It Takes a Whole Community

It takes a whole community…

The city of London, Ontario could learn from the people in the Maritime provinces when it comes to helping each other.  I am speaking about the response of people rolling up their sleeves to help in large and small ways to address the devastation that has hit so many individuals and families who are dealing with the effect of Hurricane Fiona.   We in London are facing a homelessness crisis.  We need to come together and to find a humane way to work with the people who are without food and shelter.  The solution the City of London has applied to shut down this program at the Baptist Church on Richmond St. due to a bylaw violation will not change much.  This may satisfy a few people who live or work in this area, but it is not the solution that is needed to create real change for everyone but most especially for those who need shelter, food and a lot of understanding.

Image: Unsplash/Jon Tyson

As the colder weather approaches us, this is not a problem that can be kicked down the road for a new council.  This is problem that all of us, who are a part of London, need to listen to and understand the multiple perspectives of many people.   People of faith communities, people at City Hall, people who are homeless, businesses in the downtown, neighbours, agencies, health care people and likely others who I have not named have ideas.  This is a challenge facing all who live in the city - in which a simple or “one size fits all” solution will not address the crisis. 

I would advocate that we start coming together to talk to each other and even more importantly, listen to each other.  I believe hidden in the spaces of such conversations are spaces for some new and innovative ideas to emerge.

“I wonder if…” ideas worth considering could help us all move forward together. We will all be better for it.

Sister Joan Atkinson, CSJ | Office for Systemic Justice

National Good Neighbour Day

Originally, National Good Neighbor Day was created in the early 1970s by Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana. In 1978. United States President Jimmy Carter issued Proclamation 4601: “As our Nation struggles to build friendship among the peoples of this world, we are mindful that the noblest human concern is concern for others. Understanding, love, and respect build cohesive families and communities. The celebration has since become one of international significance.

Using the occasion of Good Neighbor Day has facilitated for me a most delightful trip down memory lane. Many past good neighbours popped into mind. Let me introduce you to a few.

Mrs. M. our next-door neighbour about 65 yr. ago was very good to 5 yr. old me. What defined good in the mind of this child? Well, she and I traded bird, flower, and animal cards from Red Rose tea. I always ended up with a full set and at that age I couldn’t imagine why she always traded her singletons. Though the cards have long since been donated, her kindness and fun have always stuck with me.

In Ottawa in the 70s many young children neighbours would knock on our door to see if I would come out to play. They wanted to play football because they had seen me walk up the street with one, a gift for the coming weekend. We had great fun until I took a tumble and then they became my caregivers, bringing me dandelion bouquets. Their reaching out to me, then and now, is one significant definition of good neighbour.

Most recently, I have young neighbours on both side of me. We all enjoy gardening and so often chat over the fence and exchange veggies. At most, they are half my age so their interest and willingness to engage with this white-haired lady brings me joy and awareness of what is important to the youth of the day. Their help with the heavy lifting doesn’t go unnoticed.

I often pray in the yard and am stilled by the birds, squirrels, rabbits, the cool breeze, and the shade of the maples. These too are good neighbours and ask only that I watch, listen, and learn from them.

Are all neighbours good? I guess it depends on your definition.

Are all neighbours, near or far, dear? Absolutely! May we pray for and enjoy all your neighbours and strive to be good ones.

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Advocacy in Action

It has been wonderful to see churches in London stand up and declare that outreach to people living on the street is at the heart of their mission and integral to their ways of doing worship. And there is no doubt Ark Aid Street Mission is doing critical work, meeting needs which are not being adequately addressed. 

SEE ARTICLE HERE

Image: Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao

Equally encouraging has been the number of Londoners calling for City Hall to sit down with business owners, church ministers, and social agencies to find adequate solutions to the current situation.  Such a dialogue would be more complicated than simply slapping a church with a bylaw infraction, but one hopes it would yield more fruit – and certainly more justice.

At the same time,  the current situation begs the question:  What is the city’s plan for ensuring the wellbeing of the estimated 300 people who live outdoors?  How might the city’s budget surplus of $14 million come into play? How can we better support the critical work of social agencies in the city? And might we, as Londoners and City Hall together, advocate to the provincial government to use the $7.2 billion it budgeted, but didn’t spend (and indeed to add to this total) to boost programs such as OW and ODSP, mental health services, and affordable housing so we’re actually addressing some of root causes of homelessness?

 -Sister Sue Wilson, Office for Systemic Justice

A Royal Light Bearer

Jesus said to the people: “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar or puts it under a bed but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.”

Yesterday we celebrated the funeral of Queen Elizabeth – and I would say she certainly is an excellent example of someone, of a woman, who lit a lamp and put it on a lampstand when she was crowned Queen of England in 1953 at the tender age of 25.  On the day of her coronation, she spoke these famous words: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

Image: Unsplash/Vladimir Fedotov

During her 70-year reign she did not hide her light under a jar but put it on a lampstand letting it shine brightly. I doubt she would have been able to let her light shine brightly all these years, right to the very end of her life, had she not fostered a close relationship with Jesus, who spoke much about the light – proclaiming “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” And in Psalm 119, we read that Jesus’ word is “a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path.” Jesus’ word was the light to Queen Elizabeth’s path all her life. As she expressed in these words: 

“To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?”

-Sister Magdalena Vogt, cps