Inspiring people during the Pandemic

The current pandemic has brought much disruption and hardship. Lamenting the people and routines we have lost are a healthy part of coping with this pain and suffering.  This blog post will be sharing some stories of people who have inspired me during the pandemic.  Perhaps their stories will also encourage and inspire you.

Connectors

When meeting with people outside of our households became impossible, three seniors I know decided to reach out in original and inspiring ways.

HANK

This man has the gift of singing and story telling.  He is a retired teacher and principal who lives alone, but he has grown a ministry during the pandemic that has continues to grow.  Each week, he telephones a roster of 60 people who live alone or are isolated in some other way.  He calls to make a personal connection and to sing a song for them over the telephone. Most of the time, these songs are hymns. He researches the story that led to the writing of the song and shares this background with the person he is calling.  Then, acapella, he sings the song.  One song he has sung for people is "One Day at a Time."  I am not on his phone list, but I heard him sing it at an anniversary party in 2019. The words and the conviction with which he shared them still stand out in my mind.

DENNIS

Another retired gentleman decided last spring to open up his paper address book and pick up the phone to call someone he might not have spoken with for some time.  He called someone different every day. People who received his call expressed gratitude, and they shared together what has been going on in their lives lately.  In a world of text and email, the sound of a human voice is still a treat. The boldness and determination to call these contacts is inspiring.

NEL

This retired woman comes from a large family.  Eight of her siblings are still alive, and one passed away a few years ago.  She and her late husband used to own a successful business, and they had no children. At Christmas time, she wanted to bless each of her sisters and brothers with a generous financial gift. The most inspiring part of this story is that she included her widowed sister-in-law in the disbursement.  She had no obligation to do so, and she had to insist to her accountant that this was what she wanted to do, regardless of what the accountant advised.  The ripple effects of her gift extended far beyond what Nel imagined, since one of her sisters also shared the windfall with her children and grandchildren.

Physical Fitness

For many people, the disruptions of pandemic life meant less activity and exercise.  Two individuals did not let the pandemic stop them from continuing to strive for lofty goals of fitness.

MARJORIE

I am not sure how long this woman who lives on my street has had her current walking regimen.  She walks ten kilometers every day, no matter the weather.  Now, she did not announce this to me.  Rather, as I picked up the habit of walking every day when I started working from home in March 2020, I would sometimes encounter her on various streets.  She moved with purpose and was dressed for exercise. I would greet her and carry on with my own walk or errand on foot.  Finally, I stopped her and asked how far she walks.  I was floored when she said she walks ten kilometers every day.  Her job has recently become permanently a "work from home" position.  She loves that, and it does not stop her from being active every day.

CHRIS

When I heard about the achievement Chris had made on the radio in November 2020, I was so excited.  Chris is a 21 year old young man who lives in Florida.  He completed an ironman race that included cycling, swimming and running.  He is the first person with Down Syndrome to accomplish this feat.  In the interview with his father, it was stated that Chris trained for more than a year to prepare for this event. To spare Chris unneccesary pain or hardship, his father and trainer set out a goal of 1% improvement each day. The length of time in the water, on a bike or on the track was increased gradually.  This principle of gradual, 1% improvement in even one area of life is inspiring for me.  It is something achievable and can become a part of a sustainable lifestyle!

I'd love to hear about people in your life who have inspired you during the pandemic.  There is plenty of gloomy news out there, but as the Apostle Paul encourages, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things" [Philippians 4:8, NIV].

Things I learned at church, Part 3: Faith and Deeds Work Together

   To those outside of a church, it may seem that churches exist mainly through words, doctrines, creeds and statements.  What I have learned is that church is a place where these words and beliefs come to life in real and practical actions.  The impact of the people nurtured by the teachings of the church is felt more widely than even they might imagine.

   My first awareness of community volunteering came through my church.  "Meals on Wheels," a community agency delivering hot meals to seniors or disabled people, relies upon volunteer drivers.  In our weekly church bulletin was a regular notice telling the members of the church about what time and date they would be needed to help out. Visits to a local nursing home were coordinated through the church, as a way to provide social support to isolated seniors.  These volunteer opportunities existed 40 years ago and have expanded to include food banks, "Out of the Cold" programs using church facilities to provide shelter for the homeless, and many more. Church members are often the ones who recognize community needs and who also fill the ranks of needed volunteer help.

