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October 2009 
Answering the call to service - circles of care
Posted on Mar 6th, 2009
by 
Sylvia
Sylvia
Hi, dear hearts - I just posted the following letter on the www.usaservice.org website - and would be deeply interested in your thoughts, feedback, ideas and experiences.
peace and love -
Sylvia
Hi, folks - I was an active participant in the Obama campaign, and I am excited to see the developments since the inauguration. When thinking about the call to service - and the invitation and challenge for everyone to be involved - I have at least one question and one idea. The question - could we shift our collective understanding of meeting needs from one group serving another to mutual care where everyone both benefits and contrubutes? The idea concerns how to go about establishing neighborhoods and communities of care. Most religious communities that I'm familiar with have some way of meeting the emotional, spiritual and practical needs of their members. Many neighborhoods have block watches or some other organization for crime prevention. And during the campaign - many precincts were organized into neighborhood teams. Also - many communities across the country, particularly small towns, already have existing service organizations like Kiwanis, Lions Club, Rotary Club, the Women's Auxiliary for the fire department, hospital outreach organizations, etc. So the next question - might it be possible to coordinate folks involved in all these various efforts into local communities of care that would help meet needs such as housing for folks displaced by the foreclosure crisis, transportation for those affected by fuel costs, even house repairs, etc? My sense is that for example, someone whose house was recently taken away might have a working car, or skills at cooking, etc.
Currently I see local USA Service efforts primarily emerging through the local Democratic party - and I see an *urgent* need to get beyond party affiliation, and to tap into already existing community structures. I *deeply* appreciate what the Democrats are doing - and yet it seems like the same already stretched people are being asked to do even more.
I will be cross posting these questions widely with the hope to spark more conversation and folks using the ideas in ways that work for them.
Thank you deeply for all you're doing -
peace -
Sylvia N
Access: Public
Sylvia! This is beautiful; my heart expanded just reading it. i think everyone involved in true service knows that they (the ‘giver’ or carer) receive just as much from being able to give as the ‘recipient’ does in return. Or this, at least, has been my experience.
Part of me thinks that this can (and will) only arise spontaneously–that somehow top-down systematization is antithetical to the spirit of this emergent, mutual-care model–but at the same time I’m sure it’s possible to facilitate, by either creating containers for people to find each other and by, merely, modeling it ourselves, and, of course, by asking questions such as these.
Hi, Siona - I agree with you deeply that top down enforcement of such a model would be really counter productive. I was thinking much more of incentives and leadership - creating avenues and channels for coming together in these ways - and simply articulating and encouraging what might be possible. I think of the model of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria - which gives out grants to community based organizations already engaged in the work - with the on the ground contacts and experience to get the job done when they have the necessary resources and oversight - which keeps diversion of funds to the minimum.
One of the big pieces in the US is facilitating a shift in thinking from individualistic consumerism into community conciousness. That’s where the groups listed in the video to which you linked would be especially helpful - that’s the work they’re doing on the ground. The key to me is to help the flow of communication and resources without imposing inappropriate restrictions or rules. Certainly the Obama administration is already working toward funding and empowering religiously based organizations across the interfaith spectrum - my thought is just to widen the circles - and think more outside the boxes.
I was even thinking last night about involving intramural sport leagues and such - I know Columbus has active softball, hockey and volleyball leagues - they probably have basketball, too. So if folks get together for games on say Sunday nights … maybe they could gather an hour early to help pack and move someone - or do physical tasks around peoples’ houses.
The questions are - what kind of energies do we have individually and collectively - and how can we join together to get our needs met individually and collectively?
And I figure the more these types of question are seeded and spread - the more the results can bubble up down, and from various dimensions :-).
love and blessings -
Sylvia
Sylvia, I think you’ve touched on the heart of the “crisis” that’s facing us. That is what needs to happen: for each person to see themselves as a center for developing groups for action and also for developing an awareness of what is really happening.
Instead of accepting that the events reported in the media are what is “really” happening; we need to focus a little more than we have been, on what is happening around us, what needs to happen, and we can do to bring that about.
I’ve found a major area right now, is the family; bringing it back together in shared action; and after reading your blog am thinking of community ways.
Looking forward to reading more ideas and what people are doing.
Hi, Meenakshi [smiling richly] - I’m deeply glad this blog invited you to think more of shared community actions. My hope is that existing groups will come together to meet the needs in creative ways - and will offer their resources such as meeting spaces and communication channels to people who are coordinating new efforts.
love and blessings -
Sylvia
I followed this link from Satya_Seer profile status to Siona’s blog on Blessed Unrest. Thanks John…I saw the Paul Hawken presentation on TED when it was first posted, and yes, it did give me shivers..We are all part of the same thing.
I could go on forever, and we do…I’m just going to leave you with this and trust that there’s a connection.The Butterfly Effect.
Looking forward to the 17th :-)
~lars
Localization - yes! Intentional communities - yes!
Our hearts are longing for connection. People have been out of touch (physically, emotionally and practically) for far too long, in my observation.
Government cannot provide what we need most. Neither can business. We can only provide it for ourselves and one another. I like what Sylvia said about everyone both contributing and benefitting. And everyone’s contribution needs to be honored - rather than some being overcompensated and others treated with disdain, imho.
And I agree, Siona, that it will arise spontaneously, created from our collective desire and intention.
I don’t believe it can be successfully mandated. If it could, the USSR would have thrived, right? Thrived, thriven - take your pick. :)
Cathy Elaine