Charity Intelligence and Building Houses for and by Low Income Residents in Winnipeg

The fourth week of the month would normally be the week we give to a cause or recipient suggested to me. This time, I'm taking my suggestion from an organization called Charity Intelligence Canada (Ci), and specifically their 2010 list of recommended charities. Ci researches and analyzes charities in order to funders greater confidence that their funds are being well used. I'm really impressed with their approach. For example, they ask the very basic question: does this charity need the money? (As opposed to whether they are able to raise it.) They look not only at financial numbers, but also at the goods and time donated to a charity tefore assessing whether its spending ratios are healthy. They look at the degree of local ownership, at how many people are served, and at how the organization is managed. Recently, they have begun assessing social enterprises and social purpose businesses alongside more traditional charities, to help Canadian givers better understand the 'double bottom line impact' of businesses  seeking both financial and social return. Interesting and helpful stuff.

So this week I have decided to make a donation to Inner City Development, a social purpose business that does renovations in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Why them? Manitoba and renovations have both been on my mind in recent weeks -- Manitoba because of the terrible flooding that folks there have been experiencing, and renovations because we're about to embark on some of our own. I've also been doing some research in my professional life on those who are experiencing precarious housing in my own area. I appreciate the practical approach of providing jobs -- not just handouts -- to inner city low income residents. And how much more practical can you get than picking up a hammer? And I love that an explicit part of their mission is to provide services to inner city non-profit organizations. They started by renovating inner city housing for low income residents, and they are committed to providing full-time, year-round employment to their staff -- unusual in the constructon industry.

I suspect I'll go back to the Ci report many times before the year is out -- I hope you do too.

Sacrificial Giving

There's a man at our church named Bobby. I don't know him very well. We've actually only ever spoken on the phone when he has called to remind me that I signed up to bring a salad to the community dinner on Saturday or to help with the food drive next weekend. He's the kind of guy who offers to make those phone calls. But I feel like I know Bobby a bit better than our limited contact would suggest, because he has a reputation. What kind of reputation do you have? Do you wish you had? Bobby's reputation is for service and selfless giving. He's a go-to guy, who quietly and faithfully invests his life in other people. I am not personally aware of even a fraction of all that Bobby does. I know that he helps at a local dinner and drop in centre, talks to people at his Auto Body shop about far more than car repairs, organizes men's groups, delivers cribs and other supplies to new moms in need, goes on missions trips to Ecuador, and is willing to make himself vulnerable in sharing his struggles and stories publicly with our congregation every once in awhile. There's way more.

I recently received a flyer that said this:

"As you may or may not know, this torrid pace Bobby's set has finally taken its toll...physically, emotionally and financially. The first two we'll trust God to heal and continue to pray as Bobby goes through this season of his life. The finances however, that we can do something about."

Last weekend there was an "Amazing Love BBQ" held to raise funds for Bobby.  The irony struck me -- even now, as Bobby needs our help instead of the other way around, we are blessed. Blessed to have an opportunity to give, and in that way to contribute, practically and tangibly, to the significant ministry that Bobby has had and to encourage him in it. As the flyer said, "If Bobby has impacted your life in the past few years, be part of a community that responds the same way." I was sorry to miss the BBQ, but glad to participate belatedly. Maybe the element of belated surprise will make it even more fun.

Bobby's  not the kind of guy you'd notice in a crowd. He won't make the news. But he has the kind of reputation that I would be proud for any of my children to have.

Catching Up

Sorry for the silence. Sort of. We've been away for awhile, in the Greek Islands celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss. A friend asked me this week what the very best part was. My possible list was long -- in fact I'd written it out while flying home: the quality of the light and the air, no driving, no bickering, no scheduling, no alarm clock, the fresh healthy food, the views, being near water all of the time, no food planning or cooking, no one complaining about what I chose to cook, spending time with each other when we're actually at our best in the day, not being interrupted, not having to remind anyone about anything, rarely multitasking...I could go on. But one of the very best things about the trip was the quiet. There was a surprising amount of silence -- much of it spent sitting outside gazing out at the sea. So the blog was silent too, and today is catch up day. It's one part of getting back into routine that I've been looking forward to.

Soccer Season has Officially Begun

Soccer season has officially begun.