   Churches are also places to get practical help, for insiders (as I highlight in the story below) and for those outside. This is true for those who attend: help is requested and given when someone is ill in the hospital or needs a ride to medical appointments or needs some cash to pay bills due to a work setback. People bringing over baked goods or a meal in a time of struggle is a common show of support in church circles. One strong memory of practical help happened when my family of origin was going through a crisis.  I was away from home doing summer volunteer work and heard about it later. My father could not work that day, but the livestock needed attention. My mother called two families from the church asking if they could send someone over to help. No questions were asked; no explanation was needed.  The young adults who came over and did the farm chores have probably forgotten all about it, but their gift of time is still appreciated by me today. 

   As alluded to in an earlier post in this series, churches take up offerings.  The church where I grew up took up two offerings.  That might sound greedy; however, the first offering went to paying bills, the pastor and practical costs of operating a church.  The second offering was designated for a different cause each week. It was only touched by those counting it and then was passed along to community organizations, agencies or was put in a fund to help people in need who approached the church. It was instilled in me that true generosity flows to those outside of the church building.  According to 2013 Canadian statistics, 41% of the dollars given to charities went to religious organizations [1]. One should not assume that these funds remained in those buildings; they were meant to go out. Yes, some of the work done by religious organizations involves sharing their message with those who have not heard it before. In the spirit of the churches I am acquainted with, the motivation for giving is love--love that seeks to meet human needs regardless of the religious affiliation of the recipient.

   If churches only communicate their message in words, then as the Apostle James declares, "...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 3:17 NIV). I am grateful to have learned the vital lesson of faith and deeds working in tandem, at church. Now it's my responsibility to live it out for the next generation.

[1]Turcotte, Martin. Volunteering and charitable giving in Canada. Statistics Canada Report, 2015, page 13. 2015https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/89-652-x/89-652-x2015001-eng.pdf?st=idKPvHV6 

Things I learned at church, Part 2: Worship is a two-way conversation

I sometimes think that a person coming to a church service for the first time must find it confusing. When do you sit and when do you stand? Are you supposed to kneel? What do some of those words mean? Will someone show me where to find the next song or passage that everyone else is looking up?

Although the church I grew up in did not have a complex liturgy, there were still different elements: prayers, songs, readings, an offering, a sermon and sometimes a baptism or communion. Because I was immersed in this style of worship from a young age, I did not really question it.  At about age 10 or 12, a church school teacher explained to our class that there was a purposeful structure to a worship service.  

When the pastor or an elder spoke from the Bible, it represented God speaking to the people.  That was because what this leader said was not just a personal opinion or something original that he wanted to talk about.  There was a "greeting" that was a direct quote from the Bible, usually from a Psalm.  A reading of the 10 commandments or a summary of the law would come a bit later.  The reading of another Scripture would be followed by a sermon. An announcement of what the offering would be used for would also come from the pulpit.

But coming to church was not just listening to the leader speak.  Each time, like a back and forth pattern, the people would have something to contribute too: a prayer saying sorry after the law was read, a song of response, giving the offering, the word "amen," another prayer asking God to bless the word as we read it, another song responding to the content of the message, another prayer that was more personal, sharing the needs of people we knew, and so on.

Many churches today have simplified their liturgy even more.  They start with a welcome, 3 or 4 songs in a row, time to read the Bible and hear a talk about it, a prayer, maybe one more song and then the service is over.  But even here, the gathered people are active in both listening and responding.  Going to church is never passive, even if it's done online. By singing along, praying along and deeply listening, we are taking part in a conversation with the God of the universe, who knows us better than we know ourselves.

Things I learned at Church, Part 1: Real Men do Cry

With this post, I'd like to begin a series of reflections about valuable things I learned at church.  I know many writers who take on the topic of their childhood church find much to critique and dismiss.  After almost nine months of disrupted church attendance due to the pandemic, I have found myself thinking about the positive impact that being part of a worshipping community has had on my life.

