Building Relationships of Holy Smoke

Yesterday was our ninth Getting Ahead class.  At some point a few weeks ago a beautiful thing happened. The group morphed from individuals who met together once a week to talk about poverty in our community to a group of friends, who are willing to share personal stories of triumph and hurt, who eat together, clean up the dishes, care for one another’s children, and laugh…hard.

Church members are going to GA Investigators homes and welcoming GA investigators to their homes.  I knew we had made it when I noticed one of the saints of the church walking in from break.  She had been outside on a smoke break, not because she herself smokes but because she and the GA Investigators have created friendships that make her want to continue the conversations outside in the summer air surrounded by the Holy smoke of the spirit.

Each night at the begin of our time together we have a ritual of sharing our “New and Good”  this is a way to break the ice for the week and get us ready to tackle the material.  It often leads to lots of tangents about the concrete issues that affect people who are living in poverty.  While sharing, one Investigator mentioned seeing a comment on Facebook by her state representative.  She read the comment to the group.

“After filing up my slightly rusted Dodge Durango this morning at the Speedway I decided to buy a cup of coffee.  While in line I witnessed the women in front of me buy a Minute Maid juice and a Dasani bottled water with her EBT card.  She then, with cash, purchased an instant lottery ticket and some gas.  The most insulting part was when I watched her walk up to her late model Cadillac CTS.  I get warm fuzzies knowing that my tax dollars go to support the indigent of our state.”

“I voted for this man!” was the comment made by the Investigator that brought the information to the group and the sentiment around the table was just as offended.

You see, we have spent nine weeks learning about the dynamics of class, the Hidden Rules, the language, the causes of poverty, and so much more.  We have read and discussed how there is valid research that shows that poverty is more than just the choices of the poor.  In fact Community Conditions, Exploitation, and Political/ Economic structures play just as important a role to that environment.  One Investigator knows exactly what it feels like to drive a nice car to receive benefits.  She shared with us weeks ago that she was awarded her car in her divorce and it was one of the few things she had.

The group decided to write letters to the Representative to share some of the information we have learned in class.  We may even invite him to a class to witness for himself the strengths of our group. Getting Ahead is more than half way finished at this point.  Knowledge is being shared, friendships are formed and continue to form, and support systems are growing. 

Getting Ahead is helping us to create an environment where people are much more likely to build on friendships over a smoke than judge one another for buying water, juice, a lottery ticket, gas. Thank God!

My Life Now

After spending two weeks discussing what it is like to live in poverty in our community, one of the last activities we did in Getting Ahead last week was to create a picture, poem, chart, etc. of "My Life Now"  The following two examples were given to me (with permission to share) from two Investigators.

This was one woman's representation of her life in poverty.  If you look closely you can see that there are two roads into the roundabout, "need st." and "want st." there is also an exit "future st."  the Investigator shared with the class that being in poverty for her is like being on an endless roundabout where you are stuck between the needs and wants of your family and you can see a better future but you can't ever take the exit.

Unknown Worlds

Disbelieving,
Dreaming, Doubts, Divided Families
People drowning everywhere,
Hurt, Pain, compressing our world.
Inside realms of make-believe security.
Falling through your darkness,
realize life isn't pleasant.
Happiness is your own,
what you make is yours to be.
Into the future with eyes wide closed.
Believing you are alone in loneliness all your own.

This poem was written by an Investigator (with a drawing from her daughter).

Getting Ahead is Getting Real

So we are supposed to recruit 6-12 individuals to participate in Getting Ahead.  Recruiting participants (who are known as Investigators) was the part of the planning I was worried about the least.  I thought it would be an easy sell.  I spent most of my planning time focused on lining up childcare and dinners, buying workbooks, reserving rooms, and recruiting co-facilitators.

Before the first week I recruited 9 people to attend the class and act as Investigators.  The first night arrived and I was a ball of nerves.  What if no one shows? What if too many people show?  What if the group dynamics aren't what we hoped for?...you get the picture.

Four of the nine showed up on the first night and even though we did not have the recommended 6 we decided to go ahead and have the class.  It seemed like a good group.  The next week only three of the four showed.  That kind of thing was bound to happen.  People living in the chaos of poverty often can't make appointments for one reason or another.  The problem was that if we only have four people and one person doesn't attend you are left with what feels like a very small group.

We decided to take a two week break and recruit more and then start over.  One step forward, two steps back.  On our second first night we had the original four plus two more.  On the second, second night we had ten Investigators and nine kids!

Now the class is off and running and I an floored every night with all that I did not know.  I have spent my entire career working with individuals living in poverty and I still did not the extent to which their lives are effected by that environment.

For instance did you know that the average wait time for section 8 (in our class) was seven years...SEVEN!  And, once our Investigators received section 8 it only helped with a very small fraction of their housing bills.

Did you know that if you are applying for section 8 their are strict guidelines on bedrooms for your children. ie: if you have a boy and a girl they need to have separate bedrooms but, if you are a foster parent you only need separate beds, not separate bedrooms so a foster parent can theoretically have a one bedroom apartment with three beds in one room and a single mother living in poverty with an infant son needs to have a two bedroom apartment in order to receive section 8.  This circumstance caused one of our Investigators to be forced to live in a shelter because she could not afford that apartment she would need in order to apply for housing assistance.

This is important information and I feel honored to hear these stories from our Investigators.  I look forward to being a part of the conversation when we get to the weeks where Investigators are creating their Future Stories!

Service to the Community

Recently we at Clarkston UMC have been asked to participate in a local access tv show that is filmed at the Clarkston High School.  The show focuses on the outreach work that we are offering at our local congregations.  Here are the links.

Getting Ahead

In April we started a new program at Clarkston UMC called Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin' By World.  This class was developed by Philip E. DeVol and is the Bridges Out of Poverty material for those who are living in poverty or near poverty.

Getting Ahead is a way for people to investigate or examine the impact that poverty has on them and their community. It also helps people who are near or in poverty to stabilize their living situations and build resources.

We recognize the assets that every individual brings to the table and are excited that the participants (Investigators) will help teach us what it is like to live in poverty in our community so that we can better meet the needs of those in Clarkston who are living near or in poverty.

Getting Ahead can help a person to:

A. Identify and solve problems in a safe but challenging group-learning experience
B. Do a self-assessment of his/her own resources
C. Develop a plan, future story

What Happens in Getting Ahead:
A. A group of 6-12 people meets with the facilitators for 16 workshop meetings
B. Each workshop takes three hours
C. There will be no lecturing, no teaching; the “Investigator” method will be used
D. The Investigators are paid for their work

Getting Ahead is different because:

A. Investigators are seen as problem solvers; their information and ideas are needed
B. No one decides anything for the Investigators; no one will tell them what to do
C. No one will do for Investigators what they can do for themselves
D. No one will “teach”, the Investigators have to do the learning.

This is a class that I have been very excited to offer and so far it is going great!  Stay posted for future insights from the class!