So in this wonderful democracy that we enjoy, we each have the freedom and responsibility to seek, offer, discuss and implement solutions to the issues at hand rather than merely getting swept into the political defenses of the current power brokers. So, let's try this out. I am fortunate to have friends who form a broad mix along the political spectrum so let's create our own bipartisan workshop.
Three broad issues:
- Environment
- Poverty
- Crime
What positive steps can we take to address these issues here in Wilmington, Delaware? (Input is sought from those in other areas though this will serve as the lab for those ideas.)
As I write and think about this, I am left with the same questions in my mind that I had from studying Nehemiah in my small group:
Why not here?
Why not now?
Why not us?
The floor is open. It's time to share your ideas. Let's change the world.
5 comments:
Perhaps this is odd to respond to my own message, but here is an example:
When I moved to my new apartment, I bought a plastic storage bin for recycling, but now it's full and I didn't know where the closest place was to take it. I found the closest "Recylcle Delaware Center" (the place with all the bins) at http://www.dswa.com/ For me, the the best place to take my recyclables is just up the street at DuPoint High School. Or, if I decided I didn't want to bother taking them out myself, I could singup for curbside pickup for $6 month.
Do you recycle?
No, not really.
One thing that continually comes to my mind in regards to our own broken walls and the issues of crime and poverty (inexticably linked, I believe) is the number of resources that we have between us (us being our various small groups, ministry/Kairos memebers, church body at BVBC alone, and the wider (and often wealthy) church body residing in and around Wilmington. What would it take to institute a job training program that teaches basic office skills to people who come interested, eager and willing to learn. It seems like there are resources enough in our community of believers to do something, maybe on a small scale at first, that could teach people some basic office and computer skills that make them more marketable and maybe even helping them market themselves via resume advise and showing them how to find job postings.
Maybe it's a far fetched idea. I don't know. I'm not great at putting things together. But it just seems like the resources are there the right person were to bring them together.
After all, how many health professionals, lawyers, business people, trades people, office managers, teachers, etc are at BVBC alone. And there seems to be a lot of money there too.
I sometimes wonder why the 9 million dollars or whatever it was they raised for a new building shouldn't be spent on ministries like that instead. People will tithe their heart out for a shiny new building, but not for somebody who can't get a job to get training.
I hear you David. The same feelings sometimes haunt me.
Nine mill is like 9 years worth of operating budget for a place like Sojourner's House. It could also fund like a thousand compassion kids for the next 20 years.
I'm not saying that the project is not needed or that we shouldn't go forward. But we better make an impact that is the equivalent, or by the grace of God, a greater impact on our city than the other causes that would have used that money.
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