Ending Poverty Together

with guest David Witt of iTeams.

When you hear the words ‘community development’, what comes to mind? International or local? Urban or rural? While many people might default to thinking of a tiny international village, there’s plenty of community development work that needs to happen right here in Canada too.

In this episode, Dave Witt from iTeams, offers insight into what it means to work with those on the margins in urban centers in Canada. Dave shares moving anecdotes from real communities banding together and reminds us of the importance of recognizing that everybody has a story that leads them to where they are today, no matter their circumstances.

Recommended Resources & Readings:

The Twenty-Piece Shuffle

God In The Alley by Greg Paul

Slow Kingdom Coming by Kent Annan

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Kevin Wiebe of Pov.ology

We all struggle with poverty in one form or another, whether it be material, emotional, environmental, or spiritual. But if we all struggle with poverty, then how can we help one another?

In this episode, Kevin Wiebe, creator of Pov.ology, shares what it means to serve the needy when you’re one of them. As followers of Christ, Kevin emphasizes the importance of reflecting God’s character in everyday life, from small deeds, like stretching a meal to welcome another guest at a dinner table, to larger discussions, like reckoning with the importance of talking with people instead of talking about them.

Recommended Readings:

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ron Sider

Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne

Helping Without Hurting  by Corbett and Fikkert

Toxic Charity by Robert D. Lupton

Faithful in Small Things: How to Serve the Needy When You are One of Them by Kevin Wiebe

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Musu Taylor-Lewis of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank

In a world that produces enough to feed everyone, why are 700 million people going hungry?

In this episode, Musu Taylor-Lewis from Canadian Foodgrains Bank breaks down the global hunger crisis with us, starting with the effects of climate change, conflict, and COVID-19 on food insecurity. Though 700 million can feel like an overwhelming number, Musu shares what we can each do as individuals to help those facing hunger.

Because the truth is, the global hunger crisis isn’t only about food—it’s about justice too.

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with special guest Ruth Thorogood of Thorogood.

It’s no secret that God is creative. When it comes to charity though, we often think in the same old patterns, especially when considering how best to walk with those in need. What would it mean for non-profits, donors, and the communities they serve, if we leaned into His creative nature?

Ruth Thorogood has spent years working with Christian non-profits, encouraging them to think creatively to expand their impact. In this episode, Ruth shares a vision with us, one that breaks apart the old model of charity by looking towards some of the most innovative people, young entrepreneurs. When churches and nonprofits engage their business people, impact can happen on a scale that we never imagined.

Recommended Resource:

Praxis Labs

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with special guest Richard Belcham, Inasmuch Community Society.

Many refugee claimants have extraordinary journeys. They are change makers, the people standing up for justice in their countries. Yet, too often the media lumps asylum seekers and refugee claimants in sweeping stereotypes. And too often, we believe it.

Richard Belcham from Inasmuch Community Society has spent years walking alongside refugee claimants as they begin new lives in Canada. In this episode, Richard shares powerful stories from asylum seekers and talks us through the systemic obstacles they face while settling in a new country. He also shares what we can all do to welcome refugee claimants in our own communities. Sometimes, it is as simple as offering a cup of cardamom tea.

Recommended Resources & Reading:

Along The Way Podcast

The Boat People by Sharon Bala

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with special guest Subodh Kumar, Food for the Hungry.

Oftentimes, numbers and statistics can be enough to make your eyes glaze over. But what if we viewed data in a different way? What if we recognized the story and the human faces behind each statistic?

In this episode, Subodh Kumar, Senior Director of Data for Good with Food for the Hungry, gets into the nitty gritty of monitoring and evaluation—but not in the way you would expect. 

Walk with him from the beginning of a community’s partnership with FH through to Graduation as he explains how data is really all about relationships. When we recognize that God is in a community long before any outside organizations arrive, then what may have once seemed like empty statistics suddenly become an incredible testimony of God’s work.

Recommended Reading:

God’s Story

Walking with the Poor by Bryant Myers

Effective Data Storytelling by Brent Dykes

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guests Pastor Ken Nettleton & Andrew McDonald, New Life Church.

How often do you wonder whose hands pick the beans that fill your morning cup of coffee? When we recognize the relational side of consumption—that there is someone behind the clothes we wear and the coffee we drink—we must reckon with our purchasing choices and if they really reflect God’s justice.

New Life Church in Duncan, BC is doing exactly this. After partnering with FH and the community of Acul, Guatemala, they’ve established an equitable supply chain that sends coffee all the way from Acul to Duncan. In this episode, Pastor Ken Nettleton and Andrew McDonald from New Life Church take a look back on this journey, what it means for the church’s Brew Life Cafe, and how it has transformed lives from farmer to consumer. 

And as New Life examines how to apply what they’ve learned from Acul in their own community, it begs the question: Does the Church really have to choose between local and international partnership? Or can Kingdom work happen in both and because of both?

Recommended Readings:

A Field Guide to Becoming Whole by Dr Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ron Sider

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Daniel Whitehead, Sanctuary Mental Health.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all felt the lonely press of isolation. We are relational beings, and this lack of togetherness can have devastating consequences. But given the long-standing stigma around mental health, how do we admit that maybe we’re not doing as well as we thought? How do we ask for help?

In this episode, Daniel Whitehead of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries takes a moment to ask us how we’re all doing in the face of the ongoing pandemic. He also shares about the importance of togetherness, the lessons we can learn from majority cultures that value interdependence over independence, and leaves us all with another poignant question: What restores your soul and when was the last time you did it?

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Cherie White, Steadfast Developments.

We’ve all heard the phrase “bottom line” before. It’s all about profit, profit, profit – but what if there was another way? A way for entrepreneurs to leverage their unique talents to not only make a profit, but to also have a positive social impact?

Cherie White, CEO and founder of Steadfast Developments, proudly owns the title of social impact developer, just as she proudly owns the title of resident of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, one of Canada’s poorest postal codes. She has a vision of restoration for the neighbourhood, one that leverages the power of community instead of gentrification. And it’s more than just a vision. She’s actually making it happen.

In this episode, Cherie shares about living counterculturally, the power of redefining the bottom line to be more than just financial, and how a live-in-wrap-around strategy can transform not only the lives of those in poverty, but the lives of those walking alongside as well.

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Luke Wilson, A Rocha Canada

When was the last time you stepped outside, took a deep breath of fresh air, and let yourself wonder at the beauty of creation?

There are lots of big questions when it comes to caring for our planet, but perhaps our first step in finding the answers is to simply let ourselves rediscover wonder. From there, the next steps to fixing our broken relationship with creation can begin to unfold. 

In this episode, Luke Wilson, CEO of A Rocha Canada, talks us through the importance of story in the climate change movement, the wonder of tasting a carrot fresh from the earth, and encourages each of us to find our own connection to creation.

Recommended Reading:

Planted by Leah Kostamo

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.