Back to the North End

After 2 months of marriage preparations, a wedding & honeymoon, packing, and moving, and unpacking again, Christmas & all its festivities and settling down, we've finally arrived back in the North End of Winnipeg.

Coming back to Inner City Youth Alive, I find I have a lot of catching up to do relationally, but programs are continuing as normal, and people are rested and relaxed after the Christmas break. We are, as always, dreaming for new ideas and outreaches for our area, and I find I have new and different dreams after taking this time off. I am beginning to think more holistically: how can we change the dynamics of our neighborhood, not just individuals. Is it possible? I am interested in community developement as much as child development, now. Can I be a part of creating jobs for locals? What about justice initiatives? Is it too much for one person? I hear rumours of World Vision initiatives to address child poverty in our neighborhood, and I wonder if this is good news that we are receiving international attention for the problems we face, or if it will pass away as briefly as other campaigns have. I am asked if how I would feel if they opened a centre across the street - competition? I have to laugh - there is no such thing as competition in a field like ours - only comrades.

Last Sunday was a bright spot - we received almost a foot of snow overnight. Churches were cancelled and people snowed in. Matthew had the bright idea of spending Sunday morning by shovelling neighbors driveways, and for the first time, our neighborhood had a friendly, almost happy feel as we stopped and talked and shovelled and met our neighbors. They were surprised to receive such help in our neighborhood. Matthew told them he was new here, and their advice was interesting. They were guarded, but optimistic. It was a rough neighborhood, they warned Matthew, but they thought there was hope. They thought it might be getting better. They were delighted to meet us, and we in turn were delighted to begin a journey of not just living in, but being a part of the lives of our neighborhood.