The Kind of Help That Heals
How can community become the help we need?
Love,
I’ve been doing a little extra thinking these past few days (my brain’s been busy with all sorts of things!), but there’s one thought in particular I wanted to share with you today.
Through all of this, as I’ve been trying to piece my life back together, I honestly haven’t found much real support from government programs or even the FBI’s victim services.
Every time I call the state department for social services, I end up waiting on hold for over two hours. I wish I was exaggerating...and then once you finally reach a real person, it’s super hit or miss whether you get someone with compassion who truly wants to listen and understand. Most times it feels like they’re in a hurry to move on, and you’re left without the support you were really looking for.
And the system is so rigid that if your situation doesn’t fit neatly into their boxes, you’re basically out of luck. I almost started crying after one of the calls the other day...it just felt so cold and discouraging. I understand that they need processes to keep things running, but it’s so obvious the way it’s set up now isn’t ideal for people who really need help.
It’s been family, our church, and the local community who have stepped in and carried us through with the support we’ve needed. And I actually think that’s exactly how it’s meant to be. Today I stopped by the local resource center to pick up some diapers (such a huge blessing right now!). They’ve put together this amazing program where single moms and families can get essentials like diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, dental products, trash bags, and so much more. It’s all funded by the community, and you can tell they genuinely care. They also offer so many other resources to help people in tough situations. They even covered several hundred dollars for a test I need to prove I’m the mother of my own children, just so I can get some documents corrected. The generosity here has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful!
A few weeks ago we went to a community fall celebration, and it was a ton of fun. They had all kinds of activities for the kids (pumpkins, arts and crafts, hayrides). The food was incredible too. They had fresh-pressed cider, caramel apple slices, cookies, popcorn, snow cones, paella, and even salmon grilled by one of the native communities. There were also native singers and dancers, which made it feel really meaningful and rooted in the history of the land.
At one of the stations, a group that works to protect the local environment brought this digitarium dome. It was so cool! We stepped inside, and it suddenly felt like we were underwater, and we watched a video about protecting the ocean and its wildlife.
And all of it was free! The entire event felt like a beautiful tribute to the community, the land, and the rich heritage here. I once heard someone say that community is medicine, and I get it now. It feels like we are really living that.
The other day, I had one of those moments where I just sat there like...okay God, what exactly are we doing here? Because honestly, the easy route would be for me to just go get a remote design job. But deep down, I know He wants me to focus on my writing, some other creative projects, and the bigger calling He has on my life. It’s definitely not easy and has stretched my faith in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve had to really learn what it means to trust Him fully and to rely on Him (and only Him) for provision.
God reminded me that sometimes He lets us walk through certain experiences so that we can truly understand them and then later have the perspective to help others who find themselves in the same place. I then started thinking and wondering how we could shift people away from depending so heavily on government programs and instead build up more of the kind of community resources and involvement we’ve been experiencing here.
That led me to some thinking on how money moves through organizations. It seems like when too much power and money end up concentrated in just a few hands, it’s much easier for the enemy to sneak in with corruption (even if the leaders started out with the best intentions). I mean, it makes sense...if all the resources are controlled by a handful of people, the enemy only has to twist those few, and suddenly the whole thing is compromised. But when resources are more spread out, when things are decentralized, it’s so much harder for corruption to take root. So I was thinking, instead of pouring everything into these big organizations or movements, what if people started investing more directly into their local communities?
Do you think it’s possible to create a local system where people genuinely care for one another, where resources reach those who need them most, and where safeguards are in place to protect against corruption or misuse of power? And imagine if something like that could be replicated in communities all across the nation?
There’s definitely a lot to think about, and I’m still working through ideas in my head. I’m really curious to hear your perspective!
With love, Jeanie
P.S. Here is a picture of the pumpkin the boys picked out :)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6