March 15, 2008
Dear Friends,
I hope that our last letter encouraged you to realize in fresh ways how your vocation links with ours. It is a joy to serve with you to make the way for peace and redemption in a world of injustice, violence and poverty.
The Journey toward Community Care
With your partnership for more than a decade Chris and I have served with WMF among children who live on the streets, children with HIV, former child soldiers and women and girls enslaved in the sex trade. It has been our privilege to offer vision, support, leadership and care among an international community that has grown from a few to about 200 in the past twelve years. As you know, in a relatively short time we witnessed an outpouring of love and justice as people all over the world responded to a cry of the poor for God and a cry of God for the poor. WMF has expanded over the years from service in one city in the majority world to now ten.
As you may know along with this exciting spontaneous expansion, came incredible challenges. In the beginning our community was mostly young single guys who didn't mind sleeping on the streets in solidarity with our poor friends, could handle extreme climate conditions, and would eat anything or nothing depending on the day. Over time some of these ambitious, radical young men experienced health problems, others got married and some of these couples started having children. As you can imagine some of the wives had different ideas about the way in which they would live out their calling among the poor—marital and familial needs proved to be a package all their own. As time went on it seemed to be increasingly difficult for some staff to remain in service among the poorest of the poor.
In addition, years of service witnessing some of the worst atrocities in the world takes its toll on a person—compassion fatigue and burnout easily set in.
A few years ago, WMF began to see staff attrition for the first time. The question surfaced, "How can we live a sustainable and thriving lifestyle among the poorest of the poor?" Thus was born Community Care with an emphasis on spiritual formation, mental and emotional well-being, and physical vitality. (There are three vital support departments in WMF: Administration, Advocacy and Community Care).
In 2004, the Community Care Center with all it's overwhelming need for attention and development was staffed part-time by one person—me. I still served part-time in Child Advocacy until 2006. It was clear that WMF was in a desperate place as I looked out among our people and witnessed their struggle to serve among the world's poor and oppressed.
In 2006, Amanda (Timm) Knihal started serving alongside me and together we have seen incredible growth and development in the Community Care Center in just two years. Today WMF has a more thorough and efficient staff screening and interview process and new staff are walked more thoughtfully through their integration to WMF. Staff are now more prepared than ever to live out their calling. When staff members have a need for extra support and care we are more equipped to facilitate and resource that assistance. As a result, staff are returning to their service renewed, more rooted in who they are and in their vocation, and energized. It seems that a new way is being paved for experiencing abundant life in service among the poor and oppressed.
A Constant Reminder
On the wall of my office hangs a larger than life picture. In the photo are 6 of the most gorgeous children we have known from the streets of India. Their big brown eyes gaze at me as I labor at my computer. They speak to me of the initial call our community received to listen to their cry, to be among them and to together find our way to the heart of God.
There is a way in which we can be true to and live out our counter-cultural vocation to serve among the poorest of the poor. We are determined to uncover that way and walk it together.
This year is crucial for Amanda and me to further develop the Community Care Center. This is our inaugural year of working together full-time. There are many decisions to be made and goals to accomplish to under gird the purpose of Community Care. Will you pray with us as we seek to promote a sustainable and thriving lifestyle of service among the poorest of the poor?
With love & gratitude,
Phileena Heuertz