This is the fourth Christmas that I have been blessed to be the CO of The Salvation Army in Swift Current. We have noticed some very interesting trends in that time. We know that the economy has been booming; we know that there have been lots of jobs created across the province; we know that we are in an enviable position among the provinces in this country and among the cities in this province. I have no reason to doubt this, seeing the great things that are happening in this city as far as growth and development and certainly as far as community support has been for those in need. Last Christmas $170 000 was raised for the most needy through The Salvation Army and this year we have set the same goal which I trust that since we do live in such a generous community we will raise it.
With all of these good trends there are some disturbing trends as well. As some are prospering in our midst, more people than ever are not. Did you know that the number of people in need in our community has grown by leaps and bounds – by more than 10% every year? This year is no different. Last year at Christmas time we helped 200 families with Christmas hampers, toys, and clothing plus another 100-200 with the Christmas Day meal. This year, we are already at 225 families in need and more families are coming in every day asking for help.
Some of these families are in real binds. Some of them are single parent families of 5, 6, 7 or 8 children. I can think of two families right of the top of my head where the father just up and left in the last few months before Christmas.
I can think of 1 or 2 more families where the mom abandoned her husband and the children and then had social services come and take the children from her husband before Christmas.
There is also a growing trend of ‘couch-surfing homelessness’. What happens is that as one family is in financial crisis and loses their home -because it is too cold to live on the streets here- they move in with their friends and their families. Their friends and their families are usually on the same economic plain as they are so then instead of one family in crisis you have two.
We have the safe shelter for women, which is a wonderful thing. There is the question though, what happens when the mother runs up the debt, and abuses the children, and the father has to flee with the kids; where does he go? What does he do?
I can think of more than one family where one parent has to spend Christmas in jail. There is also the problem about what to do when someone has been convicted of a crime in this community? They go to prison. What happens when they come back? They have no job, they have no place to stay, the friends they have are the same friends they had before they went away the first time. Often they wind up earning their return trip to prison during their welcome home party.
It seems that as prosperity is growing, so are the number of people on the margins. Even though there is more abundance than ever before, the need is continually growing. What can we do? What do we do?
There are a number of things that we are doing at The Salvation Army: In Swift Current, The Salvation Army provides:
- The community’s food bank
- Thrift Store
- Christmas food hampers
- The Angel Tree
- Community Christmas meal
- Church
- The Community Kitchens
- Support for children and youth
- Emergency disaster assistance
- Employment and job skills training in cooperation with Partners in Employment
- Chaplaincy assistance
- Justice Program for South West Saskatchewan (including Alternative Measures)
- Professional and approved Anger Management courses
- 'Transition Through Incarceration'
- Emergency shelter for those in need
- Court work
- Free legal clinics
- Stop-lift courses
- And much more…
None of this is possible with out your – and the community’s - continued support for our food bank. I don’t think that our efforts are in vain, I would like to share with you some stories that you may have heard on the radio stations…
“I first came to the Salvation Army in April of two-thousand-twelve. I had nothing – it was just my kids and me. The caring folks at Salvation Army offered me help. I'm thankful to everyone, but want to especially thank Lorraine, who's a wonderful lady. She has helped me with tons of applications, gone with me on trips to Regina and a lot more. She doesn’t have to help me... but she helps, because she has a big heart.” - Cynthia
“I've been going to the Salvation Army for roughly three years now. Lorraine and everyone have given me a hand up when I was in need. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have found a place to live. With the Christmas hamper, my family will have a wonderful Christmas. The foodbank provides me with enough food to get me by. The Salvation Army has given me hope and blessings. I realize now that people DO care and we're not alone.” Lisa
“I lived a life of alcohol and drugs for almost thirty-years. In 1984, I encountered The Salvation Army. I attended one of their Meetings and gave my heart to the Lord. I did not drink or do drugs from that day on. I have been a Soldier in The Salvation Army since 1984.” - Richard
I want to leave you with this too. Even though the number of people who have been using the food bank has been steadily growing, the number of repeat users is way down. This is because before we give anyone food, we interview them to address the root of their problem. What is the reason that they are here asking for food? If the problem is alcohol we bring them to AA; if the problem is employment we help them find work; if the problem is gambling we help them ban themselves from the Casino. So the encouragement for us here is even though as times are booming for some, times are getting tougher for others on the margins, thanks to you, we are able to help transforms lives.
Matthew 25:31ff says:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Today, I would like to thank all of you who donate to the food bank and all our ministries here because indeed as you do, you are doing the same for our Lord and Saviour. Your communities have been supporting the food bank here for a long time now. This is the 15th annual Hutterite Day. Over the years you have provided thousands of pounds of vegetables, turkeys, cookies, pastries, and so much more. This last year alone. The Salvation Army recorded 121 different times that the Hutterite communities donated to our food bank. This goes a long way to helping those in need in our community. Thank you.
- Captain Michael Ramsay
