True Canadians

Before last year, I don’t believe I ever stopped to think deeply about racism.

That may sound odd. After all, I dealt with an openly racist character in Kingdom of Bats, and The Quest and The Loss are largely about interracial interactions. It’s not as though the topic hasn’t crossed my mind.

However, I haven’t deeply thought about how it’s relevant to my life here in Canada.

Canada, in theory, embraces multi-ethnicism, and holds our Native population in highest regard. So being “racist” is, generally speaking, uncool. Doesn’t happen.

…Right?

I’d been thinking and praying about racism after the death of George Floyd, when someone said something to me that caught me off guard.

“I’m not racist,” she assured me. “But can’t they find any REAL Canadians to do (such and such a job around our community)?”

I hadn’t noticed before that the workers looked East Indian. Not because I don’t notice race, but because (admittedly) I tend not to notice people, period.

Somehow, if all the workers were white, I don’t think she’d have been so quick to assume they were recent immigrants… or declare them not “real Canadians.”

Since that event, I’ve been on a quest to learn more: I’ve collected books on racial justice for our church library; worked through some of the resources provided by an organization called “Be the Bridge;” and continued praying about the topic.

It’s a journey that I’m glad I decided to take.

I’ve actually found it’s been a great boost to my faith.

One thing that amazed me was discovering the passionate Christian leaders among African-Americans and Aboriginals. Many Christians who leave the church do so because they can’t stand the church’s hypocrisy. Yet, here are people who have suffered under some of the church’s greatest hypocrisies, and their Christian faith has endured, even thrived.

I’ve found that the story of the Israelite’s exodus from slavery takes on greater meaning when preached by an African-American. God giving Israel a specific land to call home becomes special when seen through a First Nations perspective. And many of Jesus’ actions and words take on greater meaning when viewed from a Jewish cultural context.

There’s a lot we can learn from people who have a different history and perspective.

A Resting Librarian

It’s been a while since I posted a librarian update!

As a reminder: years ago, I offered to take over the running of our church’s library. Since I love books, it seemed the perfect fit!

Well, as of late, due to the pandemic restrictions, our little church library has sat unused. (The books at least are unused: our pastors have been using the room itself as a place to record their online sermons.) And due to the continued restrictions on gatherings, the books will likely sit unused for a while yet.

When I first realized this, I was hit with a feeling of loss.

I’ve done so much in that library.

One thing I changed early on was the fiction section: dividing it into separate genres, and sorting the books by author. It took a lot of work - and some dear helpers - to get that done. And since it’s been finished, I’ve noticed readers picking out their favourite genre, or taking out books from a particular author.

Since then, I’ve done so much re-organizing, moving, buying, and removing of books in the non-fiction genres, I don’t even remember what it was like before I became the librarian.

I’ve spent many hours caring for the library’s hundreds of books, driven by a vision to “connect people with books that are meaningful to them.” I feel I’ve succeeded in this vision: answering people’s questions, directing them to various titles, and making the organization easier to follow.

I’ve missed that, and the purpose I felt there.

However, I’m also convinced God knew I would need the break, and the chance to step back and take joy in what has been done - instead of only seeing what still needs doing.

Handling Crisis

I believe even fictional stories have the power to teach us and alter how we see life.

The “Darkness before Dawn” collection has long been among my favourite story archs of Adventures in Odyssey, a long-running audio drama.

Near the beginning of this pandemic, I relistened to them with my husband. And the story spoke to me on a level it hadn’t before. (Spoiler alert going forward!)

In “Darkness before Dawn,” crazy things start happening around the town of Odyssey. Crime spikes suddenly. Scandal surrounds the mayor. The townspeople are left fearful and confused, and for the lead characters, things only seem to worsen as time goes on.

One character, Jack Allen, begins by counteracting the crimes with anonymous acts of kindness. But when this unexpectedly causes the criminals to become more violent, he takes a step back.

For the rest of the story, Jack is mostly in the background, praying.

When another character criticizes his inaction, he argues that he isn’t doing nothing. He believes there is a spiritual side to what’s going on: a battle that can’t be fought any other way, but through prayer.

