now you might have been able to stock up on some of that bread that's available, but really people, bread? Don't get me wrong, a lot of great people are trying to provide some solutions to people's needs and often doing it without a lot of monetary or organizational support. But let's be clear. This is not a healthy lifestyle, there are serious nutritional deficiencies and that contributes in an unending cyclical fashion to the 'homelessness problem'.
People are whole - they are multi-faceted, multi-talented and their needs are equally complex. That is true for you and me and it's true for the people who sleep in the alcove of the restaurant behind our house.
25 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 2
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
It's an odd feeling not thinking about meals, not taking a lunch to work. Even for someone like me who doesn't put a lot of thought into it generally. Definitely have a lower energy level but not too bad yet.
So today I offer you this thought. Homelessness results from AND leads to a whole host of other issues and challenges for individuals and society. People aren't homeless because they think that's a cool way to live. They don't 'fit' into our lives; they've left or been pushed out for a variety of reasons such as health (including mental health and addictions), relationship breakdown, violence and our inability to allow them to function differently than the rest of us. Here is a group that can tell us a lot about that:
It's an odd feeling not thinking about meals, not taking a lunch to work. Even for someone like me who doesn't put a lot of thought into it generally. Definitely have a lower energy level but not too bad yet.
So today I offer you this thought. Homelessness results from AND leads to a whole host of other issues and challenges for individuals and society. People aren't homeless because they think that's a cool way to live. They don't 'fit' into our lives; they've left or been pushed out for a variety of reasons such as health (including mental health and addictions), relationship breakdown, violence and our inability to allow them to function differently than the rest of us. Here is a group that can tell us a lot about that:
While there has been much focus on housing issues in the past few years, many of the systemic issues are intensifying and this is a march organized and led by many women in the DTES to have their realities expressed directly. Thank you for supporting! With respect and solidarity, Harsha
Harsha Walia
DTES Women Centre Project Coordinator
Email: project@dewc.ca
604-681-8480 x 234
302 Columbia Street, Vancouver BC V6C 1B4
- please forward widely -
* Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyNC7fjLhT8
===> 3RD ANNUAL WOMEN'S HOUSING MARCH <===
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sat June 13 @ 1:30 pm
Starts outside Downtown Eastside Women Centre
(302 Columbia- corner Cordova, just west of Main)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On Saturday June 13 at 1:30 pm, join women in the Downtown Eastside Women Centre Power of Women Group in the 3rd Annual March for Women's Housing and March Against Poverty! Everyone welcome!
We are marching for:
- Social Housing, Childcare, and Healthcare for all!
- No more Evictions and No more Condos in the DTES!
- People Before Olympic Profits!
- Stop Criminalizing the Poor!
Although we are still suffering in shelters and on the streets, we are not yet defeated! We are making our voices heard, we are bringing empowerment into our lives, we are fighting for positive change, and we are expressing the humanity of our neighbourhood. We hope all of you will join us.
For more information contact project at dewc.ca or call 604-681-8480 x 234. We are also seeking endorsements, please contact us if you would are interested in being added to a list of supporters.
On facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=80841139629
-------------------------
* Power & Perspectives: An Interview with Power to Women group
http://knollpaper.wordpress.com/current-issue/gender/power-perspectives/
* Election won’t change lives of Downtown Eastside women:
http://straight.com/article-216138/harsha-walia-and-andrea-pinochet-election-promises-won%3F%3Ft-change-lives-downtown-eastside-women
* Downtown Eastside Women Ask Politicians for Housing Swap
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/1286
The Power of Women Group is a group at the Downtown Eastside (DTES) Women's Centre, located in the DTES of Vancouver (the poorest off-reserve postal code in Canada). We are a group of women from all walks of life who are either on social assistance, working poor, or homeless; but we are all living in extreme poverty. Our aim is to empower ourselves through our experiences and to raise awareness from our own perspectives about the social issues affecting the neighbourhood.
Many of us are single mothers or have had our children apprehended due to poverty; most of us have chronic physical or mental health issues for example HIV and Hepatitis C; many have drug or alcohol addictions; and a majority have experienced and survived sexual violence and mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional abuse. For indigenous women, we are affected by a legacy of the effects of residential schools and a history of colonization and racism.
24 May 2009
Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay - Day 1
http://www.2010homelessness.ca/
The Issue
Why a hunger strike? Well if you follow the link above you'll read that a hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. And it needs to be publicized to be effective.
