Daily Bread part 2

I sent out this letter this week:

To our friends, neighbors and partners,

            This has been a long, long winter.  Every time we think breakup is finally here, another cold snap hits.  This record-setting weather, combined with high fuel prices has also made it a very expensive winter.  Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Joel’s Place has been able to stay open and warm throughout the winter for the 900 youth who visited us last year. 

            However, what we are finding is that the lingering winter is impeding not only the grass and leaves, but also spring-time donations.  We have been running a deficit since February and need help digging out of it.  I am sending this out now because Alaskans scatter when summer hits, this year that will probably be more true than ever.

            Would you consider making a donation to Joel’s Place before summer?  The funds go towards paying for staff and programs that engage high-risk youth and create an environment that changes lives and our community.

            If you are interested in learning more about what we do, I would invite you to check out our website at www.joelsplacealaska.org, follow my blog at www.joelsplacealaska.blogspot.org or just stop by our 1890 Marika address and see what we do, talk to the staff and ask to get involved.

            Joel’s Place provides a safe environment for youth to have fun, learn new job/life skills, receive free meals and become proactive in transforming their lives.  It is good work that we do and I invite you to join in however you can.

James Menaker

 Last week I wrote about "Daily Bread" and God providing what we need, when we need it.  This week we had just enough money come in to cover our payroll taxes, some important insurance and the wages of 5 of our 8 staff.  We should be able to pay 2 more at the beginning of the week and hopefully the final one by the end of the week.  This still leaves us with $6,000 of monthly bills to pay and another payroll coming up in two weeks.  Does this count as God's provision?  Is this what praying for Daily Bread looks like?  Sorta...kinda...I don't know.  Here are two things that I do know:

• We are getting an accurate picture of where we are as far as financial partnership.  When I came into this job, I was handed a list of 300 financial partners.  In reality, we are closer to 200 people who have given at all in the past year and a half and we have about 25 donations each month.  This will not cut it.  If we want to be a stable, community-based organization with the resources to invest in the youth of our community, we need to have 100 donations each month, ranging anywhere from $10 to $1,000.  This has very little to do with my current accounts payable sheet.  Joel's Place is meant to be a service organization, a group focused on transforming the lives of our youth.  A group with the ability to host events, trainings, outreaches and parties in order to infuse youth culture with positive values and mentors.  We can only do this if we are sent by our community.  I can write grants and qualify for programs and network all day, but if the people of Interior Alaska are not regularly pouring resources into us (money, volunteer hours, vision, training, encouragement, etc.) then we will never accomplish what we are so well positioned to do.  100 gifts.  Every month.  That's what I'm looking for.
• The Second thing that I know is this: Our struggles are not just about us.  When we have needs big enough that we cannot fill them ourselves, we come to a very special place.  When the family crisis or the money shortfall or the loss of people/jobs/possessions cannot be overcome by working harder or using our precious resources, a desperation sets in.  This Desperation can lead to manipulation, deceit, cruelty, hopelessness and violence.  However this Desperation can also lead to humility, generosity, relationship and compassion.  Our needs allow others to join our endeavors.  They allow us to grow in compassion for others who are desperate.  They allow us to see God where others would just give credit to chance.  Our Desperation has the potential to soften our hearts towards others and transform our solitary endeavor into a communal movement, which always has more impact.

I hate asking for money...to be honest I hate having any needs at all.  But I am coming to see that if I want Joel's Place to be a communal movement that transforms youth culture in Alaska (which I do) instead of simply a monument to my exemplary administrative, writing and fundraising skills (attractive, but the other option is so much better) then we must begin to view our needs and desperation as opportunities for growth instead of obstacles to be avoided and overcome.

The Youth need us.  We need you.  Come and see what God could have in store for you.