Joy was all over her face..

Posted by on March 8, 2012 · 1 Comment 

She wheeled the stroller into drop-in.  It was a bitterly cold day and the bundle inside the stroller was barely recognizable…But WE knew who it was!  Since we have known Gladys, she has been talking about gaining full custody of her granddaughter who was in the foster care system.  She and her husband are housed, receive a pension and were fighting hard to get three year old Amy back.  They had a lot of hoops to jump through, but they did it and as she walked into the drop-in a couple of weeks ago, Gladys could barely contain her joy.  Once she was freed from the confines of her snowsuit, Amy mirrored her grandma’s big smile and said that she got to live with grandma and grandpa ALL the time now!  She talked non-stop about how much she loved being with her grandparents and how happy she was.  This couple doesn’t live high-off-the-hog, but they have a lot of love to give this little girl and she has a lot of love to give back.  We count ourselves blessed to be a part of their support system!

Kim

Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with

Who gives more?

Posted by on March 2, 2012 · Leave a Comment 

“Excuse me m’am…do you have any bus tickets?  I have to get to an appointment this afternoon.”  I was speaking with a couple of our friends at drop-in this week when a quiet and somewhat unsteady woman approached me and posed the question.  I answered that we only give out tickets from the office and that there was no one there right now.  I was just starting to tell her that I would double-check that when Corie, one of the friends in the group I was standing with, reached into his pocket and gave her 2 loonies.  He doesn’t have much himself.  Each week he gets a bag of groceries from our food-bank and I know that the ends don’t often meet in his budget.  To say that I was humbled would be an understatement, but we see examples of generosity in the street community all the time.  At the office the other day, one of our friends gave his gloves to another because he had a warm place to sleep and the other guy didn’t.  I think we’re often guilty of thinking that we have so much to teach our street friends…but maybe…it’s the other way around.

Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , ,

Thoughts from Jeff…a member of our Wednesday outreach team

Posted by on February 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment 

If you look at me, and squint really hard, I look like God.

 

Whoa! Don’t be hasty! Unless you ask my little sister, I’m not that cocky. What I mean is, I’m made in God’s image. If you’d like to use a different metaphor, I have my Father’s eyes.

 

I bring this up because sometimes people ask me what I do when I volunteer with OIM. This is an easy one to answer! I do exactly what God has always intended I do in every single interaction I have with any human being (street engaged or not): I try my best to look like God. Polish up that blurry image so that it’s as clear a likeness as possible.

 

So whether I’m sharing a laugh in an after hours Laundromat, debating the best legal strategy for a court appearance, huddling in a doorway to discuss the impact of Winterlude on the street engaged population, or peering into the corners of a market parking garage, what I’m hoping for is that someone will see me, do a double-take, and then see God.

 

It’s only fair. Because it’s a pretty regular occurrence for me to turn a corner, see one of my street friends, and catch a strong glimpse of God.

 

And I usually don’t even have to squint.

Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, General Poverty, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with

What did your morning look like?

Posted by on January 27, 2012 · Leave a Comment 

Going to work this morning, I came down the same hill at the same time and saw the same bus going up the other side.  I got on my usual bus with the same driver and saw the same people going about their routines too.  Before that, I got up, checked my email…watched the morning news as I had my coffee and said goodbye to my family as I do every morning.

 

Routine…predictability…we might be tempted to see it as boring…but it’s actually healthy!  Of course we like to shake it up every now and then to keep it interesting, but mental health experts say that routine and knowing what tomorrow will bring is a key factor in your overall health.  The stress of not knowing what tomorrow will look like can be seen first in a lowered  immune system leading to frequent illness, and chronic stress leads to changes in the very biochemistry of one’s body leading to conditions such as depression.

 

What did your morning look like?  Many of the people we see at OIM woke up not knowing where they will eat today, or where they will sleep tonight.  Many don’t know where they will be tomorrow, let alone in a week.

 

Routine…predictability…doesn’t sound so bad does it?

Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Street youth work: What’s that? Really?