Jack’s role had previously seemed to me rather uninteresting and a little odd. How does he connect a crime wave and political upheaval with a spiritual battle?

However, being in this pandemic, I heard his side of the story with new ears.

Things keep getting crazier. Death tolls rise. Laws become more strict. Political leaders are called into question.

There are many strategic ways we can fight what’s happening around us: whether we’re taking on the fear, the loneliness, any signs of injustice, or the virus itself. No doubt there are many strategies that are Biblical, logical, or fair.

But I realized that, whatever happens, first and foremost, I want to respond the way that Jack responded: with prayer. I want to be able to see the spiritual side of things. To keep God at the forefront of my mind. To sometimes put aside other plans that seem good, in favour of leaning on His input.

I know not everyone will see things the way I do. I’m learning to be at peace with that.

I’m also aware that there are conspiracy theories and spiritual theories swirling around this pandemic. I’m not talking about taking a side on whether Satan started the virus or whether this is judgement from God.

Rather, I’m wondering if we need to get back to the basics, to realign our priorities and focus: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honoured. May your kingdom come. And may your will be done.”

This pandemic has changed many things. But it hasn’t changed the mission that Jesus gave us: to spread the story of his kingdom to all corners of the earth. Nor has it changed the fact that God is at work in the world. Or made obsolete the command to pray continually and to trust God over our own understanding.

I want to focus on how God can use this event. How is he changing me? What is he teaching me? What does he want me to do during this time? How is he teaching and changing and challenging his church?

When all this is over, how do we move on, while not forgetting the lessons he’s taught us, the people he’s opened our eyes to, and the actions he’s asked us to take?

I think it starts… with prayer.

Growing Where Planted

Back in the summer of 2016, a lady from our church received an honourary Degree of Arts for the work she has done in Fort St John.

Our pastor recognized her accomplishment, and asked her to share a little during the church service. As she came to the front and told her story, I sat fixated on what she said.

She spoke of how she’d arrived in our town a few decades ago, and was greeted by dirt roads and wooden sidewalks. (Our people have a lot of complaints about this town, but at least that’s improved!) Yet she knew that this would be home. Because before she departed for Fort St John, her father had left her with these words:

“Grow where you’re planted.”

And she followed his advice.

Grow: that’s a verb. It doesn’t imply sitting around and wishing things were better. As a plant grows, it takes in nutrients, reaches towards the light, and sends its roots down. It expands and does its best with what it’s given.

This lesson hasn't been an easy one for me. After traveling the world, and all the amazing places I've seen, settling down in Northern British Columbia was not my idea of a great life. I never felt at home here, and I long believed I never would.

But this is where I've been planted. And this is where I want to grow well. Not haphazardly. Not begrudgingly. With intention and strength.

So I took the message to heart, and applied myself to accepting - no, creating - a home here.

Two years later, and I can look back with gratitude for that decision. I've married and started a family. I've involved myself with a local Christian missions event. I'm caring for and updating our church's library. I've even volunteered for my community's gardening committee. Each decision has grown me in a new way, planted my roots here deeper - and, I hope, made a difference in this little corner of the world.

A Librarian Part 2

A librarian’s work is never done.

Back in the blog post A Librarian, I mentioned that I’m now running the library at my church.

I’ve learned a few things about the people in my church just from working in the library.

One, the children love reading; which is a mixture between the blessing of “Yay, children who get excited about books!” and the curse of eternally untidy children’s book shelves.

And two, the adults love to donate books, often in large amounts; which is a mixture between the blessing of “Wow, we have a very giving congregation!” and the curse of piles of books to sort through and prepare for entry into the collection.

All in all, the work isn’t bad, but a more gargantuan task than I expected it would be. Though at the end of the day, how gargantuan it is depends on just how organized you want to keep things. Do you care if the children’s books are facing every which direction on the shelf? That fiction titles aren’t organized by the author’s last name? That we have two or three copies of the same DVD? That someone left the lid off on the hot chocolate powder by the sink and now the ants are devouring it?

If nothing else, running the library has thus far been a fun learning experience, both about the people in our church and about myself.