The Centre Box

As you know, the last few years have been a roller coaster of ups and downs for us. From the frustration of infertility treatments to the joyous arrival of our two beautiful children; to the fear of layoffs, to the relief of employment, we've been through a lot. Never have we been more aware of our blessings than now, when so many people are suffering and have been through so much more than we could possibly imagine.

Out of gratitude for our blessings we have felt called for some time to help those less fortunate than ourselves, but with my return to work restricting time and our transition to one vehicle decreasing availability of transportation, our options seemed incredibly limited. Our change in lifestyle has made it more difficult to contribute, but it has been the catalyst to make us re-examine our perceived limitations and increase our willingness to give.

Car commuters sit behind the windows and locked doors of their cars and easily isolate themselves from the underprivileged. They can pretend not to see them, pretend to be busy changing the radio station, or speed away as the light changes, rationalizing to themselves that they don't want to "hold up traffic". Standing together and waiting at the train station in a more personal and human environment takes away many easy methods of avoidance and places the faces and voices of those in desperate need in the fore front of your mind, and therefore in our conversations at home. Most commuters Jeff encounters on the train are in a position similar to ours or better, but there are some memorable exceptions. It is hard to pray "hear the cry of the needy" every Sunday, then Monday look someone directly in the eyes and dismiss their direct request for help, especially when some of these people are desperate and obviously need it. It can create the sensation that the money you denied having is burning a hole in your wallet.

Jeff struggled with some of the issues these experiences raised. He did not want to become a walking ATM machine, available to finance someone's drug or alcohol habit, nor did he want to harden his heart and act in a callous and uncaring, un-Christian manner. This compelled him to do a lot of research (which if you know him should come as no surprise) and we have decided to support a local charity that we will refer to as the Centre. This organization is Christian based and has served the homeless for 25 years. It is unique because it actually tries to solve problems rather than enable them. It provides job training, mental health counseling, and substance abuse therapy, the absence of which are major contributors to homelessness.

It is funded completely from donations and accepts zero help from the government or taxpayer money. Another eye opening detail is that this center served over 400 children last year alone. As parents who love our children and strive to create a wholesome environment for them, it is difficult to overlook the fact that so many children in our own community wouldn't even have a place to sleep if it were not for the Centre. We are not rich, but we feel very blessed. We look around our home and see we are surrounded by the clutter of so many possessions we simply take for granted and more are always on the way. We may not necessarily have as much money or possessions as our friends or neighbors, but when compared to homeless families with children, our excess of possessions has started to seem a bit obscene.

In our home now sits a box labeled the Centre Box. It was a humble, non-descript box, sitting empty, waiting to be filled. Today we began to fill it with food, toys, and medicine. The babies and I walked to the store where we purchased the items needed to fill it. Then they helped me take everything from the bags and put them in the box.

Our hope is that we will be able to make a small difference, look outside ourselves, and raise our children to do the same. At the center of our faith are the two most important Commandments: to Love God and Love Our Neighbor. We can think of no better way to do both than to serve those so close to home.

Isaiah 58:10 "And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

1 John 3:17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”

Feel free to email us if you would like more information on the many ways you can make a difference at the Centre.