Page 4 - Presbyterian Connection Newspaper

4 SPRING 2019
Emotional and spiritual wounds
Continued from page 1
Yvonne expresses a genuine love for the people she serves, and yet acknowledges how incredibly chal- lenging her work can be. Yvonne and the staff face innumerable struggles and obstacles in their work. “The things we have to deal with [at the centre] can be overwhelming,” she says. People coming into the cen- tre have all kinds of pain and chal- lenges. Some are traumatized by the inter-generational impacts of residential schools. Some are strug- gling with addiction and substance abuse. Some are scarred by emo- tional and spiritual wounds. Some are wrestling with anxiety and de- pression and other mental health conditions. All are dealing with the crippling burden of homelessness and poverty. The quality of life is low, and the stresses people face are high.
“It’s such an honour and privilege to allow ourselves to be impacted by our walk here, by the people, to have them feel they can trust us to con- tinually come back. But it’s hard to see people deteriorate.”
Death is an ongoing reality at the centre. Living a hard life on the streets often leads to a shortened life span. The Fellowship Centre of- fers a sense of family to many who have come to know it as home and watch out for each other. The reality of illness, transiency and recurrent hospitalization often leads to prema- ture death. It’s not always easy to let others know when someone has died. As well, dealing with grief on the street has its own difficulties and lack of awareness.
Out of respect for patrons who have passed on and, in an effort to provide a space for pain to be ex- pressed while having support people available, staff began a memorial wall
PRESBYTERIAN
Connection
presbyterian.ca
A firepit gathering at Kenora Fellowship Centre.
to share news and honour the mem- ories of those who have died. The section is growing far too quickly. Individuals are dying at an alarming rate, especially among Indigenous populations.
A Heart of Pain
It would be impossible to have an honest discussion about homeless- ness without acknowledging dis- crimination and the effects it has had on Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. From systemic discrimina- tion that limits access to basic ser- vices, to individual assumptions that are made about people who struggle with addiction and mental health is- sues, breaking down those uncom- fortable walls is crucial. It’s much easier to throw our hands in the air, cast judgement and write people off, but God calls us to do otherwise. The staff at Kenora Fellowship Centre know this.
Compassion and empathy are crucial to building community and a sense of belonging at the centre. Administering kind, attentive care to visitors isn’t contingent on cer- tain behaviour changes or actions. Staff don’t place expectations on
Volunteers from First Presbyterian Church in Kenora helping out at a lunch in support of Kenora Fellowship Centre.
the patrons that come through their doors—the expectations are placed on the staff themselves to be the loving, supportive people they are needed to be.
“We respond to a heart of pain and suffering by offering a caring, sup- portive and accepting environment.”
Yvonne explains that the need to develop strong relationships with the
guests is important because it allows for trust to be developed. When trust is there, patrons can fully take part in the services offered.
Staff at the centre try to do a lot of best practices based on their own ex- periences. They are always reviewing how to do things better, to better re- spond to the continuously growing needs of the community.
Fanning the Flames
One of the activities at the centre that Yvonne has seen a strong response to is the use of fire and firepit activi- ties. For many Indigenous people, fire is sacred. It is a time of reflection and prayer, and it can help them connect to their land and people. Elders take part in the firepit prayer services and it becomes a beautiful time for all to come together. It is a time for partici- pants to connect with Creator God, share their hearts and make their offerings. The fire has a cleansing, purifying effect.
Yvonne says that the firepit is es- pecially powerful with the youth at the centre. Many youth have taken on the responsibility of becoming the fire keeper during the healing gather- ings. They respect the fire and the fire-tending process, and they be- come a positive support to others. “There is nothing that I could have
Chanie Wenjack was an Anishinaabe boy and only 12 years old when he ran away
from Cecilia Jeffrey Residential School in 1966. Chanie’s attempt to return home to
his family led to his death on the side of a road from hunger and exposure.
Chanie’s story captured media attention in 2016 when the late Gord Downie created
the graphic novel, “The Secret Path,” which featured Chanie’s story.
Learn more about Chanie and the PCC’s reconciliation efforts at presbyterian.ca/chanie