Posted by on January 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment 

Very different indeed.  A bit hard to process for some, so let’s paint a picture of the reality of kids on the street.  Many issues certainly, here are a few:

Physical Abuse: most kids are fleeing domestic violence.  Hard as street life is, it’s viewed as better than ‘home’.

Substance Abuse: if it hasn’t already started, it comes into the picture big time when the kids hit the streets.  It begins as self-medication to try to deal with pain of whatever they are facing. Then it turns into a physiological thing and then the kids need to maintain so as not to go into withdrawal.

All alone:  Even though they hang out in larger groups for safety, each of these ‘tough kids’ is just a kid, like the kid across the street from you, who has HAD to put on an image in order to survive. It is a mask, necessary for survival. No support, no one to help, none.  None.

Violence: is a part of it all, along with ‘survival tactics’ that are less than pretty: prostitution, drug use with needles and prescriptions and whatever else comes to hand, even running drugs for the ‘boss’ man.

We deal with these issues, portrayed through kids who mostly never had a fair chance because of their background.  So we love on them, encourage them in the smallest things you can imagine, build self-esteem whenever we can, and really, just try to hang on to them.

Statistics report that there are a few levels of socio-economic backgrounds of kids on the streets, but guess what?  The pimps, dealers and other exploiters, really do NOT care.  They see a source of income, a piece of meat to ‘sell’, a means to their own selfish ends.

They come to us.  They come every week.  They have no other place to go that is positive, encouraging and supportive.

Yea, it’s hard work, and it really hurts sometimes, but we believe in these kids with all of our hearts.

 

 

Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Dignity, General Poverty, Homelessness, Injustice, Justice, justice canada, mental health, mental illness, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Profound Encounters

Posted by on May 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

Easter Dinner happened May 19th, a couple of weeks after the event . The delay is typical for us, so our folks can enjoy a special meal after the other agencies have held their own event meals days running – sometimes there will be two turkey dinners on the same day!

Maybe one hundred and fifty at two seatings – it all went smoothly. There were many volunteers, great service, greater interaction with our street friends, and seconds of meals and desserts for all who were interested.

Let me highlight one key interaction that was both powerful and profound. There are two young men, maybe 11 and 12 years old, who have been volunteering at our special dinners for several years. They came with both parents this year, and are both comfortable and capable in their service at the dinner.

I was talking with one of our guests, Bill, after the dinner when our two young volunteers walked by, preparing to depart with mom and dad. I stopped to speak with them and asked them how their day went. Fine, they affirmed. I asked if they had opportunity to visit with any of our street friends, and they said they did not have that chance. I thanked them for coming.

Just then Bill, who had overheard our conversation, joined the conversation and had some specific words of encouragement that he delivered to the two boys. He commended them and their parents for coming out to volunteer and help serve the meal. It was very special to have young people learn how to serve others at an early age he said, and it really meant a lot to him (particularly) and to all the guests (generally) to know that others cared. He spoke sincere words of appreciation and thanks to the young men, and again thanked them for caring.

I could sense Bill’s words carried a great deal of weight as the boys looked up and eagerly listened to this ‘rounder’ (been around a long time) as he expressed his gratitude. It was very real and genuine, and the boys could sense his sincerity. Although the conversation lasted only a few moments, it will be a conversation that the boys may never forget.

It is also typical of volunteers’ interactions with our street friends: no matter how convinced volunteers are that they come to encourage, minister and help, they learn quickly that they are often the recipients of the encouragement, ministry and blessing.

I think it is a principle of the Kingdom. A reversal of the world’s values and expectations. The greatest will be the least, the servant will be the master.

Happy Easter – every day!

Filed under Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, Homelessness, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Respect, Social, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What? Weather?

Posted by on March 11, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

March winds blow, or it pours rain, minus 30 with the wind chill – or any combination thereof.   Only in Canada, eh?

We can look forward to spring, but it seems a long time coming.

No less for our street friends – not that’s the understatement of the year.

