Newsletter, January 2005UNITED METHODIST MINISTRIES January 27, 2005 Dear Friends, It is difficult to believe that it has been almost six months since I wrote to you. As I continue to relate to persons with little or no income, I have found their situations about the same or worse - struggling to “make ends meet," especially since cold weather is here. Families “juggle” paying their bills – paying some this month, letting some go, and then the next month trying to pay the ones overdue. By then, they get further behind, because they don’t have the funds to pay the back bill plus the current bill. Welfare Changes: In August, the state cut the welfare checks by one-fourth. As the months go by, more families are coming to the end of their 60-month allowance to be on welfare, and most don’t move into jobs as the federal guidelines promised would happen. Also, the state reduced the number on welfare, mainly by “sanctioning,” which means stopping the checks of those who did not keep appointments or did not do whatever they had agreed to do, no matter what the reason. After persons “end up” with no incomes, sometimes other family members will help for a while or they request assistance from charitable agencies. However, we have had to establish guidelines that we will help only once a year unless there are special circumstances. Otherwise, persons with little or no income will depend on us and will not try to figure out ways to help themselves. A Ray of Hope: Community leaders spoke recently to a group of seminary students from Drew, Asbury, and Wesley seminaries who visited to learn about the area. The leaders shared that they were not as hopeful as the plans led people to believe, mainly because many jobs would be filled by people outside the area. A Russian Pastor Visits: In November, I had the opportunity to participate in the annual meeting of Rural Chaplains which was held in During his visit, when Sasha was observing differences in culture, he commented that in his culture families take care of other family members when they are in need. In comparing his visit to A Ministry Encounter: In my February 2004 mission letter, I shared the story of a woman I called Betty who was 51 years old. I first met her when she needed help with electric and water bills, because she did not have any income. She had worked as cook in a local restaurant until she had an automobile accidence. In the February letter, I wrote that Betty was very proud and independent and that her actions indicated that she was overwhelmed by her situation though she tried to act differently. During January 2004, I discovered that Betty was not getting her mail from the mailbox at the mouth of the “hollar,” about a half-mile from her house. When we picked up her mail, she had a litter denying her Social Security Disability for the lack of medical evidence. So I took her to the Social Security office to appeal the decision. She had missed a doctor’s appointment which had been set up for her. I promised the Social Security office that I would see that she got her mail at least once a week so that she would not miss any more appointments. I took her to the next doctor’s appointment scheduled for her and, by the end of April, she had been approved for her Social Security Disability. Before she was approved for her check, I had worked through the welfare office to get her a telephone at a discounted rate. After she began receiving her check, Betty was able to pay her own bills and use the bus to get to the store and doctor’s appointments. I continued to visit Betty but not as often. She was very grateful for my helping her through the process to get her check, but now she felt that she could handle things herself. Several times during the fall I called and she was not home. I knew she was riding the bus, because I had several people call and tell me that a woman on the bus suggested they call to see if I could help them. Then the first Saturday in December, when I took groceries to a family about for miles form Betty’s house, I decided to go check on her. I went to her house and called from the bridge as I always did, because she had a dog that might bite if I came too close. I got no response so I went back to the family where I left the food and called her on the phone. She did not answer so I went back and asked her neighbor if he had seen her. He thought he had seen her several days previously and thought she was at her house. So I went back to her house, ventured to the door, and knocked when I decided the dog had wrapped his chain around the post and could not reach me. After I waited awhile, the neighbor came, looked through the window, and said he as going to call 911. I look and tried the door. It was unlocked. So I went in and put my hand on Betty’s back since she was leaning forward in the chair. She was hard and cold. The neighbor had brought his cordless phone over for me to call 911. After the ambulance came, they called the sheriff’s deputy. That, after it was decided there was no foul play and where to take her, the fire truck was called so that the ones moving her body could wear hazardous masks. When I talked with the funeral director later, he said that she probably had been dead for at least a week. I’m glad I decided to check on Betty that day, but it is an experience I hope never to have again. One of the things I learned from Betty, who didn’t go to church, is how important it is for persons who call themselves Christians to act like they are. During one of the last visits I had with Betty, she was telling me about hurtful experiences she had years ago after a family member had been saved. She told me that she didn’t want to be a part of a religion where people who said they were saved and talked about loving and helping one another, hurt and mistreated others. However, Betty had told me during one of my visits about how she prayed to God when she didn’t have any income and didn’t know what to do. Betty’s comments underscore the importance of sharing God’s love and affirming the dignity and worth of all God’s people. I thank God for you and your support which allows me to serve in Gratefully yours, July D. Matheny, PhD. Church and Community Worker Advance Special #982969 |