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C A T H O L I C W O R K E R
So E lijah did according to the word of the L ord; he went and lived by the C herith Brookand the ravens brought him bread I Kings 17 by Eric Garbison
Advent 2011
Waiting...To Celebrate
Occasionally we are asked, How successful is your work at Cherith Brook? Are you able to get the homeless off the streets? For one, we are rarely the reason folks get off the streets. We arent lawyers or social workers, we are unqualified to process them through housing programs. We arent employment programs, teaching new skills where needed or pointing the unemployed toward jobs. We really value those who have these skills and expertise. And we know it would be wrong to give ourselves much, if any credit for the legal, financial and programmatic resources it takes to secure housing when you have nothing. Hurry up and wait. When we went to court get housing, few of them escape the precarity on a Friday morning I expected more waiting. of poverty. Consider, for example, those who But as he came out of the courtroom, I could live off the government. The typical Social tell by his smile that the waiting was over. Security Disability check is somewhere around What did Jesus mean when he said The $650 a month. Food stamps aside, thats for poor will always be with you? Ill get back to everything. And then there is the struggle to you on that one. But what I do know is that find affordable housing. There is no wiggle Mike Turner went from the streets to our room for what life often throws at us. Give it community and is now living in a house with a try sometime. Also, we dont want to contribute to the middle class myth of independence. Such a myth does not take into account that while some start at the bottom, a few start at the top and some of us started somewhere in the middle with family resources and support abounding. Success talk allows us to buy into the idol of autonomy. Not much credit is given to the (left to right) Mike, Elisabeth, and Gary enjoying the waterfall on Cliff Drive reality that we all depend on others for friends. He will have trying times ahead as something. If we are honest with ourselves, he learns to make the $650 stretch over the interdependence is more true to human expemonth. But after three years Mike knows we rience and to our call as Christians. are in it together. Most important, the Gospels give more One of our favorite practices is to visit the value to living truthful, faithful lives than behouses of these friends for a blessing. Faces ing successful in our efforts. When it comes glow and eyes water up as we move from livto being with those in poverty, the story is ing room to bedroom and kitchen (yes, even about companionship with those who live a the bathroom) to bless each space and giving daily struggle. Yes, we are somewhat hesitant thanks to God in Jesus Christ, who did some to talk of success. time in a stable on the streets and under the On the other hand we have had plenty to stars after all. celebrate. And, it hits me on occasion that we Mike is just one of several stories we have dont do enough celebrating. celebrated this past year. Im learning what Weve had plenty partying going on here as will power, patience, persistence, humility of late. Mike Turner, who has lived with us on and faith it takes to transition from homeand off since 2008, was awarded Social Seculessness to stability of some kind. We have rity Disability last month. It was surreal. He learned much by traveling this difficult road applied for disability in April 2010. And then with friends. And much more to learn and he waited and waited, received an occasional much more to celebrate! phone call from lawyers, filled out forms, went to appointments, then waited some more.
Besides, success is a word we dont use much. It sends the wrong message. For one thing, while some of our friends are able to
Advent 2011
Micah Waters, a long-time worker at the house, recently took a leap into that love as he and Taryn Summers were recently married. Not only that, but they are now discerning how they can be a blessing to the guests and workers at Cherith Brook while living just blocks away. Another couple of long-time volunteers decided to take some steps into the unknown.
