I have been meaning to blog this for a while, but life has been busy. I am coming to terms with working in the cafe and fitting in everything else but it does mean I don't get time for everything.
Lesley and I were chatting about the home ed community and how it seems, in our area, to be on an ebb and were talking about good time and about how to revive it. Strange for me as with Tabi going into college and me working this is no longer my community, which got me thinking about who/what/where my community was now, but that is a different thought.
But what I realised was, from our conversation, from seeing the community network in our street, from Ian reporting back on a talk he'd been to about some of the since demolished areas around us, and from listening to friends in a church talking of community groups is that it actually takes a lot of organizing and at least two key people who want to see this community work.
In our street there are at least 2 women who work really hard to make sure events happen, who invite people round, etc. In the beginnings of our home ed community there were 2 or 3 of us who really did lots of phone calls and made sure things happened. Most have moved on or have got part time jobs, which of course limits the time they can put into something like home ed. With my church friends I hear them often moaning about how they have to do lots of the ground work and then people come on board.
I think if one can see they key people, the networks and stay close them community can grow. Or if we want community then we have to be willing to put in lots of time emailing, phoning, making sure there is something to come to, making people feel welcome and helping them to then own the group, but firstly it is making them feel wanted and welcome.
I know we could say everyone should be doing this but I think as well as being unrealistic it is also not everyone's gifting and I think too that community should be where everyone can play their role and feel safe. So for those who are called to be the community leaders they really do need to understand what their role is and not expect it to be easy. I think too they also probably need a vision or what they want - whether this be home ed, church or whatever
Your timing is impeccable! Only today I had one of those bad community experiences and wondered where it was all going but you have helped me to keep my focus on the way ahead. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said 'those who love their idea of community, even if their intentions are ever so earnest will destroy community, but those who love those around them will create community.' I always check my motives now, and pray more....which is probably no bad thing!
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