Sunday, January 14, 2007

War on Poverty - Toronto Star Article

"A STATE OF CONSTANT DREAD: Poverty Today"
Toronto Star's Long-term series starting Jan 13,
"aimed at shedding light on poverty and finding ways to ease the pain." http://www.thestar.com/News/article/170794

"In 2007, hidden in plain sight, one in six Canadians lives in poverty...."

Friday, January 12, 2007

CLOTHING BANK

Sorting clothes for Mission Service's new clothing bank was a great experience.
Just so we're clear, the pictures posted here are not to highlight us and the work we did, but to tell you how blessed we were, and to share some of our excitement with you.

The night was good. Most of us got lost on the way (crazy one-way streets!), or at the school (some may have wandered the grounds in the dark for an undisclosed amount of time), but it all worked out.
The cool thing is that it was the fish symbol on a car that drew people in :)

Once through the labyrinth and into the dungeon (we thought about making a bread-crumb trail), the next 4-5 hours were spent moving stuff, meeting new people, opening bags, learning about the neighbourhood and the community centre, sorting clothes, coats, shoes, etc.

We listened to Larry Norman and Harry Conick Jr ad infinitum, had some great discussions about poverty, community, and the media... and I'd like to say we came away with something new - some new awareness - but it's hard to define without sounding like we were somehow consumers of the experience.
Let's just say it was good.
We started with three and ended with about 20 or 25.

The bank is set to open up later this month - if you'd like to get involved with sorting, organizing, or manning the desk, email routesixfour@gmail.com, and we'll help hook you up.

Clothing Bank Pictures


Angie gets creative with a stroller............................................Sorting 101
(Wish you could have seen Nick with a stroller but he ran away when he saw the camera).



Sorting.................................................................Sorting


Yep, that's a giant pile of garbage bags with clothes in them.
Look a little closer..............Yep, that's Sherry drowning in the giant pile.


Training at Riki's pays off.....................We couldn't figure this out.


Some thought a foot-holder..........................Some thought a diaper.


Um, not sure: praying, diving, or fainting?..............Chillin out in some garbage bags.


Ashley and Sarah looking like pros. ...........People came out of the woodwork
.................................................(they really might have - it's a quirky building).

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

the "along the road" part

Here we go! After a meeting with Mission Service's Volunteer Coordinator, we're delighted and challenged to learn about the outreach opportunities you see to the right...
Also check out www.mission-services.com/ for more info.
p.s.: There's a community dinner to serve the homeless on Jan 28.
Volunteers needed. Can you help? Email routesixfour@gmail.com.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

The Purpose:

God has created us so we do small things with great love.
I believe in that great love, that comes, or should come, from our heart, should start at home: with my family, my neighbours across the street, those right next door.
And this love should then reach everyone.
-- Mother Theresa


When asked about the Greatest Commandment, Jesus replied,
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'

All the Law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."
(Matt 22:37-40)


Learning to do this together at home home and as we walk along the road.
(We have much to learn)

Saturday, January 6, 2007

CITY KIDZ VIDEO

Shocking to find out 1 in 3 kids in Hamilton lives below the poverty line (2001), putting Hamilton near the top of the list of Canadian cities with the highest child poverty rate.

Check it out (guaranteed to move you): http://www.citykidz.ca/home/videos/highwmvckvid.htm
(or http://www.citykidz.ca/home/media/ )

What should we do about it, do you think?

Friday, January 5, 2007

CHALLENGE:

Consider the needs around you. Pray about it.
There's room for group coordinators, general helpers,
intercessors, you name it!
Let's ask the Lord to continue teaching us this:
Love. At home and along the road.

"When we talk of materialism and simplicity, we must always begin with love for God and neighbour, otherwise we're operating out of little more than legalistic, guilt-ridden self-righteousness."

"Generosity is a virtue not just for those with a special spiritual gifting or an admirable philanthropic passion. It is at the very heart of our rebirth. Popular culture has taught us to believe that charity is a virtue. But for Christians, it is only what is expected. True generosity is measured not by how much we give away, but by how much we have left, especially when we look at the needs of our neighbours. We have no right not to be charitable. The early Christians taught that charity is merely returning what we have stolen. In the seventeenth century, St. Vincent de Paul said that when he gives bread to the beggers, he gets on his knees and asks forgiveness from them.

The early Christians used to write that when they did not have enough food for the hungry people at their door, the entire community would fast until everyone could share a meal together. What an incredible economy of love. The early Christians said that if a child starves while a Christian has extra food, then the Christian is guilty of murder. One of the fathers of the church, Basil the Great, writing in the fourth century, put it this way: "When someone strips a man of his clothes, we call him a thief. And one who might clothe the naked and does not - should not he be given the same name? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot belong to the barefoot; the money in your vaults belongs to the detitute." Or in the words of Dorothy Day, "If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor."

From, The Irresistable Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, Shane Claiborne. pp 162, 164, 165.

See http://www.thesimpleway.org/shane/sampler.pdf for a chapter called "Another Way of Doing Life" from Shane's book.

CONTACT, LINKS & RESOURCES

Post a comment here to get in contact.
Or email us (bottom of the page).

Awesome Links & Resources re: Social Action, Community, Global Awareness, etc., are in December's Archive (green right bar).

beatitudes, sheep, and goats

Matthew 5:1-16 (The Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount)

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 25:31-46 (The Sheep & Goats)

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'