One of my favourite summer memories is watching my kids and their coaches jump into our pool after a hot day at soccer camp. The camp was -- and still is -- terrific. Not only did it teach great soccer skills, but it also drew kids from all across town, gave teens a chance to coach and mentor younger players, and exposed the kids to the influence of really solid coaches.

This will be our first summer not in that town (the house sold this week), and it's also the first summer that our church here will be hosting a very similar camp. Unfortunately our schedule doesn't allow our kids to attend soccer camp this year (especially disappointing since the older ones could be assistant coaching by now), so we've decided to become involved in another way. This week's local donation will allow 5 kids to attend soccer camp -- and I hope they have a ton of fun.


PS -- I'll be blogging from Greece (!!) for the next couple of weeks -- or at least trying to. If technical glitches, or intense relaxation, cause me to miss my weekly postings, rest assured that I'll get caught up upon my return.

Buddies in Burkina

When I was 20 years old, I wanted to go to Africa for the summer. Badly. I sent letters to a variety of volunteer organizations, and for awhile I heard nothing back. Then a letter arrived, inviting me to help at a missionary guest house in Ivory Coast. I accepted right away. The next day, another letter arrived, asking if I would consider a posting in Burkina Faso. In a place called Ouagadougou. I ran to an atlas to find out where it was, then read that name out loud over and over again (try it -- it's fun!), then turned it down because of having already said yes to the other one. It turned out to be a life changing summer -- no regrets about my choice to go to Abidjan -- but I've always been mildly curious what Ouagadougou might have been like.

This is our week to give internationally. I'd like to share a note I received from Rick -- a friend of ours and colleague of my husband's, whose example and influence we've appreciated very much. He told me that this blog encouraged him to be a bit more vocal about what he's doing, in the hope of inspiring others:

Many of you already know that on March 11 - 28, I am headed to Burkina Faso in West Africa to spend 2 weeks in isolated communities drilling for water.  Some who I have shared this with think it sounds very cool, while others think I have flipped out. After being vaccinated for about a dozen diseases, I started to wonder myself.  So, I thought I should share briefly with you what I am up to.

There are 3 basic reasons why I am taking this adventure:

1/    I consider myself one of the luckiest and most blessed people alive.  Most of you reading this e-mail should feel the same.  I realize that God has gifted me a life of privilege greater than 99% of the people in the world.  I want to help those who have not been so richly blessed, and by doing so and talking about it, to encourage others to do the same.  Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world.  We will be living among tribes where people must walk 3 hours to fetch filthy water.  Children die needlessly every day of water borne diseases. It is so easy to help if you know the need and have the will.

2/    A 28 year old friend of mine from our church (Matt) has taken his engineering degree and work experience over to Burkina Faso to live and work permanently, to bring water and hope through the gospel to these people.  Our church supports him financially, but 7 of us are going over to support him as our friend, in a more tangible way.  We are going to have a 2 week guys' adventure.

3/    Matt works for an organization we also support, called Friends in Action (FIA).  They do amazing work all over the world, including Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world.  Here is the link to the Burkina projects: You can get to other projects from there. 

So, the main reason that I am going, and telling everyone about my adventure, is to encourage others to do the same, either through stepping out or by giving financially.  I and my 6 partners have paid for our own trips, so we do not need any money.  But FIA does need constant support, as it costs $8,500 for each well they drill.  They hope to drill 15 wells in Burkina Faso this year, and if we do our jobs, we will drill 3 of them.  Our church is raising money for one of the wells, but you will see many other projects going on around the world.

I know that it is often hard to know when you give to charity if it is going to make it to the people that need it.  I know that FIA are one of the good guys.  If you have some money to give this year, these folks will put it to good use.  Any amount you can give will help to bring clean water, radio communication, health care, orphanage buildings or one of many other services to thousands of people, while also ministering to their spiritual needs.

When he got back, Rick kindly sent these photos, and this quick update:

Overall, we had a blast.  We drilled 5 holes.  The first 2 were dry but we hit a great water source on 3#.  Hole #4 was so wet it kept caving in so we had to abandon it, and hole #5 was another huge success.  We worked 11 days out of 12 and came home tired but happy.