   The church my family attended while I was growing up was not an outstanding structure. Generic red-brown brick on the outside, cement steps with wrought iron railings leading to wide wooden doors, and plain wooden pews without cushions were fairly typical for a church constructed around 1960 in Ontario, Canada.  As a worshipping community, these people had been together for just over a decade when I was born.  All but one or two attendees had an ethnic tie to the Netherlands; these people were known for their thrift, hard work and stoic outlook on life.

   Given this last point, it is ironic that it was at this church where I learned that real men do cry.  When I grew up, every pastor and everyone in church leadership was male. And yet among these men, vulnerability was not shunned. Elders and pastors regularly announced things from the pulpit and led in prayers. It happened that when the news was sad or the prayer need painful, there were pauses to compose oneself or voices that broke with emotion.  I learned that it was all right to feel things at my church.

   One man of my parents' generation was a farmer.  I remember the first time I observed this man weeping during a church service. He was not loud, but there were tears and deep sighs that moved his body.  On the drive home, my parents compassionately explained that he had seen many painful things during a colonial war.  Perhaps a song brought back one of these difficult memories.  It wasn't the only time this gentleman cried in church.  Knowing more than I did then, it's likely this man was dealing with PTSD. But more important than a label, there was room at church for his tears.

   Another man I saw cry in church was a delivery driver for a lumber yard.  His tears did not need any explanation.  I was in Grade 5 when his two pre-school children died in a car crash.  That he might sometimes be overcome with emotion made complete sense to me.  Grief was appropriate to express at church.

   As a teenager I recall scanning the whole group of people in attendance one Sunday morning and coming to the realization that every single one of the men serving as an elder or deacon had experienced a deep tragedy in his life.  Leaders at my church were not those who lived removed from the brokenness of the world; they were real people with real emotion.  Since these people were voted in by the members, what some might consider weakness was viewed as a strength. As I reflect on these things decades later, it's one of the things I'm grateful to have learned at church.

The Gift of Sky

The heavens declare the glory of God;
            the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

   I have been pondering this verse for many days, weeks and months. I have wanted to write about it, and finally the opportunity has come.
   The writer has much to say in Psalm 19; however, it is actually something other than the author that declares and proclaims.  The skies remind us of just how small we are compared to the vastness our eyes can see. The skies are the original "screen" on which people may observe bits of reality:

• sunrises
• constellations
• meteor showers
• hot air balloons
• rain showers
• faces in the clouds
• sunbeams
• blue skies
• the International Space Station
• clouds that warn us of inclement weather
• fog
• sunsets
• phases of the moon
• the morning star (Venus)
• jet streams
• birds and insects in flight
• snowflakes falling
• rainbows

   By having visual access to the sky, we open ourselves up to the glory of God, but many things in our modern lives block that sky from view.  We cut ourselves off from this manifestation of the glory of God in many ways we may scarcely realize:

• Spending much of our days indoors, at work or school
• Walking outside with our heads down, looking at smart phones
• Asking "Alexa" or "Google" what the weather is instead of looking out the window
• Cityscapes that block the horizon in all directions
• Light pollution at night
• The appeal of video games, which keeps children inside
• Basements and garages that become places of repose
• A narrowed range of vision when driving in a car or truck, unless it is a convertible
• Smog

  Prison inmates are a group of human beings often cut off from the sky, yet most Western jurisdictions mandate at least one hour of fresh air and sunlight, the chance to be outside and see the sky.  Although this policy is based on the human need for exercise and movement and the desire to avoid the pitfalls of idleness, I would argue that giving prisoners a chance to see the sky each day is restorative to the spirit. 

   How much time have you spent outside today, where you could have direct access to the glory of God revealed by the sky?  Don't underestimate its value.

Inspiration for Remote Learning

As we embarked on Week Nine of Remote Learning in Ontario, Canada, I shared this devotion with my staff via Zoom.