Christmas is a time typically when there is a generous outpouring of love and generosity to those on the streets and we are thankful for this.  But what about after Christmas?

Maybe we don’t think about it all that much, but the winter is a misery when you are on the move all the time, with no place to rest your usually wet, cold, freezing feet.  The laundromat is usually a good place, but it is often the case that the proprietors of the same are on the lookout for people who don’t wash their clothes.  The laundromat just beside our offfice entance is a good example.  It is common for the police to be called to this place, because some of Ottawa’s homeless population need a warm place.

In extreme cold -whatever that is- I guess it depends on whether or not you are in the cold all the time .  Street-engaged people are herded up and forced to go ‘inside’ (not the Chateau Laurier).  This experience can be worse that staying outside, because it is yet another violation of their persons (the force that can accompany can be excessive) – there are reasons why people cannot access services.

I guess I’m painting a pretty dark, bleak picture.  A bit negative, eh? But it is what it is – I’m pretty sure about that.

What then?  Well, don’t forget about those on the streets, even when the weather has some degree of improvement: the nights are still very cold.

Why not think about doing something about this problem?  You could contact one of the local agencies in your city and volunteer to do something.  Maybe you could give something – time, talents or money.  Stop and talk to someone you pass who is panhandling on the streets: you would be surprised how ‘invisible’ someone can become as soon as they sit on a curb with a ball cap and ask for money.  Give or not, it’s up to you, but you need to see that this is a real person, with a real story,  he/she is where she is, not from choice,  but from a cascade of trouble that they could do nothing to change (it usually begins with childhood abuse – how can we hold someone responsible for that?)

Give some change if you like – better a bill.  Once you give, forget about what will happen to it.  We hold people so very responsible for so little, when we are so careless with the treasures with which we have been blessed.

One thing for sure: we really can’t do nothing about this.  In our affluence, remember the  poor.

Make a difference.  Go out there and change your world.

Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Dignity, General Poverty, Homelessness, Injustice, Justice, justice canada, mental health, mental illness, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

OIM Relocates Drop In

Posted by on February 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

Some time ago, we learned that our weekly drop in program would be interrupted for a period of three to six months while a construction renovation occurred at our current downtown location.

 Just two weeks ago, Jelica (OIM’s managing director) informed me that the scheduling for the renovation was imminent.  We would have just three weeks to find a new location, go through the necessary steps with our new ‘landlord’ (which might take several weeks or even months to get approvals), move our supplies, inform our street friends, set up and continue to provide needed services.

 There were some specific caveats involved that severely restricted our options: we needed a downtown location, a place which could accommodate a minimum of 120 people (and up), a serviceable kitchen, a large space for eating our community meal as well as additional spaces for foot care, touch care, hair care, chiropractic care, and clothing distribution.  We needed a space that would allow all these services to be a part of the larger group, and at the same time, is separate enough for individual care.

 In a perfect world, we would also like to be in a pleasant venue with natural light, clean and modern washrooms, and maybe even a garden.  We were looking for a world class venue that would suite the people that we are working with.  Someone said, ‘Put a person in a prison like environment and they’ll act like a prisoner.  Put a person in a world class venue and they’ll act like a world class citizen’. 

 This is not a simple list of items, but it is what we need.  These are the needs of our operation, and became the criteria around which we directed our search.

 The day after the news of our immediate need, I gathered staff for prayer and waiting on God.  We met that morning, again that afternoon, and the next morning.  We didn’t need ‘a space’; we needed the ‘right space’, and so made inquiry of the Lord.

 Good news!  In less than one week we had an offer of ‘the perfect space’ for our needs!

 Dominion Chalmers United Church has very graciously opened her doors to host our drop in until the renovation is complete – mid July!  In every sense, it is the perfect space!

 Woodside Hall is where we have hosted our annual community dinners and accommodate 160-200 guests; there is ample room for services, with our volunteers having their ‘own space’ and feeling like they are a part of the larger drop in at the same time; we have access to D.C.’s private garden which Is accessed directly through Woodside Hall; the kitchen is perfect for our needs, and there is parking!  In every respect, this is a perfect fit for our present needs. 

