Get out of the Huddle

A while back I attended a course which is held annually called “The Leadership Summit” with a few other staff members. There were quite a few speakers who shared a number of valuable points, and many things stood out to me. Of all the inspirational and motivating speakers, one in particular caught my attention – he was hard to miss!

Harvey Carey is the Senior Pastor of Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan. He is a very animated and dynamic speaker, and his congregation is “committed to providing real solutions for people and communities in distress.”

Harvey communicated many things about the love of God and the transforming truths of His word. Of all the inspirational statements he made though, one thing stood out to me the most and has been stuck in my mind. He said, “you have to get out of the huddle!”

His illustration went something like this…

Imagine you have tickets to a football game, you’ve paid a big price for them, you’re sitting in a front row seat, and then the players just stay in their huddle talking about what they are going to do but never do it. You wouldn’t be very satisfied with your game experience. If this happened, you’d probably get upset and perhaps ask for your money back. The point of a football game is not to stand there and talk about what you’re going to do, but to go out and do it – the point is to play the game.

Harvey went on to explain that he feels this is what’s happening with our churches today. We’re getting together to huddle but we’re not actually going out and playing the game. We talk about God’s love for humanity but we don’t go out and share it with the world around us. We gather together and talk about all the great things He has done for us, but keep Him to ourselves in our church buildings. We huddle on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and we even have a mid week huddle. Meanwhile God’s sitting on the sidelines in His front row seat saying, “hey, I paid a big price for you, and all you’re going to do is stand there together in a huddle?!”

Maybe we can relate this to the organizations and agencies that work with poverty and homelessness in our city too. Obviously the planning part is important and needs to be done, but maybe we spend too much time planning what we’ll do to combat the effects of poverty and not enough time actually doing it. Maybe this is also what our government does.

I have two huddles to get out of; the church services huddle and the non-profit charity planning huddle.

Where do you huddle? What huddles do you need to get out of?

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator

Under the Radar

Often the issues surrounding poverty and homelessness, and the people struggling with these issues, go unnoticed. For most of us, for much of the time, it’s just not on our radar.

Siloam Mission's Under the Radar is designed to change the way you view domestic poverty and to help you understand that there is something you can do to make a difference. It is our hope that you will become more aware of the hurt in our city and that this will motivate you to make change happen. Our desire is to help create optimistic, solution-based advocates for change. We want to bring homelessness to the forefront by encouraging participants to learn more about related topics and by allowing them to serve in the places, and with the people, who are often under the radar of our society.

Under the Radar is a new three-fold program of Siloam Mission with a Youth Summer Camp, Mission Teams, and Workshops for adults.

Check it out online at www.siloam.ca/undertheradar!

New Programs at Siloam Mission!

We have three new and exciting programs coming up at Siloam Mission; Summer Youth Camp, Missions Teams, and Workshops.

The Summer Youth Camp is designed specifically for youth groups to allow students aged 14 to 18 to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness while serving their neighbors. For youth pastors and leaders, this is a fun and educational opportunity to help students learn more about domestic poverty.

Our Missions Teams can be catered to a high school team, church group, college or university team, community group, or business group. Bring your group to Siloam Mission for a multi-day inner-city experience and learn from hands on projects and serving opportunities.

If you’re simply interested in learning more about a particular topic relating to poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg, then join us for our workshops for adults. They’ll be held on weekday evenings once a month at Siloam Mission.

For more information on these educational programs, contact me at 204.956.4344.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator


P.S. On Tuesday September 29, 2009 at 12 noon, we’re hosting a luncheon for pastors and youth leaders to learn more about these exciting new programs. To join us for lunch, call us to RSVP.

sj101 Day a Success

Thank you to all 31 participants who joined us at Siloam Mission on August 29, 2009 for our sj101 day. It is great to see that Winnipeggers are interested in learning more about poverty and homelessness in our city and discovering how they can make a difference.

With a variety of different sessions and activities, we had very informative day. Time was spent at Siloam Mission volunteering and touring the facility, participating in educational topical sessions, and learning about a couple other agencies in Winnipeg’s inner city.

It is our hope that each person involved has been encouraged to continue searching for optimistic solutions and feels inspired to advocate on behalf of those who experience poverty and homelessness in our city.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator

This Saturday!

This Saturday, August 29, is our sj101 day for adults.