Colossians 2:5
For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

2 Timothy 1:3-4
 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.

Romans 1:11-13a
 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) 

1 Thessalonians 2:17-18
But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

Exodus 3:3-5
So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up."
   And when the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses, Moses!"
   And Moses said, "Here I am."
   "Do not come any closer," God said. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

In 1994, when I was hired for my first teaching job, it was at a school opening its doors for the first time that September.  The position was to teach Grade 6, 7 and 8 in the same classroom, with nine pupils.  To encourage myself that such a task was indeed possible, I spent a week in May observing in my uncle's Grade 4-8 classroom in Renfrew.  Seeing firsthand how someone else was capably teaching and managing an atypical arrangement gave me a bit more confidence.

Where do we find models like this to encourage us during remote learning?  Aside from the inspiration we can gain from one another, which is nonetheless helpful, and from reading about teachers in China, I've been struck by two other sources.

New Testament Epistles

Repeatedly, the apostle Paul is unable to be present with individuals and groups due to factors outside his control.  He wants to reach out and teach the believers, but he can't do so in person.  Paul's remote teaching method came in the form of letter writing.  In fact, our New Testament would be missing a great chunk if it were not for the remote teaching that not only Paul but Peter, James, John and Jude availed themselves of.  Many of these letters contain prayers, but they were certainly accompanied by prayers on behalf of the letter writer.  When we as teachers provide written lessons to our students, our heart is communicated and our prayers accompany them.

Mr. Rogers

Mr. Rogers created a remote learning program to reach and teach children about how to relate to others and expand their understanding of the world around them.  He used a screen, as we have been forced to do.  Yet, as explained in the book The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth, he considered the space between the screen and the viewer to be holy ground, a place where the Holy Spirit could take his words and be just what's needed for the student and parents on the other side.  Fred Rogers, by being himself, exuded the love of God that was unmistakable in person and on the screen.  In our case, a relationship already exists between our students and us.  Our video transmissions can build on it, and we can trust the Holy Spirit to bridge any gaps.

Tickets to add to a Summer Fun Jar- most relevant to Kitchener-Waterloo

Listen to an episode of Adventures in Odyssey

7 pm weeknights 93.7FM

Or whitsend.org and click on “LISTEN NOW.”

Go to a farmer’s market and buy a fruit or vegetable you never tried before.

Put a movie on hold at the public library.

With a parent’s permission, take apart something that is broken to see its hidden parts.


Count the coins in your family coin jar and together decide on a charity to give it to.

Surprise someone with a tea or hot chocolate.

Make pizza using Naan or other flat bread as your base.

Go outside and take pictures of 6 different kinds of flowers.


Make a smoothie.

Make an ice cream cone

Make your own popsicles

Make a fruit salad.


Ask your parent or caregiver to tell you a story about their childhood

Write a note or card to one of your cousins and put it in the mail with a stamp.

Offer to do yard work for one of your neighbours.

Send Mrs. Mostert a postcard to the school’s address.  She will get it.


What would a cameleopard look like? Try to draw one.

Visit the KW Art Gallery at 101 Queen St. N in Kitchener.  It’s free. Kwag.ca 

Make a robot using supplies in your blue box.

Find the oldest book in your house and read 3 pages of it.


Reread one of your favourite books.

Visit a little library close to you. Find them at llkw.ca/honour-roll.

Go to a community centre and find out about their programs

Write in your journal or notebook.


Take a hike and notice different birds and plants

Wash your bicycle.

Ride your bike around the block.

Call a grandparent on the phone, with permission


Create an outdoor obstacle course.

Make an indoor treasure hunt for someone else that has at least 7 clues and hiding places.

Think of 5 different exercises and stretches.  Do them to some music that you like.

Learn a new song on the recorder, piano, ukulele, drums or some other instrument.


Play a game of UNO.

Plan a playdate with a friend, including the snacks you will share.

Walk to the park or playground close to your house.  

Plan your own small yard sale or bake sale.


What day of the month is it?  Read the Psalm in the Bible that has the same number.

Write out a line from a song that you like using an ERASABLE marker on the mirror. When someone notices it, offer to clean the mirror. 

Learn to count to 10 in a new language.  Teach someone else to do it too.

