A worthwhile experience

I am reflecting on a volunteer experience I had today at one of the better known Humanitarian organisation in Ottawa. I was asked to help out with meal preparation and serving lunch to those who come in from the street in Ottawa's Lower town on Murray Street. The Shepherd of Good Hope is well known in Ottawa and is centrally located on the corner of Murray Street and King Edward. Everyone knows it and knows of their good work for the poor and the homeless. It is the largest Not for Profit organisation dedicated to helping the poor and the homeless in Ottawa.

The story began 30 years ago at the Parish of St-Brigid in Ottawa. The priests of this parish had started  feeding homeless men in this poor area of Ottawa. The need was great and Shepherd of Good Hope was established. Today Shepherd offers many services to the needy from a 500 bed shelter partitioned  in several buildings around Ottawa, free meal service, health, assisted living services and other programs. The services are offered to Men and Women alike. Hundreds of hot meals are served on any given day and the shelter service is helpful especially during our extremely cold winters but also provides a safe and secure place for people who have nowhere to go and are vulnerable.

I was asked by Denis Schryburt who is running for Councillor in the Somerset Ward in Ottawa's Municipal elections on October 27 to lend a hand.
He has been participating in this program for years with his family and friends. We got to 233 Murray street at 08:30 am and started work, put on an apron and start cutting up meat and vegetables so that the experienced volunteer chefs in the kitchen can cook up the meal for lunch at 11:30am. Everyone is a volunteer and many have been doing this work for many years, so they are old hands at it. There is also a permanent Staff who manage all operations and a Board of Directors.

The meals are not only free but nourishing and copious, today there was a thick minestrone with chicken meat, a beef stew, a spicy rice curry, 2 vegetables and a coleslaw, tea, coffee, milk, bread and a rich dessert.  After lunch around 12:30 pm, for those who want we also have sandwiches to give out in case they are hungry in the afternoon.

The clients are old, young, of all ethnic background, male and female. The ladies have there own dining room as per their request. Many are fragile and afraid, the streets can be very mean even in Ottawa.  The whole operation is like clockwork, the dining area is spotlessly clean and all meals are served on chinaware, no paper cups or plastic plates. Many thanked us for preparing the food and serving them lunch today, telling us how good the food was. I saw what a kind word and a smile can make a big difference for someone down on their luck. Some 300 people had a good lunch on what I was told was a slow day due to the long Canada Day Weekend, the numbers are usually greater.

It made me think of the numerous platitudes we too often hear about how Canada is a rich country, when you see this type of need in just one city and this city is the National Capital, can you imagine what it is in other cities like Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and elsewhere. No need to look in far away lands to help out people you do not know. Look in your own backyard there are plenty of Canadians who need a helping hand and some compassion.

website SHEPHERD OF GOOD HOPE OTTAWA, http://shepherdsofgoodhope.com

Our volunteers on this day at the Soup kitchen of Shepherd of Good Hope.

Is democracy dead as a concept?

When we were living in Rome we saw the workings of the Roman Catholic Church at Vatican City up close and we had a privilege entry into the world of the Holy See which is not open to ordinary people. In fact most people who visit St-Peter's Basilica only see the religious trappings which is mostly window dressing for the gullible. The real drama is behind the scenes but that is not for public consumption.
Maybe it was too close, you see the warts and all and you start to realize that faith in God has little to do with the institution of the Church run by the Pope. You have Faith but this is a personal belief not one based on the trappings of an organization.

Back in Ottawa the Capital of our Dominion of Canada, I wonder if we as a people have not come to the end of participatory democracy. Are we entering another age, a new feudal age, big business are the new Lords and our politicians the new Princes who rule over us the people, the great masses. Yes we vote and yes we can toss out a group of politicians as we did in May, is that it?

So many people do not vote anymore, so many people take no interest in what is going on in Parliament. Participation is at an all time low, not a good thing.

In the USA, Social Security is about to collapse, unemployment is at historic highs, millions of Americans live in poverty, the figure of 15% of the population is given, imagine 15% out of 300 million people. This number is growing, these Americans cannot hope for a dignified life. Same in Canada where more and more people, children in particular live in poverty.

The Republicans in Congress and in the US Senate could not care less, the greater good is of no importance to them.  Can this explain why only 12% of Americans believe their representative are doing a good job.

Wealthy Americans do not want to share their wealth and pay their fair share to help the nation. Poor Americans are not seen as fellow American Citizens but as an inconvenience, lazy and not worth the bother. Since when in a Democracy do you have two levels of Citizens. If a so called democracy is to function at all it must include everyone, all Citizens without exception, the common good is the most important element in a democratic society.

I do have the impression that our politicians realize that we are at a cross road and that if they do not act in a responsible manner there could be great upheaval in our societies. A democratic society must provide for all its Citizens not just those with money, power and privilege.