In less than one week from the time of the announcement of the imminent need to relocate, it was all looked after.   Thanks be to God (and thank you Dominion Chalmers)!

You can check out photos on their website:  http://www.dc-church.org/

Filed under About OIM, Drop In Services, General Poverty, Homelessness, Justice, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Respect, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BIG day at the Drop In

Posted by on January 14, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

We receive many donations of clothing at the drop in and we invite folks to help themselves to whatever they need.  From time to time we are presented with genuine needs that go far beyond any donation.

Jimmy takes a size 15 boot and has difficulties finding this size anywhere in the city.  Bill has a rather large circumference and has the same problem.

I approached Bill and told him we could help.  If he would like, we could go to a big box store and he could get a couple pair of pants.  He declined, saying that his sweat pants were serving their purpose quite well, and that there was no need – perhaps I could find someone who was really poor and who needed it.  After some further conversation, he hesitantly admitted, well, he might be able to use some 52” waist trousers given that his other pair of pants were shorts (and he had been wearing them this winter!!)  He was too shy to come with me, but if I went to the box store, he would need 52” a (not 50”) waist.  I asked if we should do a measurement just in case, but we couldn’t find a measuring tape.

Final words, “Fifty-two.”

“No problem”, I replied, “You wait right here.”

South on Bank Street, and my two BIG questions (nice pun!) at the box store, “Do you have 52” waist pants and size 15 warm winter boots?” was answered in the affirmative.  Back to the drop in.

I discretely passed Bill the inside out bag with two pairs of pants and suspenders, and encouraged him to go try them on for size.  “Are they 52?” he asked. 

“Yes, they are.” 

“Then they will be fine, thank you very much.   Fifty-two’s will be just fine.  Thank you very much.”

“It might be good to try them, just in case.  Sometimes store measurements can be a bit off,” I proposed, and, after receiving a somewhat hesitant affirmation, I went off to find Jimmy.  Word got out that I had been looking for him, and he was waiting when I returned.  Before I told him about the new boots he mentioned that his feet were wet and cold from the snow, and size 15 were not common.  I told him that was just what I wanted to talk to him about.  He welcomed the news and we went to the car, and he tried on the boots right there. 

“Are these size 14?” he asked.

“No, these are size 15 – hey, here’s the tag,” and showed him the big ‘15’ on the box.

“Hmmm, nice.”

I passed him one of the boots and he asked for the other.  “My left foot is bigger,” he explained.

Long story short, the left foot was a bit tight, but the right fit perfectly.  He was very pleased and thanked me profusely.

Back downstairs to see how Bill made out. When I was only just in sight, he yelled, “Good one Ken!  Thanks to Lord too,” and explained how the pants did not fit properly – maybe an inch and a half too short of buttoning up. 

“Maybe get a 54 or 55 would be good.  Don’t be shy.  Sorry for the trouble.”

“No trouble at all,” I replied, “Better to find out now and make the exchange.”

South on Bank Street, and now just one BIG question, “Do you have 54” and Matt promptly searched for the right numbers.  “Do you have 55?” I inquired, “that might be better.” 

“If it’s just 1 ½ inch, then a 54 will fit just fine.”

Back again to the drop in – it was almost deserted by this time – and no Bill.  Anybody seen Bill?  He was upstairs getting his hair cut, so all was well.

“Got the 54’s,” I said, “No problem at all.”

“That will be great,” he replied.  “Thanks so much.  I am so sorry for your trouble.  Thank you.”

“Maybe you should just try these on to be sure,” I offered, confident that I had achieved my goal.

“As soon as I’m done.”

Twenty minutes later he came out of the washroom with a concerned look on his face.  “Ken, they only just fit.  Will they shrink?  What if I just hung them to dry?  What if the woman that sometimes helps with my laundry forgets, and puts them in the dryer?  They just barely fit now. And they’re 54’s (sigh).”

