Life Crumples us Up, but that DOES NOT Change our Worth

Maybe some of you have heard this one before. I think it is incredibly powerful. I have shared this story with several TOOLS groups.

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a twenty-dollar bill. In a room of two-hundred people he asked, "Who would like this twenty-dollar bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this to one of you, but first, let me do this."  He proceeded to crumple the bill up.

He then asked ' Who still wants it?"  Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well", he replied. "What if I do this?" He dropped the bill on ground and started to grind in into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up now crumpled and dirty and asked again, "Who still wants it?" Hands still went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth twenty dollars."

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and kicked into the dirt by the decisions we make and by the circumstances that come our way. We feel that we are worthless, but no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do, or who we know, but by who we are. You are special, and don't ever forget it!!!

~Author Unknown

   This says so much about all of us. We all go through really tough things. We lose friends, family and self-respect. We get cut from sports teams, fail classes, lose our jobs or even end up in homeless shelters, or on the street.  All sorts of difficult things happen to us during our lives, but in God's eyes we are always precious. We are loved, and valuable, even if we are crumpled up and dirty like that twenty dollar bill.

Comforting the Disturbed may Disturb the Comfortable: Rethinking Poverty and Homelessness - by Joseph Friesen, Leamington EMMC

       I once read somewhere that being among the homeless will comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. After spending a week in Toronto participating in the TOOLS program, I couldn’t agree more- and being comforted yet disturbed were two things I needed.  On the one hand, spending a week among the homeless really brought to the surface the issues I already knew were happening in our cities, and made them personal. We see people on wheelchairs begging for quarters, or people our own age struggling to survive, yet we don’t internalize what’s really going on.

    Spending time with those who are poor lets it all sink in. Suddenly the beggar is that woman who was rejected by her parents as a teen. Now the oddly dressed person with the shopping cart is that person that is a few opportunities from finally breaking out of the cycle. When you get to know those who are marginalized and poor, or those who were in the past, their issues become personal and a call to action. In that way, the comfortable side of me was disturbed.  At the same time, volunteering and hanging out with some of these people, I saw a way of life that is often forgotten. For those who have little, material things matter less. The concern for them isn’t the new phone that’s coming out, but their friends around the bingo table. They understand that beneath our disguises of trendy clothes and faked emotions, we are all valuable, image-bearing humans, each loved by our creator. And that was a comfort to my over-complicated and disturbed soul.

~Joseph Friesen, August 2011 participant

TOOLS Reflection by Johnny Peters, Leamington EMMC

I really enjoyed doing the TOOLS program. What really impacted me was being able to interact with the less fortunate and hear their stories and how that week blasted my stereotypes out of the water. I would definitely encourage others to do the program!

~ Johnny Peters, August 2011 participant

TOOLS Reflection by Celena Bartsch, Leamington EMMC

   Living in a small town such as Leamington we aren't exposed to homelessness as much as someone would be if they lived in Toronto. So we now have the stereotypes about these people, that are completely wrong. Just because someone lives on the streets doesn't mean they are dumb or lazy. Even though they don't have jobs, doesn't mean they don't put effort into making ends meet for themselves and their families. Going to St. John's church really opened my eyes to how nice these people can be. We talked amongst the people and we learnt about their lives. I was surprised that I would have so much in common with some of these homeless people.

~Celena Bartsch, August 2011 participant

Quote for the month of August

"We must seek the healing of the marred identity of the poor. We must treat them as valuable human beings, made in the image of God, loved by God. We must listen to them as if they have something to contribute, because they do. They simply do not appreciate how much they know. We must encourage the belief that God is for them and that God has given everyone something to contribute."

      ~ Bryant L. Meyers, Walking With the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development

Reflection by UMEI student, Jillian Balzer

     I found it very interesting to learn more about homelessness in Ontario. Living in a small town like Leamington, it is easy to ignore homelessness since we are not exposed to the extreme poverty seen in big cities like Toronto. Without education about homelessness we have a twisted, unknowledgeable view of people on the streets. Through the TOOLS program I was able to gain understanding of the issues and needs of those facing extreme poverty and homelessness in Ontario. However, not only was the program informative, it was also very exciting. I would recommend this experience to anyone who is looking to challenge and explore their faith.

  

Reflection by UMEI student, Mat Suta

I found the TOOLS program to be wildly exhilarating and informing. It really opened my eyes to the extreme poverty that tens of thousands of people in Toronto must deal with every day. Not only did we get the chance to help these people, but we got the chance to work long the people who have devoted their lives to help the homeless. One man we met had worked at the Scott Mission for 18 out of his 23 years in Canada. I could tell he really enjoyed his job and harboured a strong love for all of the people his kitchen served. He knew that a personal connection with the people eating from his kitchen was more important than the food itself. Meeting people like this was the most interesting part of my trip. It was cool to see how each mission had different policies and ways they ran. Each one was tuned to meet the needs of the people in the surrounding area. It was a delight to see every mission and to have the chance to work in them. I highly recommend the TOOLS trip to anybody with an open mind and the willingness to lend a hand to the people who need it most.