Why me? Many reasons. I live in a neighbourhood deeply affected by homelessness. And by homelessness I don't just mean people living rough outside. Homelessness is simply the fact of not having a stable place to start and end your day from. People 'living' in shelters, single room occupancy hotels, and sharing temporarily with others are homeless in my book. I live in a community house that shares a little bit of space with some of these people when it's available. And I feel strongly about using a variety of techniques and approaches in our activism to educate and politicize people, to make things happen. I'm a fan of non-violent direct action and so a hunger strike is right up my alley. If I didn't have to carry on going to work everyday this next week, I'd consider spending some time in a public place telling people about the Relay and the issue.
The Issue
Why me? Why a hunger strike?The 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay began in Vancouver at the beginning of the new year. It was created as an active symbol to have the federal government really respond to the homeless crises in Canada by having re-established the National Housing Program based on the One Percent Solution.
Every week we have new volunteers take on the Wooden Spoon and fast for 7 days (They can drink juice). We will carry on the relay past the 2010 Winter Olympics straight into June 2010. This will commemorate the On To Ottawa Trek.
At this point people will board the train to Ottawa with petition in hand and show the government that we are seriously demanding the national housing program and the One Percent Solution to be put in place. We intend to let the international community know what's happening and what the solution is.
Why a hunger strike? Well if you follow the link above you'll read that a hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. And it needs to be publicized to be effective.
Why me? Many reasons. I live in a neighbourhood deeply affected by homelessness. And by homelessness I don't just mean people living rough outside. Homelessness is simply the fact of not having a stable place to start and end your day from. People 'living' in shelters, single room occupancy hotels, and sharing temporarily with others are homeless in my book. I live in a community house that shares a little bit of space with some of these people when it's available. And I feel strongly about using a variety of techniques and approaches in our activism to educate and politicize people, to make things happen. I'm a fan of non-violent direct action and so a hunger strike is right up my alley. If I didn't have to carry on going to work everyday this next week, I'd consider spending some time in a public place telling people about the Relay and the issue.
16 April 2009
Good Friday - outside the courthouse
Law, Justice and Politics are a tangled web in our world. What starts out with an intent for justice often creates injustice. Who's got access to the law, to the government? Who's got the money or the education to deal with the social issues that often need both legal and political solutions? A couple of examples are addiction where the medical and the legal collide, and political refugees where the political and the legal collide. Does our society desire to care for those among us who need more care and concern, to include rather than exclude based on certain criteria? And do we have the political will to change the laws so that we don't have to come into conflict with the laws?
We can have success when we work collectively with broad support, and we all benefit from this. Recent cases show the courts calling on the government to recognize the status of aboriginal women and children who are the wives and descendants of non-status men, and of the courts telling the government that their laws violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically the right to freedom of association which allows collective bargaining. These are successes for us all.
And what would Jesus have to say about the courts? Jesus' example and teaching was all about relationships. The law deals primarily with broken relationships and sometimes it causes the breaking of relationships. I believe that Jesus calls us to build our society on more and stronger relationships. Where possible we should engage directly with one another, rather than trying to force some third party to deal with our differences. We should strive always for inclusion, not exclusion. If we embrace our humanity and acknowledge our mistakes and broken relationships, we can build and rebuild our relationships, making them healthy, strong and full of love.
We can have success when we work collectively with broad support, and we all benefit from this. Recent cases show the courts calling on the government to recognize the status of aboriginal women and children who are the wives and descendants of non-status men, and of the courts telling the government that their laws violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically the right to freedom of association which allows collective bargaining. These are successes for us all.
And what would Jesus have to say about the courts? Jesus' example and teaching was all about relationships. The law deals primarily with broken relationships and sometimes it causes the breaking of relationships. I believe that Jesus calls us to build our society on more and stronger relationships. Where possible we should engage directly with one another, rather than trying to force some third party to deal with our differences. We should strive always for inclusion, not exclusion. If we embrace our humanity and acknowledge our mistakes and broken relationships, we can build and rebuild our relationships, making them healthy, strong and full of love.
11 April 2009
Wonder
From time to time (probably not frequently enough) I am over-awed at the complexity, intricacy and beauty of our world and all that's in it. It saves me from factionalism, which is tempting but ultimately soul destroying I believe. God doesn't create junk and the intelligence, skills and talents that humanity possesses is quite astonishing. Though we go off the rails sometimes I believe it can all work together in our disconnected ways.
06 December 2008
Every day is an anniversary
The world is full of events, good and bad, and anniversaries, good and bad. Today we remember that women are still so frequently victims of violence. Today I heard that it is the anniversary of the demolition of a mosque in Babri, India. A reminder to broaden my prayer horizons.
16 January 2008
Found this image at http://www.manitobawildlands.org/images/water_drop_shiny.jpg
It wasn't exactly what I was looking for but it comes close.
When I'm having a moment of appreciation, often my thoughts turn to water, in it's various forms.
Appreciating a moment....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