“That’s not so bad.  One of our volunteers has a cousin that takes a 60.”  He raised his eyebrows.  I’ll take them back and get the next size up.  Come to the office at noon tomorrow, and we’ll get the right size.”

“I’m so sorry about all this,” he said sadly, ”It is so much trouble.”

“Tomorrow you will have pants that fit properly. You will enjoy them for a long time to come.  It’s worth it to do this right. “

“Around noon then.  Thank you Ken.  Thank you.”

Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Dignity, Drop In Services, General Poverty, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, mental health, Miracle on the Streets, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Drop In to our Drop In, New Year’s 2011

Posted by on January 5, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

A sunny bright first week of January and many greetings of “Happy New Year” were offered from our friends at the drop in.  New Years is just so much better than Christmas.

In addition to the beautiful day, some of our folks were only just receiving their cheques from December (some glitch in the matrix of ODSP/OW) on this day, so it was doubly beautiful (maybe more).

Our numbers are down a bit because of the cheque thing (a typical first of the month pattern), but we have given up trying to estimate our effectiveness through the number of people served a meal.  Instead we count the number of positive interactions our volunteers have with our street friends – more than ‘the Big three’ of news, weather and sports. 

Downstairs, there’s a couple of euchre games on the go, people visiting with each other, relaxed, informal – a nice place to hang out. 

Let’s ‘drop in’ on a few of my encounters with our friends:

I met Bill who is 19 years old and his sister Chaucery (or so I thought, until Bill told me it was his mom), and we chatted.  Two years ago he ran from a fight only to have a severe stab wound in the skull: “See the mark?” he says as he points to the top of his head.  We talked of a few things, but he told me he didn’t want to talk about his father, one time Chaucery’s partner.  Then, after about twenty minutes,   he brought up the topic of his father, and how he had been so severely mistreated.  Usually, among people who have been mistreated as children it is their fathers who have been the primary causes of abuse.  He didn’t want to talk about it, but then he did.  He had been diagnosed with some condition of mental illness (before the knife wound and somehow associated with his father), he explained, and lives with his mom.  Their hydro had been cut off, and it was a good thing I wasn’t part of the blanket-blank agency, or they would have some choice words for me.  They were going to make it, the mom said, because hydro was not their heat source, and their landlord had allowed them to have an extension cord running to a power outlet in the hall.  “We have lots to be thankful for,” Bill reminded his mom.

On the way to the coffee urn, Wayne came in and asked if he could have a hamper to take home with him (before the appointed time for hampers) because the service technician was coming to his new place to hook up a phone that afternoon.  Wayne has undergone a remarkable recovery from alcohol, drugs and the street scene.  He has been clean for over a year now, and has every intention of continuing to improve his life.  After many, many attempts to obtain housing, he now has a place of his own.  I marvel at what he has accomplished against overwhelming odds, as well at his determination to keep on the ‘straight and narrow’.

 Jelica, our managing director, put together a few groceries, while Wayne showed us pictures of his two daughters and grandchildren.  “Wow”, I said, admiring the photographs and smiling, “You don’t look it, but you truly are a rich man.”  He quickly nodded assent and told a condensed version of the powerful reconciliation he recently had with one of his daughters – after being estranged from her for many, many years.

“Thank you so very much for the food,” he said, and put the pictures carefully in the front part of his knapsack, and the groceries in the back.  “I’m off to catch the 12:10 bus.”

As he climbed the stairs out of the building, my eyes met Jelicas’, and there was a simultaneous sigh of gratitude and wonder at this example of a transformed life.  More than words are needed to grasp the deep significance of what was happening all around us. 

It’s all a gift from God, and gifts of God.

These kinds of encounters happen all the time, each one purposefully and intrinsically orchestrated by our Heavenly Father:  each one a display of His splendor .  Mother Theresa coined it well when she said, “We see Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.”

You should find out how you could be a part of this somehow.  Happy New Years!

Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, Dignity, Drop In Services, General Poverty, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, mental health, Miracle on the Streets, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

« Previous Page — Next Page »