It’s a day long event designed to help people on their continuing journey of becoming optimistic, solution-based advocates for domestic social justice. sj101 is an investigative learning experience encouraging participants to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.

We have 28 people registered and we think it’s shaping up to be a great day!

Keep an eye out for news about upcoming exciting service and educational programs to get involved in at Siloam Mission.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator

Youth Week Cancelled for This Year

Unfortunately we did not go ahead with the high school sj101 camp this week. We’re currently re-evaluating the program and will be presenting something again in the near future.

Stay tuned for details of exciting upcoming educational and service programs – we’ll be presenting some great opportunities to get involved!

We will be going ahead with the day sj101 for adults (18 years and up) on Saturday August 29, from 8am – 5pm. For details on this event click on the link below.

Thank you for your interest in the work of Siloam Mission and thank you for caring about our neighbours who are experiencing poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator



http://www.siloam.ca/sj101/daysj101.htm

Unexpected Gifts

Last week I was in Calgary visiting the Mustard Seed, which is an organization similar to Siloam Mission as it works to alleviate the hardships of homelessness and poverty.

One evening I was walking along one of the downtown streets and I came across a man with a large shopping cart filled with many little treasures. He stopped me and I thought he was about to ask for spare change, but he was attempting something else. He offered me a gift.

He had an old squash racket that he had found on the street and asked if I would like it. I suggested he should keep it because it was his. However, he told me he really had no use for it and would like me to have it. So I accepted.

The racket sits in my apartment now because I don't play squash. It's not about the use of the item though; rather it’s about where it came from. Besides, perhaps it gives me a reason to learn the sport.

We just recently sent out our summer newsletter entitled "Unexpected Gifts". The theme reflects the idea that we often have low expectations of our neighbours who live on the streets. We think that because they are experiencing poverty and homelessness, they must have nothing to offer. Often, the things we receive from people who are homeless (whether it be material or otherwise) are unexpected. We assume they have nothing of value to give. It's during moments like the one described above that we realize how wrong we are.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator

Does Anybody Hear Them?

I was listening to a song by Casting Crowns yesterday and realized it reminds me of many of the people who use our services at Siloam Mission. It also reminds me of how often we attempt to ignore them.

Here are some of the lyrics…

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying but the canyon's ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She's another two years older
And she's three more steps behind

She is yearning for shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching for a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away

Does anybody hear her?
Can anybody see?
Does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her?
Can anybody see?


If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we've never even met her

- Does Anybody Hear Her, Casting Crowns

Faron Hall

Everyone is talking about Faron Hall. He’s the man that jumped into the Red River to save a teen who had fallen in. Mr. Hall also happens to be homeless.

I’m acquainted with Mr. Hall and he is a very quiet man, kind, and soft spoken. He generally keeps to himself…but that all changed last week. Mr. Hall was all over the news with the media announcing his heroics as, “homeless man saves teen.” He was overwhelmed by the attention and grateful for the many offers of help.

What I found interesting though was the fact that the story appeared to grab our attention more because of the fact that it was a “homeless” man who did the saving. It’s like we found it surprising that someone who’s homeless would do something like that.

Does being homeless make a person unlikely to do something heroic? Does homelessness mean that compassion and goodwill are lost?

When discussing the story with a Siloam Mission patron, her comment was, “homeless people have big hearts you know,” and she nodded her head confidently.

We assume that something strange happens to a person when they are experiencing poverty or when they become homeless. We subconsciously think that somehow this life circumstance voids them of normal human instincts and empathy. How ignorant we sometimes are.

I hope that Faron Hall is a reminder that those who have homes and those who do not are really the same in the end; we are all human. I also hope this is a reminder that will stick with us and not just fade away in a couple of weeks.

Sarah Enns

Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator

Community is the Best Bet!

That’s what all the speakers at Street Level seemed to say – and I agree!

As previously explained, Street Level is a conference of many organizations working with poverty and homelessness. A dozen other Siloam Mission staff members and I were in attendance and we each felt it was a great learning experience.

The theme was “A Legacy of Justice” and, amoung other things, a reoccurring idea was that in order for people to flourish we need a strong sense of community. Speakers included authors, pastors, directors, CEOs, professors, counsellors, musicians and political activists. Every single one of them stressed the importance of a strong and genuine community.

