Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence (Part 2)
This is the second part of a two-part series on Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence. Be sure to read Part One from last week....
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The poor are poor largely because they live in networks of relationships that do not work for their well-being. Their relationships are often oppressive and disempowering as a result of the non-poor "playing god" in the lives of the poor.
--Bryant L. Myers, Walking with the Poor
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Jack H. Bender
- Sep 19, 2019
- 3 min
Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence
This is the first of a two-part series about Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence. Over 10 million Americans experience domestic...
Jack H. Bender
- Sep 5, 2019
- 2 min
The Amazing Sidewalk
I’ve always had an interest in home design and have enjoyed reading about what others consider to be the best roof design or where the...
Jack H. Bender
- Aug 29, 2019
- 3 min
NOLA - No One Lives Alone
A favorite story in Margaret Wheatley’s Turning to One Another is what happened after friends began discussing the needs of children in a...
Jack H. Bender
- Aug 15, 2019
- 3 min
Where Faith and Justice Meet
I believe there is a disconnect between Christians and the poor. Most Christians, including me, don’t act like Jesus who spent his...
Jack H. Bender
- Aug 9, 2019
- 2 min
Four Quarters Giving Circle
Like the young boy who plugs the leak in the dyke with his thumb, we know of situations where even one person can make a big difference...
Jack H. Bender
- Aug 1, 2019
- 3 min
Benevolence is not Justice
I often learn from reader feedback. Friend Pat shared with me the four-word title of today’s blog. It’s a very good mantra for those of...
Jack H. Bender
- Jul 25, 2019
- 3 min
70x7 Life Recovery
You’re homeless. You’re jobless. You’re getting out of jail or prison. Who can help? I reached out to Marybeth Apple Sims, Donor...
Jack H. Bender
- Jul 4, 2019
- 2 min
Building More Houses Faster
Building More Houses Faster At Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity’s annual luncheon, Executive Director Don Wilkinson remarked that Habitat...
Jack H. Bender
- Jun 19, 2019
- 2 min
Where did you sleep last night?
In talking with professionals about local homelessness, they remind us that if we don’t see homeless people, it doesn’t follow that there...
Jack H. Bender
- Jun 12, 2019
- 3 min
Connecting with Neighbors
All of us know the value of family, friends and neighbors. We develop friendships in many ways. Becoming good neighbors to each other may...
Jack H. Bender
- Jun 6, 2019
- 3 min
Jay Van Groningen, Part 2
Jay Van Groningen is a Holland resident who walks the talk and has a great deal of experience in community building and helping others...
Jack H. Bender
- May 30, 2019
- 3 min
Jay Van Groningen, Part 1
We don’t have to start from scratch when we commit to social justice work. Others have been on the path already. Their education and...
Jack H. Bender
- May 16, 2019
- 3 min
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity
Recently I attended the upbeat Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity annual luncheon held at Holland’s DoubleTree’s Conference Center. LHH is...
Jack H. Bender
- May 10, 2019
- 2 min
Refresh
The First United Methodist Church of Holland, in partnership with Community Action House, hosts Refresh, a program of “Hygiene and Hope.”...
Jack H. Bender
- Apr 30, 2019
- 2 min
Bed Ministry
Once a person becomes sensitive to those who struggle under the stress of poverty, that person sees and hears about poverty everywhere,...
Jack H. Bender
- Apr 25, 2019
- 2 min
Panhandling 101
In the past, I’ve read advice on how to respond to panhandlers, but I wanted to check what a local expert would say. I called Community...
Jack H. Bender
- Apr 17, 2019
- 3 min
The Big Giveaway
On Saturday I attended a 2.5 hour presentation on connecting faith and justice. This is the third time I’ve heard Jack Jezreel speak. He...
Jack H. Bender
- Apr 11, 2019
- 3 min
Hi. I'm Laura
Some of us are making a significant shift in our understanding of poverty and of those experiencing its challenges. This, from a reader...
Jack H. Bender
- Apr 4, 2019
- 2 min
Pray. Feed. Repeat.
I like something Pope Francis has said—You pray for the hungry, then you feed them, that is how prayer works. Said another way, think...
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