Cyclical Poverty and Roadblocks: Inroads for the gospel

I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time someone said, "just tell the poor to get a job."

Often, one of the most discouraging aspects of walking in relationship with our friends here in Cleveland surrounds the processes of obtaining identification, benefits, housing, jobs, etc. There are hurdles and roadblocks for those who come from cyclical, generational of poverty that we have personally never had to face. It's exhausting.

In recent months, I have been helping two adult women work through the beginning stages of becoming independent from their mother as they attempt to get IDs, social security cards, jobs, and WIC benefits to help feed their young children. This process has been full of nothing but bad or lacking information, discouragement, repeated hurdles, phone calls, and long hours of sitting and waiting in government offices alongside countless others experiencing the same things.

All of this is best summed up in the statement made by one of the women; 

"No one here cares, and no one actually wants to be helpful. If only my mom knew to do all of this when I was younger."

A system designed to protect and get the job done has in turn become a great hindrance to the most vulnerable and needy. This is exacerbated by the fact that many come from a household impacted by generational poverty, lacking information, and no support system. 

The struggle was best exemplified by the visits we took to the WIC office and the DMV earlier today. We were equipped with new documents and new information, confident that today would be the day things got done. After spending 30 minutes at each place, we left dejected. In spite of the women each making appointments and obtaining the government documents we were told would work, the DMV said the Social Security Office was misinformed and they were not acceptable. Once again, bad information had given us false hope. The one woman has secured a job, but if she cannot get a second form of identification by next Saturday she will not be hired. She is ready to give up. We are at a loss. No one is willing to help, and no one seems to have information that is helpful and accurate. 

It is easy for me to become just as frustrated and discouraged by the process. To want to give up. But I trust that God has placed me in the lives of these women for a very distinct purpose. If left on their own, they would have given up after the first or second no. They would feel even more trapped. The system is hard to navigate and the discouragement is too much to handle at times. However, I am able to enter in the situation, to buy food, to hold babies, to love, to speak truth, to encourage, to advocate, to make phone calls, and to drive.

I get to be the living breathing hands and feet of Christ in just one of the many circumstances that exemplifies the hopelessness they experience on a daily basis. This situation has given me the opportunity to build a much deeper friendship through the time spent together and the shared discouragement.

I am fully confident that the hope that exists through the gospel of Jesus is exactly what these women (and everyone) need. It is our prayer that they come to see that no matter what they strive for or how much they achieve, it will all lead to the same hopelessness like what they currently experience without Christ.

Please be in prayer for the many seeds that have been planted.

Psalm 147:11
No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Julia