“There was once a fellow who lost his way and had to make inquiries as to how far he was from his destination. A wizened old man on the road told him, “If you continue to go in the direction you are going, it’s about 25,000 miles. But if you turn around, it’s about three.”… Proceeding in the wrong direction can be as much a waste of time as it is frustrating. Sometimes we just need to turn around. Sensitive to this idea, the Jewish calendar is punctuated with moments that are particularly helpful for changing direction. One such day fell yesterday. It’s called a fast day-the Fast of the 10th of Tevet, the day commemorating the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in the sixth century BCE. The purpose of each of these days is to arouse hearts and open the paths of repentance; to be a recollection of our …ways, to re-evaluate.”
Rabbi Wayne Allen, from The Canadian Jewish News, Jan. 1, 2009
Well, what do you know? We are now half way through our 2008-2009 OOTC season, and it may be a good idea to stand back and measure how well we’re doing in the good we’re doing before too much time passes.
Let’s evaluate. The number of our dinner guests last night was 130. At 120 guests, we ask new arrivals to go to OOTC at Centenary Church who had 102 guests, many more than they usually cook for. No one at either church left hungry. The meal was minestrone soup by Rhonda and Caesar salad, cauliflower, broccoli, clementines and bananas and Susan’s meat lasagna. That’s our most expensive entrée when you factor in all of the cheese and meat. But donations from our secret sources are well worth the effort of asking and picking up what we need to make it delicious and nutritious.
One vegetarian guest always gets a special entrée. One has a pepper allergy who we carefully tend to, another can’t eat dairy, so he received a turkey dinner. Later, he must have said “thank you” one hundred times.. “You really don’t have to put up with me, but you do.” I told him that we like to cater to his needs and that, next week, he can entertain us with a beautiful piano concert. You can guess who this gentleman is!
Twenty-three people slept over. They were served a variety of cereals, scrambled eggs, yogurt, coffee, orange juice, bananas. Some asked for and received thermal underwear, others who needed winter gloves and boots were disappointed. I bet we could have given out half a dozen men’s boots, sizes 9-11. We didn’t have any, but Brian at Miller Shoes has been called and he’s giving us some. (But I know we could use more…. It’s just always that way.) We did have some toe warmers though, which were gladly received.
Also, this morning, each guest was given a new thermal mug which they could fill with coffee to go. Thank you to Marilyn and Jack Levy for sourcing and picking up the mugs from Mississauga! Very special dental gift bags from Dr. Colin Day and Deanne Day were also distributed. One guest remarked that she felt that she had just been to a party!
Every Tuesday night at dinner time, Andrew from Housing Help Centre, comes to discuss housing issues with any guest wishing assistance. He spoke to guest Sharon, with MS, who usually only comes for dinner but was sleeping over last night because her $575/month apartment is too cold. Apparently the heat is regulated by the property manager and to use a space heater would be an added expense which she cannot afford. She was worrying about her cat.
Each Wednesday morning, there is usually a doctor practicing dishwashing, egg scrambling or toast making. It brings me great comfort knowing that they are there; however, our overnight guests could benefit from a nurse on Tuesday nights once in a while. We are working on a lead from yesterday.
Oh boy, this is longer than usual, but I’m stalling shoveling the driveway!
Finally, I can’t say enough about our volunteers. Monday’s Hamilton Spectator front page featured our very own Rev. George Horton who is now a Chaplain for the Hamilton Police Services! What a beautiful article and handsome picture. I, too, can’t resist a man in uniform. He, and all of you, minister to our guests with your smiles, kind words, compassion.
Conclusion: We measure up. We are trying and mostly successful in accomplishing our goal to improve the situation of others. We are willing to change, bend, compromise, bite, steal and beg…. Oops maybe going too far there. Can Rev. Horton arrest people now?
With our program ending this year on Tues., March 24, let’s not stop evaluating or questioning whether the direction we are going is right, or do we need to turn around.
See you next week.
Cindy
Responses:
Cindy, you consistently amaze me. The great minds of the generation are trying to find meaning in the 10th of Tevet, and you do so with grace, providing life's essentials to others in the process.
As always, yasher koach.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Dan Selsberg
I enjoy and appreciate all of your missives, but this was a particularly lovely "drash".
Thank you for pointing out that we are at the mid-year point. Does this mean that we are close to spring or heading back to winter? Thank you for your inspiration and leadership.
All the best,
Norma
We are definitely going in the right direction, especially under your watch. Your deep feeling for our guests has sought out help for them that has never been offered before, with such personal interest in the problems of the individuals, aside from the immediate goal of feeding them, that you have offered a light at the end of the tunnel for many of them, and in so doing have given all that come to our "dinner parties" a deeper understanding of Jews in Hamilton and Jews in general, and don't we need that, in these times of such virulent press and adverse feelings? By the way, I make Lasagna without all the cheeses, a recipe from the north of Italy that I learned from a dear friend of mine from Milan. They make it with a bechamel sauce, using cheese only on the top---grated Parmesan. It is delicious and better for you than the other and sure less expensive. Let me make you some and you will see. Best, Miriam
HI Cindy. Every week I look forward to your letter and I am always sooo impressed and filled with emotion with everything that you write - you are doing an amazing job and I am so glad that I can help in some small way - I do not have any winter boots but I do have a pair of pull on "rubbers" and a pair of golf shoes that I will part with if you can use them---please let me know and I will not be late on Tuesday as my car is now in working order and I will be there in lots of time to make the juice! Have a good week - Jeanette
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