Visiting WICM

While in Winnipeg, my daughter, son and I visited the recently opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights and in particular the exhibits on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Indian Residential Schools. Now that the TRC has come to a close, a challenge for us as citizens of both God’s Kingdom and Canada, will be that our First Nations and Aboriginal peoples continue to be a priority of our mission and outreach mandates.

At St. Andrew’s, Maple, Ont., we made a commitment a number of years ago to consistently give mission dollars to Winnipeg Inner City Missions, and while in Winnipeg I had the privilege of hand-delivering a cheque to executive director, Rev. Margaret Mullin. When I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, I was warmly received and given a guided tour of the Anishinabe Place of Hope facility by one of the volunteers. Spending time with Mullin was indeed an eye opener. She shared with me many joys and concerns of the mission. One major concern for her is that our First Nations and Aboriginal peoples will once again become the last and the lost. Many of these people are direct or indirect descendants of residential school survivors and possess many of the hurts and wounds of that system. Most noticeable at the mission was a banner which displays the names of many people who have died of both natural and unnatural causes—a death roll, if you will.

There are many justice issues that continue to weigh heavily on the hearts and spirits of this community, and the names on the banner are those of young and old, male and female, First Nations, Aboriginal, Métis. In light of this jarring reality, one of the obvious joys of the mission was the steady stream of volunteers who were providing a ride for those in the community who wished to attend worship. A number of those using the mission services cannot afford transportation, yet long to praise and worship God at the WICM community Sunday service.

While I met with Mullin, the phone kept ringing. These calls were from individuals and families in need of a ride to the 3:30 p.m. worship. Every effort was made to collect these folks and return them home later. When I first entered the sanctuary for worship, I met a lot of smiling faces; a celebration of people who were excited to express their faith in community. As I spoke with many of them, exchanging pleasantries, I became aware of the pain behind their eyes, which brought tears to mine. Their resiliency is palpable, as are their wounds.

My hope and prayer is that our Aboriginal brothers and sisters will continue to receive the essential pastoral and financial support they so richly deserve, aided by ongoing congregational mission and outreach commitments, from across our blessed land.