How can we expect people to change when they have no encouragement? How can we expect to succeed if we have no support? How can people feel important and valued when no one tells them they are?

Today, when we think of the word “community” we think about the area of town we live in and perhaps our neighbours that we hardly ever speak to. We often think of a physical space. Yet the idea of community is so much more.

Community is about people. It’s about interaction and working together. It’s about having others around you that you know you can count on when times are rough. Community is about sharing the good times and the bad times. It’s about care and support.

It’s ridiculous how far we’ve moved away from genuine and caring interaction. We’d rather send an e-mail than talk face to face, send a text message than give someone a call and watch a movie while sitting at home alone than grab a coffee and chat. We’d rather do it ourselves than ask for help, buy one of our own than share with someone else and hold on to everything instead of allowing others to benefit from something we have. We think we don’t have time to stop and help because we’ll be late for something and we refuse to risk relationships out of fear of being hurt or mistreated.

Why are there so many people experiencing homelessness in Canada? I think it’s largely because of our culture’s sense of individuality. Why are there so many who are lonely and suffering with depression? I think it’s definitely linked to the idea that we need to be self-reliant in every way. We need to start building stronger and more supportive genuine communities so that as people we can care for each other and work together. No one honestly wants to go it alone, so let’s stop pretending we can.


Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator

P.S. For an interesting take on the idea of community, read Shane Claiborne’s book, “Irresistible Revolution” or check out “the simple way” at http://www.thesimpleway.org/.

The Man on the Bridge

Last week I attended an event in Ottawa called Street Level. Many organizations working with poverty and homelessness were represented at this conference and the goal was to come together to learn from each other, encourage each other and show our government that we still care about the issues. I feel fortunate to have gone.

I found myself being educated on a few different things while at the 4 day conference. I also found it to be an affirmation of the work we do at Siloam Mission. The major thing that seemed to keep popping up was how important real community is in life.

However, I don’t really want to talk about what I learned at the conference right now, I’ll do that later – and more than once I’m sure. What I want to mention at this point in time is something that wasn’t part of the conference at all. I want to tell you a bit about a man I met one afternoon as my husband and I were walking towards the parliament buildings; the man on the bridge.

It would have been easy to miss him; his clothing plain and his face weathered. He didn’t take up much space on the sidewalk as he quietly sat by his neatly displayed art work while sketching a drawing of the Rideau Canal. It was obvious that he didn’t have much and one would think he’d be pushy about it, but instead he patiently waited for others to notice him.

We stopped and chatted for a while. He told tales of travel, employment and loss. He spoke also of the rare passersby that take a moment to admire and possibly purchase one of his drawings. His tremendous talent was indisputable and yet, I found myself wondering if he really created the works of art or if this was all some elaborate scam. In a world that has taught us to be so skeptical, wouldn’t you wonder the same?

After deciding that this man did actually draw the pieces he had for sale and that it really didn’t matter whether he had or not anyway, my husband and I purchased one of the beautiful sketches of the parliament buildings. He cleared my skepticism further when he then offered a second drawing at no cost. He said that art is a way that people can connect and that artistic expression is a gift.

The man on the bridge was an inspiration to me. During our conversation he told us the true gift for him is not when people buy something but that it’s when people stop and talk with him. He said that the gift is when people take a moment out of their lives to notice him and engage with him as a human being.

His genuine longing for attention, his need for human care and his openness to others reminded me, as I often need to be reminded, that “the greatest of these is love”(1 Corinthians 13:13).

When you pass someone on the street, instead of ignoring them out of fear of the unknown, look at them, acknowledge them and perhaps, if it seems appropriate, stop and talk with them. They are people too and, like everyone, they just want to be noticed.


Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator

The Invisible Homeless

Not too long ago I met Keith*. Keith is a kind man with a big toothless smile. He eats most of his meals at Siloam Mission but never stays the night in our emergency shelter. He resides at the McLaren Hotel in downtown Winnipeg, a stone’s throw away from Siloam. He has been staying there for over 20 years. Shocking? I know. What’s even more shocking is that he’s not alone in his circumstances.

You’d be surprised to find out that there are many people in similar situations. There are a number of people who live in rooms in downtown hotels, and to some of them Keith’s 20 year stretch is nothing.

Does living in a skuzzy, run down, dangerous hotel in the middle of the city mean you have yourself a home? I think not. Yet, it’s what Keith has and it’s what he’s surprisingly used to. Keith is one of the many invisible homeless.

