Bless Your Heart

I struggled a bit with this post, wondering which was the best topic to write about today. One thing kept coming to mind though, so buckle your seat belts and grab the Gravol; you're in for a ride.

That was an outright lie, but I hope you brought refreshments again. Maybe a Powerbar or something.

I've been working at The Mustard Seed for just over 5 years now. I feel like I started here when I was 15. Working here brings with it a set of conversation topics I had never broached before my tenure here. When you're stuck in a smalltalk situation with nothing to say, mentioning that you work at The Mustard Seed always cures that immediately. Sometimes in awkward situations, and I'm always awkward, I just want to blurt out "I WORK AT THE MUSTARD SEED" in the most quiet of moments, simply because it's the fail-safe way to get people talking.

The conversations range from things like NIMBY (which I chatted about on Saturday) to what our services are, to the 10-yr plan, panhandling, bottle picking, why don't people just get jobs, how much does it cost the system for people to remain homeless etc. I also get people overwhelmed with emotion, repeating "bless your heart," as though they'd never thought people worked here and what an astonishing thing it is. Really, I want to tell them I work in an office and my heart actually isn't actually 9-sizes larger then theirs.

Anyway, the wealth of conversations I've had in the last 5 years (outside of work) is startling. My point here, with this post is - if you met someone for the first time, and asked where they work and they said The Mustard Seed, what would your next sentence be?

Follow me to Housing

Greetings! My name is Nic, I work with the Mustard Seed’s Rehousing department. My role is to advocate for housing on behalf and with the guests of the Mustard Seed. I’ve worked with The Mustard Seed for about 1 year, but was involved for 3 years prior to that as a volunteer.

In response to Calgary’s goal to end homelessness, The Mustard Seed has focused on three areas; basic services, housing and employment. These areas of support are addressed in order to guide people to long-term, sustainable housing. This work is justice, mercy and, I think, it’s restorative. Every month I see individuals ‘restored’ just a little and I see mercy extended to those in need. I see people find home!

Truly, this work of justice comes with its moments of disappointment and discouragement, but it is never-the-less an opportunity for restoration. I have this opportunity to see individuals and communities and even my city come together with passion to insure that there is always hope for recovering from poverty and isolation. Because of the work I do, I realize more and more every day that we are all unworthy and, paradoxically, worthy. Knowing my own unworthiness, I see the need to extend grace and help to those who need it most. Realizing my inherent worthiness, it becomes energizing to watch people get keys to their own home for the first time. The efforts to address homelessness belong to the community! For the first time in a long time we’re taking radical steps to change homelessness in my community (Calgary), we’re blessed with involvement from volunteers, staff, other agencies, property owners and landlords to make this work of justice happen!

Thank you!

Take me out to the ball game

Recently, I attended one of The Mustard Seed's baseball games. Those who come to The Mustard Seed have played the sport in a city-wide baseball league for nine years. The experience was great for our clients.

When I first arrived, I met Rick, who joyfully said, "We've had a good run. Everyone's having lots of fun."

Of course, that was the whole point: fun. No matter what the weather, that's how our team felt. One minute they were playing in the rain. The next minute, the sun came out for everyone to enjoy. And, a fun game of baseball was just one way to help them build community in their lives.

Did I mention that Rick is looking forward to getting a place of his own soon? While it's easy to think that all of our clients are homeless, some of them are working poor, like Rick. They are working but are lonely, or they don't have enough money to make ends meet.

While Rick used to have evening meals once upon a time, that's not all The Mustard Seed provides him with now. The Mustard Seed is still growing hope and building community right out there on the baseball field. That support network makes our clients feel valued, supported, and worthy of achieving more.

I will never forget the smile of Rick and the other clients who were cheering on the sidelines that night. They were happy, carefree, and knew that someone cared about them. Sometimes that's all that's needed to make all the difference in the world. It's important to remember that we can all make a difference. What other small things can you do to make an important difference in our community?

The Pleasure of Prayer

Hi, I’m Yasha, and I work frontline at The Mustard Seed Edmonton.

There is this sense of stinging heaviness on your soul seeing somebody crying to you for help--completely desperate. What do you do when someone comes to you, broken and mournful? No, they are not looking for food, nor are they looking for clothing, and not even a blanket.

I had a slightly intoxicated man, we will call him Gordon, approach me while we were handing out bagged lunches during ‘clean-up days’ at The Mustard Seed Edmonton. Gordon asked me, “Hey man, can you pray for me?”  I responded that it would my pleasure. I have been only working at The Mustard Seed for about three months now, and this was my first personal prayer request. While asking Gordon what he wanted me to pray about, Gordon began weeping uncontrollably.

“My friend,” he said, “I am sixty one years old and I am going down, down, down, down. I have never done anything right, and I keep putting myself in this mess.” As tears streamed down his face, Gordon looked at me for prayer.

For a short period of time I have provided basic services and necessities to assist the community at The Mustard Seed Edmonton for daily and short-term needs. Now here is a man asking me to plead with God on behalf of him.  E.M. Bounds once said, “By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love... Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God's work. Praying hearts and hands only can do God's work.” This experience has led me to one conclusion: we desperately need to pray. Psalm 62: 5-7

Mustard Seed Shelter

Hello, hello there!

My name is Lacey and I’m one of the overnight team leaders at The Mustard Seed Shelter. This month marks my two years working at this lovely place. I’m very excited to share some of my experiences with you through this blog.

When I was 17, I went on a trip with my church to East Hastings in Vancouver and God drastically changed my attitude towards homeless people, and along with it my life. I went from crossing the street for fear of someone who looked homeless to approaching and offering a greeting.

Our shelter has capacity to serve 370 people a night. We offer food, a place to sleep, access to clothing, showers and a locker to store belongings.

It’s hard to describe what I do at the shelter because it’s so much more than the basic services I mentioned above. Staff are actively involved in building relationships with guests; we do our best to support them during crisis and as they move towards better choices. Sometimes that means discussing a struggle with addiction, a referral for a mental health assessment, directing someone towards the employment center or working with a guest towards housing or it can be as simple as verbalizing that this guest is cared about.

"Remember that the poor are people with names," writes Bryant Myers, author of Walking With the Poor, "people to whom God has given gifts, and people with whom and among whom God has been working before we even know they are there."

This is one of my favourite quotes and I look forward to sharing with you some of the ways I see God working among the homeless at The Mustard Seed.