Allison Rozga and Elisabeth Rutschman decided to join us as covenanting members of this little experiment we call Cherith Brook. As our community adjusts to this new growth, we look forward to the ways these two new community members will help shape this place. Our community has also been blessed by Carol Harr, who has interned with us for the past few months. She recently retired and wanted to explore community life. Her willingness to act on her convictions has been an inspiration to us, and we will be sad to see her head back to her home in Denver. Much progress has been made towards beautifying our space at Cherith Brook. We recently repainted our front porch, repaired all the mortar work on one side of our storefront building, finished installing a wood stove for our shower house, and constructed numerous raised beds to help beautify our front yard. Many thanks are in order for all the volunteers who helped work on these projects. Thanks for making Cherith Brook a more inviting space for our guests. Once a year our house observes an old Jewish tradition called The Festival of Shelters. It was a practice established to remind the Israelites how God provided for them Carol and Henri lounging in our backyard while they were wandering. We follow in
Advent 2011
by Santiago
labor. In the U.S., I make ten dollars in one hour. There is much money to be earned in the U.S., but here I live with fear everyday. Every time I drive my truck to work, I think that I could be deported today. I have been able to avoid trouble from Immigration Control by working and staying out of trouble, even though many are deported everyday. But I do not want to always be hiding. Now I have a family here in the United States also that I have to take care of and provide for. My wife is a legal resident and we have a newborn baby. It is hard for our family because I have no legal papers. My wife can go back to Mexico to visit family, but I cannot return. I want to go back someday. Even though it has been hard, God has blessed me here. I hope someday that I can become a legal resident of the United States. My wife is studying to take a test for citizenship. If she can become a citizen then maybe I will be able to become a resident.
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When I was eight years old, the Nepalis in Bhutan raised their voices against the government in order to bring democracy and equal rights to the country. In return, the government of Bhutan sent the army and police to our village. They raped daughters in front of parents and mothers in front of children; the men were severely beaten and
Advent 2011
A Guests Gifts
by Anonymous Over last three years, many gifts have come to me on a bicycle, in a backpack. Originally it was a bag of bananas, hanging from the front door in a white plastic bag. Next, it was two loaves of 12-Grain Whole Wheat bread. Once we got a whole bag of organic apples. (All of these were gleaned from a local soup kitchen free pile). Other times, it was help with mowing the lawn or turning the garden. I also remember when he bought me a quesadilla at one of the little Taquerias on the Avenue. For a long time, I insisted that he didnt need to do these things. This shifted the night we made a feast together. Manny had been staying on an air mattress in our living room for the coldest nights that winter. Usually, he came after dinner. But one night, he came early and decided we should go shopping to make a big dinner together. So we went to our local ALDI discount grocery store, where he insisted on buying a family size bag of jumbo shrimp, along with avocados, two bags of blue corn chips, some mushrooms, and a package of all three colors of bell peppers. I kept asking, Are you sure? Thats too much! Again and again, he laughed and assured me with a smile that We are going to eat, man! Were having a party! As our basket filled, I started to see that maybe he deeply needed to give us these gifts. Maybe this was the time to shut my mouth, receive, and be thankful. It was time to trade roles of host and guest. Although Ive seen Manny maintain a very energetic friendliness in a wide variety of places, I imagine that the receive-and-be-grateful norms of most charities can slowly wear down ones dignity. I imagine he may be among many who leave hungry for chances to be giver and host. As we approach Advent and Epiphany, Mannys example makes me wonder what gifts were brought to Christ not by the magi, but by the shepherds and peasant farmers. The simple gifts, brought by dirty hands and in rough sacks. What gleaned harvests did they share? What fresh wildflowers along the back trails? What wooden carvings or special stones? And was it hard for Joseph to receive those gifts? Was Mary embarrassed at their generosity? Its a good thing Christ came as a humble baby rather than a banquet host. As an utterly vulnerable being, Christ had no choice but to receive.
House Needs
Coffee, Sugar, Creamer Vinegar (gallon size for cleaning) Firewood Baking Soda Dish Soap Toilet Paper Milk, Eggs, Butter Dried Beans & Rice Salt & Pepper Shakers Folding Tables (standard size) Trailer (flat bed) Bicycles & Bike Trailers Old candles Straw bails Canning lids
Shower Needs
Tennis Shoes (mens & womens) Jeans & Belts (mens 30-34, womens 4-6, 16-18) Mens Underwear (size 32-38) Womens Panties (esp. 4-7) Pads & Tampons Shampoo & Conditioner Deodorant & Razors Tube Socks Foot Powder Toothpaste & Brushes Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Theraflu Laundry Soap (high efficiency) Bus Passes Stamps Long Underwear (see jeans sizes) Winter Gloves, Hats & Scarves Winter Coats & Hoodies (esp. L & XL)
Upcoming Events
November 23-25 Cherith Brook closed for Thanksgiving December 10 Group Workday cancelled! December 21 - January 4 Cherith Brook closed for the holidays