Then there’s Mike *. Mike’s a young guy, energetic and warm hearted. He comes by once in a while to access our health centre and get some fresh clothes. We’ve never put him up for the night though; he stays with friends. Mike’s a “couch surfer” and, like Keith, he’s not the only one in that situation.

There are many who spend their nights with various friends or family members. They usually stay for a night or two but after that have worn out their welcome and have to find themselves alternative accommodations again. Night after night they never know for sure if there’ll be a place to stay.

Does having a roof over your head at night automatically mean you have a home? Not really. This is Mike’s life though, this is what he does, and he’s come to expect it. Mike is one of the many invisible homeless.

The invisible homeless are people who can’t claim a permanent residence but are not necessarily seen wandering the streets or sleeping in homeless shelters. They quietly accept homelessness and loneliness. If you’re living in a hotel or moving from couch to couch, you’re not out on the streets, but you’re still homeless.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator



*Names changed to protect privacy

Siloam Mission Receives Meaningful Donation

Over the last week there has been quite the media buzz about an elderly gentleman from inner city Winnipeg named Mr. William Woodford. Mr. Woodford surprised the staff at Siloam Mission when he arrived at our doors on February 27 with a bank draft for $40,000. His further donation of $10,000 on March 3 was nothing less than shocking.

The media was all over the story as Siloam Mission thanked Mr. Woodford for his generosity and he was honoured as an aboriginal person for his admirable deed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. He was honored in this way not only because of the sizable donation but also because of the source of it. Mr. Woodford is a victim of residential schools. Recently the government of Canada decided to give those who were victims of abuse under the residential school system monetary compensation for the wrongs of the past. Mr. Woodford decided to give the money to others. When asked how he decided what to do with all that money, his response was simply, “Well, God told me that.” Mr. Woodford gave the money that was meant to be his compensation, gave also out of his personal savings and has said he will continue to give on a monthly basis.

This is an act of generosity, love, forgiveness and hope. Mr. Woodford is one of the most generous people I have met. And yet, let’s not forget about the many others who also trust us with their resources and faithfully give to Siloam Mission. They are not caught by the eye of the media but they are wonderful nonetheless. Some of our donors are corporations, some are individuals from the community and some are patrons who give out of their meager earnings longing to give back to the place that has been there for them during hard times. Let us also not forget about all those who volunteer with us diligently giving of their time to others who are in need of a helping hand or a listening ear.

What dear Mr. Woodford has done should serve as an example to us all. He deserved the residential schools compensation; he suffered great injustice as a child and as a young man, he served our country in World War II, he now lives in a humble abode. He could have kept the money and did whatever he wanted with it, claiming that he deserved it, and rightfully so. We should all be willing to give up what is “rightfully ours” at God’s prodding. However, we all know how difficult it is for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven as Jesus once told us (Matthew 19:16-24).

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator


To read some stories about Mr. William Woodford and his generous donation, check out this link.
http://www.siloam.ca/news_40000_donated_in_the_news.html
For more information about residential schools see CBC’s reports at this link as a start.
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/education/topics/692/

Why Don't They Just Get a Job?

I'm sure you've heard people say this before when referring to those who are homeless. Some people think that the issue of homelessness in Winnipeg has an easy solution; if people would simply try harder everything would be fine for them. They just need to put more effort into life. They're just lazy.

Siloam Mission's Emergency Shelter has 115 beds and we're full most nights. Did you know that about 30% of our shelter patrons get up between 4am and 6am to hit the streets to find a job? So that means that on any given morning (including Saturdays, Sundays and many holidays) at Siloam Mission about 34 people are waking up long before I am and are heading out into the cold to go get a job for the day.

I'm predicting two questions will be floating around in your head right about now. "If they are working, why are they spending their nights at Siloam Mission?" is likely your first question and "so what about the other 70% of shelter patrons?" is probably the second.

Well, as for the first question, the simple answer has to do with the type of work people are able to find. In Canada we have Temporary Work Placement Agencies. People can head over to these agencies and can get a job for the day. If they are lucky they may get a job that will be steady for a period of time, but often it ends up being a few days, or maybe even just a day. Sometimes they head over there and there is nothing for them at all and they are told to try again the next day. This is the type of work available to many individuals who are experiencing homelessness. The pay is unsteady, benefits are unlikely and the work is unreliable.

