The Season of Giving

Weekends are a unique time in the inner city. Most of the agencies are closed, and there is a kind of hush that seems to blanket the remaining activity. As I was leaving work one Sunday, a somewhat distraught older, aboriginal man approached me wanting to talk. We sat, side by side, our arms slightly touching, on the steps of the church looking out at the neighborhood. Sitting for a while, in silence, and then looking off into the distance he said, “I did something bad.” “You did something bad?” I echoed in reply, my mind wandering off as I imagined any number of confessions that could follow. I looked at him and waited for him to respond. It was as if he was pulling the words from deep inside, mustering the energy to give them a voice. “I gave my money to some bad people. They asked me for money and when I gave them some, they tried to take all of it from me. How can I be a Christian?” he asked, “I try so hard to love people and to give them what they want, and then they hurt me.” I could tell he had a heavy heart, and we continued to sit for a while in silence, intermittently speaking about the difficulties of being human, being a Christian, and of loving people.

In this holiday season we are often reminded of the good in the world; it is a time to remember family and friends, to enjoy big meals, and of course, to give gifts, but there is also a great deal of pain for many people. Many of the worst parts of the inner city - the violence, the addictions, the broken relationships - all seem to increase around this time. They often seem senseless until they are seen as responses to the intense pain many of our neighbors harbor, pain that is often amplified by the memories of holidays past. In listening to this man it was as if I could feel some of his pain. I share this with you because in this Christmas season, one of the invitations of the season is to love one another through the spirit of giving. My invitation to you is to consider that perhaps whenever people ask for something from us, we are to give to them; perhaps not always specifically what they are asking for, but we can always give dignity, respect, and kindness.

This Christmas Season, and throughout the year, may I always remind myself to pause and consider, “what is this person asking of me, and what am I able to give them?” Let me be reminded that not all gifts must be bought from a store and wrapped in pretty paper to be valuable, and for each person I meet, may I take the time to ask myself, “How can I love this person more?”

Home for Christmas

I’m about to go live on air for the final two hours of the 10th Annual Mustard Seed Shine-a-thon. I remember being on the radio last year, as a co-host for my first ever Shine-A-Thon. From where I was sitting, I could see out across a dark, snow covered street to a lineup of people making their way to our shelter. I was on air while over 300 Calgarians made their way on yellow school buses to an industrial park to find shelter from the frigid cold. There I was, seeing an enormous need and being so compelled to invite listeners to be generous. I could see the difference they could make, lining up right in front of my eyes. At no other point in my life have I been so aware of how a donation could be transformed into life change.

Since that day, the donations have been used to help 98 of those in that lineup to make their way home. Those gifts have helped 47 more find meaningful employment. And we’re not done yet, because while I’m on the air tonight, the line will form again and many will make their way to our shelter. They choose to do so, because they know that they will be received by staff who will offer the lost art of hospitality and from there, they will find hope, experience community and begin the journey towards sustainable life change. In many ways, our shelter has become a re-housing centre, an employment centre and even more, a centre of hope.

Today is a day to give. I write this blog hoping it will inspire you to donate generously, inviting you to do your part to make a difference in the lives of those who stand in line, showing that they do not stand alone. Tonight, as a despairing line forms, let’s get together to offer hope and show that Christmas is a season filled with great anticipation, new beginnings and a gift far beyond what any of us ever imagined. Let’s bring that line ‘home’ for Christmas.

Tune in live to 88.9 Shine FM or visit us in Banker’s Hall.

A Million Dollar Gift

The phones were ringing and everyone was giving what they could. Amongst all the ones and zeroes stood a tired and weary man, reluctantly playing each day with the hand he was dealt. Beyond the tattered clothing and possession-filled backpack lay a glimmer of hope. Coins in hand, he walks hesitantly to the table. "Here," he says, opening his hand to reveal a few dirty coins, "it's all I have." He was immediately embarrassed and closed his fingers around the shiny objects, retracting his arm and bowing his head. "It's only three dollars."   "That's ok," they said. "No, it's only three dollars."   "No,"  I tell him, as I touch him gently on the back and look straight in his eyes.   "It's not only three dollars, it's three dollars." "It’s not only three dollars... " everyone there echoes. He looks up at us standing there and, looking slightly more empowered, sits down to fill out the form. "You should make a challenge," I say, and explain he can challenge other people to donate. "I want to challenge everyone to give, because if I can give, they can."

After that exchange, I slowly walked away from the table, my heart a little warmer, my smile a little brighter. Thank you, sir, for touching my day and my heart in a way I will never forget.

Four years later, we're about to launch into another Shine-a-Thon, the event where the above events played out. I'd like to personally ask you to listen to Shine FM on Thursday, December 15, and watch our Facebook and Twitter feeds in Calgary to see and hear about the work happening at The Mustard Seed and how you can help. Our goal is to raise $250,000 in one day with your help. If nothing else, we're fun people to listen to, and you'll be inspired in one way or another. Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for listening.