The Invitation

When I reflect on our early days in Ottawa, I am always reminded that it all began with a simple “yes” from me. When one thinks about it, this is how God works in all things. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matt. 4:19) When He has a plan to do something---like reaching some marginalized children in a city through City Kidz---He invites us into it.

Thankfully, for me, I accepted the assignment. That`s when I realized that City Kidz Ottawa was just a miracle waiting to happen---I discovered the invitation did not stop with me. God had already been inviting others and when I told them about what I was doing, they too, excitedly, said yes. Like ever-expanding ripples across water when an object is dropped into it, the invitation to take part in something like City Kidz Ottawa was going out and had been going out for a long time before, even, I arrived on the scene.

Since then, the circle of supporters has grown consistently and we can proudly look back over the years and see that together, we have been able to impact well over 150 children with God’s love. God invited me to start this important work in 2010 and I had the audacity to accept. Since then many others have also said yes. A never ending call, the invitation continues to beckon others to join the effort.

When you get your invite, what will your response be? We always have two options: we can say yes, or, we can say no. If we do say no, that’s okay, God simply moves on. However, for those of us who have said, and will say, yes to this amazing invitation, no matter how small, we can delight in the knowledge that we have joined a miracle in the making called City Kidz Ottawa. We can rejoice because God is using us to become an integral part of His loving intervention in the lives of Ottawa’s kids----and their amazing response to that love. We can celebrate, because we are helping God to impact Ottawa’s children to transform this city, one child at a time. God’s way. Because, after all, it is His invite, isn’t it?

And ONE for all…

Safe and Sound

The Saturday before last week’s Dream Banquet one of our girls came to me and asked if it would be all right if she and two other girls could sing a song for Remembrance Day at our next Playhouse, which was yesterday.  When I asked her what she wanted to sing, she said Safe and Sound.  I had not heard of this song and drawing on my own life experiences, assumed it would be a nice “children’s song” that she learned at school.  Wanting to encourage her, and feeling deep down that this would be a profound moment, I agreed.

When it came time for her to sing yesterday she and another friend (the original two were away for the weekend) came forward to sing.  This was no “children’s song” however, but, in fact a Taylor Swift song and the lyrics were powerfully moving.  Every rambunctious, excited-to-be-at-the-Playhouse child, was spellbound by the richness of their voices and erupted in enthusiastic applause when it was over.  As for me, I was, as some would say, “toast” and it was a little hard to hold it together to prevent creating a giant puddle of tears right there on the stage with them. However, seeing this as a wonderful teaching moment to reinforce the week’s theme of “helping others”, I drew on the fact that soldiers helped us by going away to other countries to protect our freedom and that some even died in wars.  I suggested that even though it wasn’t officially Remembrance Day we would have a two minutes of silence in honour of the soldiers who had fought for our freedom.  What followed amazed me.

Every normally excited child from the youngest six year old, to the oldest junior leader, stood still with heads bowed and kept respectful silence, for the entire two minutes.  Impressive and definitely indicative to all who were present that there is so much more going on in those hearts of theirs.  These children, although perhaps not grasping the full meaning of what they were doing were able intuitively to understand the seriousness of the moment and showed an enormous respect for those who had fought for their freedom.

I can only speculate as to why they did this.  The Taylor Swift song has a haunting yet hopeful lyric that despite the war outside the window you are still “safe and sound”.  The fact that many of our kids come from refugee families from war torn African countries and others come from families fighting their own battles forced onto them by poverty, my thoughts turn toward the possibility that these children are soldiers fighting in their own little war.  The reason that they stood in such silence and were able to sustain it, is because they can relate. 

The 2012 City Kidz Dream Banquet and Silent Auction was a success. We sold out, the Centurion Banquet Centre menu was excellent and keynote Yasir Naqvi MPP for Ottawa Centre and EMCEE Richard Long of Love Ottawa were eloquent.  We raised over $4,000 from the generosity of all the people present.  It was a big event and quite positively impacting for me, in the end. 

But, as big a moment as that event was for me, I had my biggest moment yesterday at Saturday’s Playhouse, as I was reminded as to why I started a branch of City Kidz in Ottawa and why we need the money to keep our program going:  It’s about the kids.  It’s about putting a smile on those battle weary faces; telling them we love them, that God loves them, that we believe they can achieve their greatest dream.  It’s about being to them that someone who they can lean on when their battles are raging on. 

And for those of our investors who have donated either their time, or large sums of money, or silent auction gifts so we could keep this program present in the lives of these children, you are as much a part of keeping their dreams alive as those of us on the frontlines are.  You can go ahead and feel REALLY GOOD about what you have done.  Because, in the end, it’s all about all of us who are concerned for their welfare singing to them, along with Taylor Swift, the lyric to her beautiful song Safe and Sound:

Don't you dare look out your window, darling,
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when the music's gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

 

Good on  you!!