Now, as for the second question, there are many reasons that someone may not be working. Here's a list of possible contributing factors. Chew on this for a while…

Physical Illness
Mental Illness
Physical Disability
Mental Disability
Old Age
Stereotyping
Discrimination
Language Barriers
Abuse
Drug and Alcohol Use
Criminal Record
Gang Involvement
Lack of Education
Lack of Skills
Lack of Self - Confidence
No Address
No Phone Number
No Identification
Personal Hygiene
Cyclical Poverty

Why then don’t they just get a job? With all this in mind, how can people even still ask that question?

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator

Love is in the Air...

There are a few things I’ve had on my mind as Valentine’s Day has been approaching and I’m wondering what all the rest of the world out there thinks (or at least those in Winnipeg who may read this).

Let me begin by just saying that Valentine’s Day is confusing to me. Do we really need a day in order to show those we love that we care about them? Shouldn’t we be doing that everyday? And why has this day become so much about the material items you give to those you care about? Is that really the only way to show someone you love them? But I suppose it’s just following suit with all the other holidays that society has snagged and has fairly successfully convinced us are all about buying stuff and getting stuff.

This day has also become very much about couples – at least in the adult world. Oh, the days when on this special occasion each kid in the class gave each kid in the class a little paper Spiderman or Barbie Valentine card, and no one felt left out. No one was allowed to let anyone else feel left out because your parents and your teachers made you write on one of those little papers for everyone in the world! Including the kid that no one liked because in my mother’s words – and I’m pretty sure in the words of DC Talk – “We all wanna be loved”. And you know, now that I’m older I’m glad my parents told me I had to include everyone, be it for Valentine’s day cards or at recess in the school yard, I learned that everyone has value and no one should be cast aside. But for adults, Valentine’s Day is all about exclusivity. We forget about all the different kinds of love that there are and all the ways that love can be expressed. We forget about the love that Jesus so passionately taught us about. At Valentine’s it seems as though love can only be love when it’s between two people who are dating or are married. It seems as though love is only for some. And worse, it seems as though it’s only deserved by some.

I delivered a short speech at a Winnipeg school a couple of days ago. They were having an assembly and focusing on loving others. After they heard from myself, sang a song about caring for other people, and heard from their principal about being kind, they made little paper hearts and decorated them. They didn’t make these hearts for each other though. When they were done, they gave them to Siloam Mission to be given out on Valentine’s Day to those who will be using our services. 400 construction paper hearts carefully made and carefully written on with love. There will be 44 volunteers at Siloam Mission this Saturday February the 14th, who will, along with staff, serve meals to and care for Winnipeg’s less fortunate, Winnipeg’s forgotten. That’s loving others.

So this Valentine’s Day, perhaps instead of taking your significant other out for a fancy dinner and buying him/her an expensive over-sized teddy bear that holds a plush heart which reads “Be Mine”(that he/she will only have to find space for in his/her room that is already over crowded with useless stuff our culture says we need), you might consider making little paper hearts for others who don’t feel like anyone cares about them or volunteering at a soup kitchen with people who “wanna be loved”. Don’t get me wrong, special plans are a nice gesture and “couple time” is needed for any healthy romantic relationship, but what I’m trying to say is that I don’t think Valentine’s Day needs to be confined to “couple love”.

There are so many hurting people out there; your friends, your neighbours, family members, those who have little to no support system, those who live on our streets. Everyone needs to feel a little love. Everyone needs to know they are cared about. Everyone needs to know someone sees they exist.

So let’s start making Valentine’s Day, and may I suggest everyday, a little more about loving others and a little less about “me”.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator

First Post!

Welcome to the Siloam Mission sj101 blog! We've created this blog in conjunction with our new summer program called sj101 (Social Justice 101).

sj101 is a 4 day camp from august 11-14, 2009 for youths grades 9-12 that will help you challenge your views of poverty and homelessness.

This blog is meant for you to post your thoughts, ideas, and questions coming up to the event and even after the event. It will be updated about once every couple of weeks and you are welcome to comment on any post.

Check back here often to find out what your peers think about poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg and in Canada. And to find out more about sj101 go to www.siloam.ca/sj101. Or if you'd like to learn about Siloam Mission in general, check out our website at www.siloam.ca.

Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator