To understand poverty it is important to focus on place.
Urban poverty cannot be addressed successfully by focusing only upon individuals. Unfortunately, too few are taking a broader view.
Urban poverty is much more complicated than understanding the "case stories" of a group of individuals who need food, shelter, work, child care, medical attention or transportation. Poverty in American cities is a systemic reality. That is, poverty is the result of forces--negative and positive--that overwhelm, align, segment, limit and position the poor in life in such ways that movement up and out is almost impossible without larger system or environmental changes.
Take neighborhoods as an example. Paul A. Jargowsky points out (Poverty and Place: Ghettos, Barrios and the American City) that once 40% of a neighborhood's population earns at or below the poverty line, that community is trapped in poverty and cannot change without major systemic interventions.
Something larger than ministry to individuals alone is now required to renew lives and restore hope.
Or, consider this surprising fact: a child raised in a negative home environment, but in a good neighborhood, has a better chance for a life of health and well-being than does a child raised in a positive home environment, but in a poor neighborhood (Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference).
My good friend, John Greenan, directs our Community Development Corporation at Central Dallas Ministries. John cares a lot about people on a one-by-one basis. But, he spends his days thinking in larger terms. John envisions communities and neighborhoods. He is trying to build a few new ones in some surprising places.
Place matters. Paved streets and trash pickup and code enforcement and crime watch efforts all matter. Focus on individuals is essential. Developing a larger vision that includes whole environments and collective actions, will be even more important to really overcoming poverty in our cities.
"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." (Isaiah 58:12)
Larry,
ReplyDeleteI'm a friend and co-worker of Cope's and he pointed me to your blog. I need to be reminded that not only are people hurting at a level that I have yet to experience, but that I am called to be a cup of cold water. Thanks for the reminder.
Quick question: I was at a wedding this weekend and talking with a fellow ministry consultant and he believes that the upper middle class is moving back into the the downtowns of our cities at an alarming rate, driving prices back up and sending the lower class/poor out of the cities to who knows where. What have you read on this? Do you concur? Any places to point me to find data to confirm/deny this belief?
Again, thanks for helping peel back the sensitivity scales of my soul.
Larry, how true - location, location, location. Places do need to be changed, along with offering the good news of Jesus that changes the place of the heart and soul.
ReplyDeleteA parallel situation can be found in government paid school lunches, which came about partly due to the oft rfepeated mantra, "a child cannot learn on an empty stomach."
I saw this change of place and resultant change in lives in what is called "the hood" in San Diego, CA. Rosie Grier and friends bought a rather large apartment complex and grounds, right in the middle of The Hood. There were police responses to 911 calls, sometimes as often as once or twice an hour. Children were put to sleep in bathtubs in order to give them more safety from stray bullets. Drug pushing and use, prostitution, domestic violence were carte du jour.
Rosie and his group managed to arrange with the banks and some government grants that allowed the same residents to purchase and refurbish the apartments, rather than continue to rent. But there were strict CC&Rs: apartments and grounds had to be cleaned up. Anyone arrested or convicted of drug involvement, prostitution, illegal weapons possession, etc., were immediately disqualified or evicted.
Churches in the city sent work crews after apartments were cleaned up, to help with the grounds, including the building of a recreation center and playground. 12-step programs were offered on site, counseling for kids and adults was made available. along with marriage and pre-marriage counseling.
The complex is now one of the prettiest and safest large apartment complexes in the south of San Diego. The welfare rate dropped from 96% to less than 10% in a matter of a few years. Police presence is now almost completely in response to illness rather than violence.
The only way we in the church can help in these situations is to get into the community. We must become more involved in the way of life of our neighbors, rather than moving farther away from the problems hoping they will settle themselves.
Yours is a wonderful ministry, Larry. You can help us by showing us how it's done - by preparing us to work with the poor, more with our hands and hearts than with our wallets. May our Gracious LORD continue to richly bless and guide your ministry - may it be a model that will be duplicated in all of our cities and towns!!
Very fascinated with Place. I am currently reading Ray Oldenbergs "Great Good Places" which deal more with developing third places in our communities.
ReplyDeleteI am more interested in recreating neighborhoods like I grew up in Long Beach that races co-existed in loving relationships. When one weeped we all weeped when on celebrated we all joined in when on was in need we fulfilled it.
But then around late 60's early 70's "white flight" took place not only in our communities but also in our churches. Moving out to the suburbs and thus forgeting most of our old neighborhoods. Now we are moving back but are we prepared to provide a place (not as interlopers) for our community? Are we participating in the life of the community?