I was chatting with another friend of mine this week, who's also a friend of Rick's. She too has been inspired, and is challenging her kids to be more on the lookout for needs in their community so that she can make a weekly donation to something meaningful to them. As I've written here before, this project is helping to sharpen our perception of need -- what a great thing!

So this week our international donation will go to Friends in Action. My husband's company helps provide safe drinking water here in Canada -- it's seems fitting that one of his colleagues would invite us to do the same near Ouagadougou. (Go ahead -- say it again out loud).

Happy Birthday to a Friend

It's the fifth Friday of the month -- the first time that's happened since Just Giving It began, and by my count it will happen three more times this year.

According to the 'Rules of the Game,' each Friday of the month has a designated theme to guide the giving. (If you're new here, have a look back in the archives!) Not so for this fifth one. Today is a day for breaking the rules or creating new ones. Hmmmm....what to do?

The timing is perfect. My friend Katie is celebrating her 30th birthday this coming week. How fun to be able to surprise her with this birthday gift!

Katie's the kind of person I want to be when I grow up. She makes everyone feel welcome. She's great at drawing people in -- to a conversation, a relationship, a community. She cooks delicious food. She's got a huge smile and sparkly eyes. She's great with people of all ages. She loves Jesus and is passionate about others meeting Him too. She's authentic -- what you see is what you get -- and she lives squarely in the real world with all its grit. She sings. She's married to a solid, godly husband, who comes from a great family like she does -- they live right around the corner from hers. She intentionally invests her life in the lives of others. She usually has guests in her home -- living there, not just for a meal. She loves to have fun. She's going to make a fantastic mom and she regularly helps me be a better one. And when we first moved here, she was one of the first people who welcomed us to our neighbourhood and our church.

Katie and her husband are in the midst of renovating their first home. They're living with mess and bills and drywall dust, and entertaining hoards of people through it all. It's hard to afford the time or money for birthday treats in the midst of that.

I hope she uses this gift to go to the spa, or something similarly indulgent. But even if it goes toward groceries or more nails for finishing the basement, I hope Katie feels appreciated and celebrated. She truly is.

And for those wondering if for-no-reason gifts are the best use of these funds, as I have, then join me in considering Jesus' example. He said that we'd always have the poor with us, yet he also knew how to have lots of fun at a party. He lived smack in the middle of that tension, and so do we. This giving project is teaching me to analyze a little less and to spend more time at the party. Happy birthday, Katie!

Grief, Hope and Treasuring my Children on Good Friday

On this Good Friday, I'm struck by the profound paradoxes embedded in the events of Easter. Jesus was dearly loved by God, yet had to (chose to) endure enormous suffering. How often do we question God's love for us when we go through difficult times? We know that challenging circumstances somehow coexist with, rather than contradict or disprove, His love. And because of the events of Good Friday, we can say with confidence that we "do not grieve as those who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13) -- and yet we grieve. Death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54) -- but not fully, yet.

So on this fourth Friday of the month, when we give to people suggested by readers of this blog, it seems very appropriate to follow up on the idea passed along to me by my friend Joan. She wrote of being inspired by the Jacobs family, whose lives have touched her own family deeply.

They are a family of seven children who lost both of their parents to cancer in 2008. The eldest, Alanna, was to have been in her fourth year of university that year. Instead, she found herself in a dark and difficult place, responsible for her six younger siblings. Oh how our life can change in an instant!

Alanna recently told her story  on the Drew Marshall Show. Drew is a long-time friend of mine from summer camp, who hosts a radio talk show on spiritual issues. Follow the link and scroll down to March 19 -- you can listen to Alanna's brave retelling of her story there.

The Jacobs' church has taken responsibility for ensuring that their needs are met -- an inspiring example of the church being the church, in my opinion. I look forward to this week's donation helping with that. Whether they use it for groceries or for a fun night out, I hope that Alanna, her brother Zander, and the rest of their family are encouraged in knowing they are not alone. And that although the events of Good Friday do not take away their pain, their story attests that Jesus' death and resurrection allow that pain to be infused with hope, and a peace that surpasses the understanding of those of us who have not had to walk that agonizing road.

In the midst of darkness, confusion, plastic bunnies, chocolate and pastel eggs, may the reality of the hope of Easter meet you exactly at your point of need and receptivity today.