Sign out a musical instrument from the central branch of the Kitchener Public Library.  Have fun with it, while taking good care of it


Read the chapter from Proverbs that matches the date today.  Which proverb sticks in your mind?

After checking the weather forecast, set up a tent in your backyard and make plans to sleep in it that night.

Take a city bus to a park you like.

Take the ION train with an adult.






Blow bubbles outside.

Visit a farm.

Write in a journal.

Play catch with a tennis ball outside.


Plan a picnic.

Trampoline.

Organize a baseball game in a park near your house

Follow a Bob Ross painting tutorial.


Make paper airplanes.

Draw a cell and label 8 parts.

Go on a walk and bring a plastic bag to pick up garbage with.

Do a walk around the block and pay attention to one God made thing.


Draw a map of a room of the house that suggests a way to rearrange the furniture in it.

Make a cootie catcher.

Make a menu, using food already in the fridge, for tomorrow that you will help make.

Walk around your house and look closely at the framed photos and artwork. Which do you like best and why?


Read part of a newspaper.

Lay on the ground outside and watch the clouds.

Return an abandoned shopping cart to the store.

Go into your backyard and identify 10 different sounds you can hear.


Do a word search.

Stargaze.

Start a jigsaw puzzle.

Play Scrabble.


Make popcorn.

Sing a song you remember from music class.

Make an encouraging card or note for someone in your house.

Play with Lego.


Get out your skipping rope to skip and learn some new skipping techniques.

Make a recipe for the perfect sandwich. Add the ingredients you don’t have to the shopping list and make it soon.

Make cartoon creatures using fingerprints.

Find toys you no longer use and decide who to give them to.


Colour with crayons.

Go to the library. Visit an aisle you have never looked in before.

Choose a song to play after dinner.

Colour with pencil crayons.


DANCE!

Make hopscotch on your sidewalk or driveway.

Climb a tree.

Read a comic book.


Create a no-bake dessert you can make for your family.

Do a chore secretly.

Put a movie on hold at the public library.

Catch insects and examine them.






Find a map of Ontario and look for a town with an interesting name and write a short story explaining how you think it got its name.

Read a chapter of a non-fiction book.

Learn how to sign your name in American Sign Language.

Go up and down your street and look at the mailboxes people have. Make your own mailbox awards for the nicest ones (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and leave them in the winners’ mailbox.


Make biscuits.

Record your voice reading a poem. Play it at dinner.

Research a tropical fruit on computer. (Ideas: dragon fruit, durian, bread fruit, pineapple)

Make a reusable HAPPY BIRTHDAY poster for your family to hang up every time there is a birthday.


Read a chapter of a book in your room.

Organize the pantry.

Go swimming

Make your own slime.


If you got a new pet, what would you name it and why? Draw a picture of it.

Hide a penny somewhere in your house and see who will find it.

Look through an old photo album or your baby photos.

Write a story based on something that happened to you this summer.


Decorate a cardboard box.

Create a crossword puzzle and give it to a family member for them to try.

Take pictures of six insects and try to find out their names.

Plan and host a bake sale on your street. Make posters or flyers.


Play a song on the recorder.

Learn to count to 10 in a different language.

Test out all the markers in your house. Take the “dead” ones to STAPLES for Terracycling.

Sign out a drawing book from the library and sharpen your pencil.



Tell jokes.


Make fruit salad.


Visit a cemetery. Notice designs of headstones.


Plan a sleepover.


Make a note or card for someone and mail it with a stamp.

Make your own drum set using household items.

Go on a hike.

Take a bubble bath.


Build a blanket fort inside.

Invent a new sport. What equipment do you need? What are the rules? Who can you teach it to?

Set a reading goal and surpass it.

Sort your books into alphabetical order.


Write a kind message with sidewalk chalk.

Think of 5 acts of kindness and do them all.

Research how to make shadow animals with your hand and make a shadow show.

Find an interesting word in the dictionary and make a fun drawing about it.


Bake some cookies with a parent’s help.

Make a video based on a story you like.

Learn how to make a friendship bracelet.

Have a nap outside in the shade.