…And ONE for all!!

Eyes

To City Kidz followers: This piece was written by a writer friend of mine who has a wonderful way with words.  When I read it, I felt that it so strongly reflects the heart of what City Kidz is, that I had to share it with all of you!  I hope you’re as blessed reading this as I was!

One time when I was living in Ottawa, I was coming home from work one night. Obviously, Ottawa being the city that it is, we had our share of homelessness and thus we were interrogated every once in awhile for some coinage. As a girl who grew up in a small town, at first I found it awkward and as time went on, I found it oddly comforting. There is something about a stranger going out of their way to reach out to you even if it is completely motivated by need.

As I was going home this one night, I had an encounter with a woman I will never ever forget.

She was asking me for a bus ticket. I, the avid transit user I was did not carry bus tickets, only a bus pass so I looked at her and mentioned I was sorry but I did not have any. Suddenly, she looked at me with her large brown eyes and the following words come out of her mouth..

"Thank you. Thank you for looking me in the eyes. No one ever looks me in the eyes."

I can still hear those words as if they happened just moments ago. I remember when I finally did get on the bus that night and eventually made it to my home in not the safest neighbourhood there is, my own eyes found the courage to let go of their tears.

Sometimes it is so easy to look at people anywhere but in their eyes. It is when you look someone in the eye that you remember that you are both human beings, with stories and with dreams, who feel the angst of emotion and the courage to be able to love. It is when you look someone in the eyes, that you actually see yourself and that you see the very little that separates you from them. Looking someone in the eye is communicating the unspoken words of, "I see you. I validate you. You can talk to me and I will really hear you. You are worthy of this."

It is in looking away, that we forget who we are.

I find that it is the eyes of Christ that are one of the most captivating and compelling things about Him. Scripture says He has eyes of fire, and it also says that there is no shadow of His turning. He never takes His eyes off of you. My friends, He never looks away.

As Christ is, so we are. This is our mission and I want this to be my life prayer.

To look every man, every woman, every child in the eye, no matter if they're a leper or if they're an all-star athlete, if they are living in the slums or in the palace, if they are a baby dying of AIDS or if they are the king of a mighty nation. No matter who you are let me look in the eyes, so I can tell you without saying a word...

"You are worth it."

~Ashley Beaudin

…And ONE for all!!

She’s One of Ours

She has lived with neglect and abuse most of her life.  She’s been beaten, battered and bruised, and yet even today she continues to thrive and continues to have hope for her future.  Meet Dee*, she’s one of ours, she’s a City Kidz kid.

Dee began attending City Kidz when she was only 5 years old.  When we first met her, there was an emptiness in her eyes, she was hollow, she was sad.  She manipulated, lied, stole, swore, and her behaviour was unmanageable.  She did what any child living in poverty, neglected and abused, would do, she survived.

In and out of foster homes since she was 5, Dee now lives with her alcoholic grandmother, although most of the time she’s bunking up with her friends to avoid the dysfunction at home.  She doesn’t like living there, but to her, it’s better than being permanently placed with strangers.  She has a baby brother who is cared for by the Children’s Aid Society and another brother who still lives with relatives.  Her life is complicated and her days are filled with challenges, but every Saturday she finds her way to City Kidz to serve as a Jr. Leader.

When she was assaulted by a stranger on her way home from a friend’s house, the first to receive a phone call was her City Kidz friend and mentor, Susan.  Susan called the police and stayed by her side until morning.

When she broke her finger, injured her collar bone, showed up on a cold winter afternoon with no coat, was left at home scared, alone and hungry, when she needed a ride or just needed someone to talk to, City Kidz was first to hear, first to respond.

Today Dee has hope, she remains resilient, and her future is bright.  It’s unmistakable.  It’s in her smile, her walk and her actions filled with compassion and empathy for others.  She will likely continue to grow up in economic poverty, but instead of poverty being a liability, it has become an asset.  She is learning to take disadvantages and turn them into opportunities.  She is an example of the power of hope, love and faith.  Even though much of her external environment remains hostile, she is learning to develop an internal confidence and peace.  Her life is representative of thousands of other children who brave the challenges of inner city poverty every day.  Her life encourages us and motivates us to continue to search for more children.  City Kidz is a major part of Dee’s life, and Dee is a major part of our lives as well.  Each Saturday when we watch Dee as she leads, we see her strength, her resilience, her joy, and we say to ourselves, “She’s one of ours.  She’s a City Kidz kid.” 

All for one, every last one.

Rev. Todd Bender

Executive Director, City Kidz

*names have been changed for privacy.

 

…And ONE for all…