Doxology

People who know me also know my affinity for coffee. Mmm, coffee. Starbucks, Tims, and the amazing mapley Highlander Grogg from Stone's Throw Coffee House. They have it brewed every day as a regular. Anyway, I also love mugs. Big coffee mugs. Becca gave me a really cute one with this cartoon on it:

That was hysterical and I love it a lot. Another one was by my newest employee (until yesterday, but I digress) Jennifer. She is our Financial Clerk, and is the one who processed the thousands of gifts that have been given to the Mission over Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I am daily amazed and awed by the way our friends and partners have responded to our merger, and particularly during this Christmas season. I haven't quite known what to make of it, really. It's been unfathomable how this city and beyond have pulled together and made us debt free, allowed us to offer a simple benefit plan to our staff, and to raise our bottom line so that minimum wage is no longer the norm.

Jenn's gift put it all together for me. It's a mug by a company called Common Grounds, and their slogan is "The perfect blend of God and coffee." Well, during my regular morning devotional reading, I definitely agree with it's sentiment. Not just that one, but today, as I reflect on God's unspeakable gifts, the doxology rings true:

PRAISE GOD from whom all blessings flow

Deuteronomy 8:10 says that when we have eaten and are full, we will bless the Lord our God for the good He has given us.

Human Resource Management

We have a brand new department at the Mission. Well, I suppose it's not new, but let's put it this way: I don't have to do it anymore! Melanie has done a lot of different jobs over the past five years or so...

Live-In Women's Home Caretaker
Rescue College Intern
Cook
Women's Resident Manager
LifeChange Program Manager

and now, after a brief hiatus... oh, doing what, you ask? Let's see here... getting married, going to Costa Rica, building a church in Bolivia, cutting coffee out of her diet... WHAT??

What a year to cut coffee out! The best coffees come from Costa Rica and Bolivia, as far as I'm concerned! In fact, this picture was drawn in her honour! Well, those were the olden days. Melanie has been brought back to life as our first HR Manager!

Our Human Resource department, however, is definately not your "normal" HR. Being a group of missionaries means we have a different focus, no matter what we do! Sure, we have strategic plans, goals, and dreams, like everyone else. But to reach our goals, we follow a very different path.

We meet daily for prayer and a short devotional thought from the Bible. We meet weekly for a staff Bible study. Many of us worship together on Sundays. We have "themes" to focus on. Right now, our theme is JOY, and so, we celebrate JOY with "Joy Sticker Days," and JOY Christmas ornaments, and JOY any way we can get it!

Half of our staff have overcome a life-controlling problem. Where once they may have been homeless, or digging through the garbage for a bite to eat, today they are fully functioning members of our team.

Another large portion of our staff have never had a "real" career job before. Committed to hiring young people, it means they have learned their skills "on the job."

All of us feel somewhat displaced, being a missionary in our own country. People don't understand the committment and dedication it takes, and that pull to live for the flesh. To do what the rest of our neighbours are doing and forget about that deep committment to live wholly for Jesus.

Melanie's role is to see to it that all of us misfit missionaries are cared for. Meaning, that we continue to work on our personal lives, that we continue to meet together for fellowship, that we continue to work on being not just a team, but a family. That we focus on supporting one another and being the best person we can be, not only when we are at the Mission, but during our off-times as well.

Working at the Mission means a whole new attitude. And one that isn't commen in North America. It means opening up to each other, being trustworthy, embracing change and not being cliquish or isolationist.

And such is the task of the Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission Human Resource Manager. Forget payroll, benefits and the like. Enter attitude, teamwork, a love for God and each other.

Addendum

I went out for more coffee. There was Larrie and Drew. They commented how early it was for me to be working.

"Where's the homo milk I just used?"

"Oh, it was sour. We threw it out."

"Hm. I can't believe I didn't notice. But I do have this sour aftertaste in my mouth. I thought it was because I hadn't brushed my teeth yet!"

"Yeah. I'll go look for more," Drew offered, as he ran to downstairs to the cooler.

"Sure you don't want a bagel? I know how to do bagels," offered Larrie.

Drew returned empty handed. "You'll have to use Lactaid."

"Lactaid. Ew. Is it any good in coffee?"

"Better than the cup of sour coffee you just had."

"So, what do you have to do this morning, Michelle?" Larry asked

"I have to finish the moving list and clean up from the Pizza Party Grant and I had!" I began to perk up and brag, "I skunked him in crib..."

Suddenly in walks Grant. Ah! Caught in the act!! I buried my head in my hands and we were all laughing, but he had one story to top that! He got stuck in the elevator this morning while doing the overnight shift!

"What did you do?!" I asked?

"I called the resident line and Drew freed me."

Just another morning at Larrie and Drew's Bagel Shop!

Moving Day

I hope you take time to read this through to the end. It's really exciting!

Good Morning! Last night the snow was out of this world so Grant and I had our own pizza party and I worked pretty late. I decided to sleep upstairs with our one remaining woman and her two kids in the Womens Wing.

Today, there is no more Womens Wing! We graduated three women!!

Carol moved home to Saskatoon with her toddler and baby. She is the one who had her baby during the last fund raising banquet. If you recall my blog in May, she had the baby up in the dorms! Therrin was not waiting for anybody! And you had Grant, our Nightwatchman, pacing the halls very nervously! I will miss her little girl very much. Several times a day she would bolt from Mommy and run to knock on the office. Just a little hug and visit, she was "helping" Vicki and I!

Lois, who is moving back to her house in the city and looking for a job. She is in the medical field but would like something else. During the last two weeks of her program she and Debbie became my Office Helpers. Lois is very detail oriented and an incrdibly speedy typist. Thanks to both of them, Vicki and I caught up on four months of filing and four years of donor return mail! Lois is our new Tuesday night Women and Family Home volunteer supervisor!

Debbie begins her new job as Womens Family Home Intern. She has felt the Lord calling her to give back to the Mission and those struggling as she did, by spending two years taking RESCUE college. The first three months she is adjusting to her new role and looking after some personal practical issues like selling her house in North Battleford, and finding software that will help her with her disability. She has hairdresser and accident injuries so can't type. If you have a spare copy of VoiceDragon or a similar program (of good quality/calibur for writing essays) or would like to donate one, please call Debbie at 306-543-0011.

And so, at 6:00 a.m. I ambled down without my hairbrushed, etc. My supplies are in the office. I went looking for cream and Larrie and Drew were up, manning the door for us so no one has to come in at this crazy hour. They looked surprised and said, "Michelle! You're up early!!"

"It's moving day, you know!" I replied.
Larrie offered to make me a toasted bagel but I told him I couldn't eat this early. They told me about the strong fresh coffee. Mmmm. We pondered the origin of coffee--South America, or Africa? We decided both.

So, this morning I have already finished tweaking the moving list. 6 women arrive today and one before 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning! We have toddlers, young kids, moms and single women all making history by being the first to move into our newly renovated Womens Family Centre! It's very exciting to think I can be a part of this time in the life of the Mission.

Grant and I were musing about being here since the beginning and now hardly recognizing the place! New name, new buildings, new staff, new volunteers. The old and familiar is still here, but what a priveledge to have seen this Mission grow from one man on a program which consisted of helping Ken fix up the crack shack, to up to 62 men, women, and children being offered a long term solution for their life controlling problems! Wow!