Ms. Becky Explains About the Urban Kids’ Center

Urban Kid’s Birmingham, Alabama

Members from both Central United and Brigden Churches participated yesterday and today in the Urban Kid’s after school program in Birmingham, Alabama.

Watch while the church mission group from Ontario, Canada help the kids with reading and other activities and friendships.

greg west
Central United Church

Tuesday ~ from Christine

I’m part of a group from our church that is visiting Urban Ministry in Alabama. We spent yesterday spreading topsoil at the urban garden they have. Deb Welsh, the co-ordinator for the Joe Rush program, explained that having fresh produce available is very important in the inner city. The grocery stores downtown don’t stock fresh fruit and vegetables at affordable prices. Urban Ministry purchased a couple of lots three years ago and has been gradually building up the garden. There is a community plot plus several smaller boxes where individual families can grow their own. If a family doesn’t visit their garden for a few weeks, it is given to somebody else, since there is a long waiting list.
The neighbouring homes to the gardens are given some of the fresh vegetables. Myron, the person in charge of our work in the garden, explained that there were several reasons for that — they can use the vegetables and Urban Ministry’s mission is to help people; Urban Ministry appreciates having them as neighbours and putting up with the extra traffic around the plots; the neighbours, experiencing the benefits of the garden, watch over it.

We had lunch in the lunch room where Urban Ministry serves a hot meal to anyone who wants it. Belle, the cook, made chicken nuggets, biscuits and corn yesterday. There was also cake for dessert. She’ll serve until all the food is gone. Anyone can go for seconds after everyone else has been served firsts. There’s a large trolley with bread available in the room. Anyone can take whatever they want or need from the trolley.

Urban Ministry also has a food pantry. People can receive food from it once every three months if they can show that they received less than $50/month in food stamps. If they need food sooner than that, Urban Ministry can send them to another food pantry in the area.

We spent the afternoon working in the room for the after school program. In the early afternoon, we sorted books and games. When the children arrived, we helped them with school work. They read to us; did math games; went to a science center and social studies center. On the wall are large photographs of each child. They look professionally done. It must be fun for the children to see themselves in such well-done photos!

Today we will scrape a house, in preparation for painting. Deb explained that the insurance companies can drive by a house and deem it uninsurable based on its outside appearance. Painting homes for the low-income elderly and disabled provides a way for them to stay in their own homes. As you can imagine, there is a long waiting list for people who want Urban Ministry’s help.

This morning, Sandra and I had a discussion about comments we have received from people about ‘charity begins at home’. As I mentioned in a previous post, in my experience, it has been important to get people out of their usual environments so that they are open to new learnings. That, of course, can happen in the poorer neighbourhoods in Canada — and it would be beneficial for our congregations if someone would organize and lead groups to go to ministry projects there. The added dimension here is that we are also in another country. We are part of a global church. It is important to broaden our horizons and experience the many places where God is at work outside our own immediate circumstances. We may then gain new eyes to see God’s work in our own context.

We Worked So Hard in The Garden

Helping at the Urban Ministry garden yesterday. This garden is used by people in the neighbourhood. This morning Greg and I made this video.

Ramon Bustillo

Gardening and Reading Day

Day 3 Working With Urban Ministry in Birmingham…

Central United Helping Urban Ministry

Today we helped move and rake a load of compost that was donated by the City of Birmingham for the Urban Ministry vegetable garden. We also helped out in children’s area. `

Today I had the pleasure of spending time with Ronald Bell, a grade 8 student who comes to Urban Ministry once a week. I would like you to meet Ronald from Birmingham:

I am Ronald Bell, 14 years old and loves to read. Football is my whole life i have been playin for 9 years now and i have about 18 trophies and awards. In school i have tons of awards from school and and contest i have entered in contianing school work. I am now getting ready for high school football and etc. and playing AAU football and basketball. I am going to be playing for Team Challenge.

By: Greg West and Ronald Bell