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Insider Perspective: Serving at a Food and Clothing Drive

10/23/2014

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-Kimberly Dawn Rempel
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I was asked to share my experience serving at a local Food and Clothing Drive. Maybe to show how un-scary helping others can be. Maybe to show how volunteering need not be limited to one church or one organization. Either way, I was hugely blessed to be a part of the event, and hope you are somehow blessed by my sharing it.

I couldn't wait to help out at the annual Food and Clothing Drive my church was about to host. I knew some of our Outreach guests planned to attend the event, and I wanted to be a familiar face in a sea of people. (It’s a huge event)

As a volunteer in the Outreach room for the last three years, I have developed relationships with our guests. It’s a beautiful and rewarding thing to watch someone’s eyes light up with hope as they realize that I don’t just talk to them because it’s my shift in the room, but I really am glad to see them - they really are loved and appreciated. It’s not uncommon for a person to come in to Outreach sullen, withdrawn and guarded. As they become more open and engaged, they get this life in their eyes - it’s beautiful to watch, and deeply rewarding to have a part in it. (It’s sometimes a long and challenging road to get there, but I digress.)  

The Food and Clothing Drive presented a unique opportunity to meet them in their circumstance outside of the room where we normally meet.  My short time there yielded some wonderful interactions.

Before I even entered the building, I saw a familiar face from Outreach. I helped her with her things, and we had a great catch-up talk. She’s been through a lot, and grown so much. I’m excited to watch that growth, and so glad for the chance to talk with her. We parted with smiles and hugs.

Later, inside, one person knew me but could not place me. I was invisible and familiar all at once. The conversation that followed was interesting. You know how we sometimes wish we could hear what people say about us when we’re not around? That was exactly the kind of conversation we had. It gave me a bit of a different perspective – of her, of others, and of how we (Outreach) may be seen by others.

I chatted with another woman who had come with 4 friends, some from as far as Garden Hill First Nation (by Churchill somewhere). She and I loaded bags of groceries and veggies onto a trolly as we chatted. She continued talking while crouching to stuff potatoes into the lower shelf, and I crouched too, so I could hear her. Then we just stayed that way – crouching and chatting. She shared a prayer request, and we prayed together right there in the foyer. I was intrigued by her openness.

I met several other people, including a childhood friend whose unstoppable smile has always brightened my day. Big and pregnant, holding a toddler while trying to look through clothes, she smiled and chatted, unperturbed by the toddler’s state. (He was apparently all done shopping) She makes happy look unbelievably easy. I admire that like crazy. I’m always refreshed after talking to her, and I told her so. (Which just made her smile bigger.)

And, to watch other smiling volunteers milling about, folding clothes, helping people with their bags, and chatting happily with guests, that was deeply satisfying too – we worked together. We are one big family on the same team – unified in mind and purpose, loving others as Christ loves us. Witnessing that is humbling, moving, and completely thrilling.

Too soon, it was time to pick up my children from the sitter. (Thank you, friend!) I left the building with a goofy grin on my face, swinging my tote bag like a school girl.  The people I met blessed me.  That seems to be the way of it – we go to bless, and are, ourselves, blessed. (Prov 11:25, Deut 15:14)
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A Word On Donating Garbage

10/10/2014

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In this culture of abundance we easily misunderstand what it means to give. We can give out of our extra, and not even feel it.  And there’s nothing wrong with that, but one of our goals at Outreach is to restore dignity to people. There is no dignity in begging for food or being without. We often meet people in the lowest point of their life, and it’s our hope to build them up.

Our donors play a HUGE role in this! The jackets and casseroles we receive enable us to connect with people and meet their needs not just for food but also for dignity and love and belonging.

It’s difficult to communicate that sense of worth to someone though when the gifts we bear are damaged, expired castoffs. Sure, one person’s trash may be another’s treasure but the people we meet have full enough access to garbage. We want to give them the dignity of accessing what we ourselves would want.

Regrettably, our volunteers have opened several donation boxes to discover clothing with gaping holes, food that expired years ago (as far back as a decade), freezer burnt meat, stained clothing and broken toys.  And it’s a difficult thing to talk about, because some of these are given by well-meaning people who want to share what they have. Still, we need to raise the bar. We need to ask ourselves if we're really giving, or if we're just getting rid of junk. 

The Golden Rule of Donations: Would you wear it, use it or eat it?
If it’s clothing you would wear, or food you would enjoy eating, then it is worth giving. If the thought crosses your mind, ‘oh well, whatever. It’s good enough for them’, it's time to consider a more thoughtful gift.

We want to restore dignity. That does not happen when our attitude is that it’s “good enough for them” – as though the lowly should be thankful for the rags we toss their way.  They suffer this kind of disdain and rejection all the time. Let’s not cloak it in pseudo giving and tell ourselves we’re lovely generous people.
Let’s not just say we love each other, let’s actually love.

What are kind and thoughtful donations then? Pretty much anything that you yourself would actually want to use. Anything you would enjoy. Anything you would proudly wear in public or to work. 



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Welcoming Our Prayer Coordinator!

10/9/2014

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We are excited to welcome Sue Doerksen as our new volunteer Prayer Coordinator! 

As Steinbach Community Outreach grows, our aim is to center this ministry on prayer. Our desire to see hearts and lives changed is a great starting point, but ultimately we can not accomplish it on our own. Only God can change hearts. Only He can draw people to Himself. 
So we are intentionally seeking His help, direction, wisdom and power to accomplish this great task. 

Sue will help by coordinating our efforts, and keeping us updated about needs and answered prayers. 

This is something that will continue even during these summer months when the room itself is closed. 
If you would like to be prayed for, or would like to pray for our guests and volunteers, email Sue. She'll get you plugged in
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What Restoring Dignity Looks Like

10/9/2014

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We meet people every day who are in the worst circumstances of their life. They are, for any number of reasons, unable to provide food for their family, or buy their kids winter clothes or lunch snacks. They often have little to no income, and worry every day they might become homeless. This is their reality. To make matters worse, they must put out their hands for food and clothes from local soup kitchens and food banks. It is not a pretty time for them, and doesn’t build self confidence.

It is in this circumstance we meet them. And one of our main goals is to restore their dignity. So how do we go about this? How does one restore dignity to someone in so much pain?

It begins, as anything does, with the heart – with believing that the people we meet are no different than we are. Believing this really could happen to us too, we set out to treat them the way we would hope to be treated in that situation. Basically, we love them as we love ourselves.

Once we truly believe this – and it takes time to grow this belief – we can not help but treat them with dignity, which looks like all kinds of things:

-          A genuine gladness to see them

-          Seeing past their circumstances and glimpsing their potential

-          Asking questions and listening to the answers

-          Observing their needs and offering help

-          Speaking encouragement to them

-          Enjoying what we have in common

-          Smiling

-          Allowing for their faults, even abrasiveness, shyness, silence, foul odors, lying, and a million other ways that people everywhere can annoy people everywhere.

-          Allowing for differences in belief, opinion, and lifestyle

-          Welcoming them like a friend

How does kindness restore dignity?

People crave belonging and acceptance. It’s the driving force behind most everything we do. Most of the people we meet are in the circumstances they are in largely because they lack belonging and acceptance.  This is what lurks behind many addictions, self confidence issues, and a host of other issues.

By providing this acceptance and offering a place to belong (by building relationships), we begin to restore a sense of worth, and it creates further opportunity for help and healing. 

We hope, in the coming months and years, to offer more opportunities for our guests to develop connections with our volunteers and others who can speak life and truth into their lives. 

Who has built into your life this way? Did their kindness and acceptance change your life? We'd love to hear about it! 

 

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