Do They Really Exist?

I try to walk outside as often as I can to take in the beautiful Corvallis scenery. It's absolutely beautiful here; especially when the sun is shining and the flowers are in full bloom. Being away from Corvallis for 11 years has taught me to appreciate with even greater fervor this creation of God that he has given us to take care of. I've always loved the outdoors, but was more partial to the ocean which is one reason I would like to retire in a coastal community. Having lived in a congested, polluted metropolis with skyscrapers I have come to love the green, clean, pristine Corvallis.

People work very hard to keep the city pristine and clean. I am no longer talking about it's nature but the people that live here in Corvallis. The work that I do with the Church has led me to see how the city and it's members take care of "the least of these". On the surface and on paper one will be very impressed with the services available in the city. Medical services are provided to the low-income, the homeless have a temporary shelter they can turn to that also houses a rehab center, meal services, etc. Sounds good, right? Sure, as long as you meet its stringent criteria that's meant to serve only those who are capable of pulling themselves out of their situations anyway. I've been told that their doors are open for all those who need, but they, of course, don't mention the fine print that states all those who are not allowed their services.

We have a growing homeless population in Corvallis. When I was in high school 20 years ago (when did that happen?!), the homeless men lived under the bridge. I've been told that at one point the city decided they didn't want any homeless men in Corvallis so they raided under the bridge continuously until they all packed up and left. They didn't quite leave town, but simply scattered to other open areas and parks. Now we have individuals and families who live in cars, areas that haven't been built on yet, under park bushes -- anywhere the cops can't find them. A number of the men and women who are homeless are dealing with serious mental illnesses and/or are veterans. There is no service that will address the mental illnesses of these people that leads them out to the streets. Contrary to what most people believe, these people do not choose to be homeless. It saddens me to hear priviledged, educated adults talk about how these people have a choice and they choose to be homeless. Possibly because of my exposure to mental illnesses, I understand how so many aspects of their lives are beyond their control. Possibly because of the way my life has fallen into place, I understand that even those without illnesses still fall under circumstances that prevent them from meeting their basic needs.

Let me tell you about Laura. She is Mexican, but is legal and has her papers. She, however, has diabetes and anemia. Her diabetes has taken away the sight of one eye and has placed her in the hospital so many times -- sometimes near death. She suffers from the complications of diabetes and is no longer able to work. Her sole financial support comes from her son, who is in the US illegally. Through the work that he has been able to do, he has been able to provide her with her basic needs and the medical attention that she has needed. He was recently picked up by the police and was sent to Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) to be deported. With the efforts of Catholic Charities, they've been able to delay the deportation process and are in the process of facilitating his freedom and possibly get him a charity visa of some sorts. As a mother it must be heart-wrenching to think of your son being detained, almost certainly not being treated well, and could possibly be deported to Mexico. Our Los Embajadores group had the opportunity to visit a shelter in Tijuana that houses those who have been deported to Mexico. They are dropped off with nothing but the clothes that they are wearing. I can't begin to imagine what Laura must be feeling and going through right now. What will happen to her if her son is sent away? This is a situation that is beyond her control and is life-threatening for her. What services does our city have to offer her? None that will be able to give her a hope of surviving through her illness. How do I know? Because we see people on a regular basis who need this kind of financial assistance. It's the churches and other non-profit organizations who are catching all those that can't be served by our system.

On a different level... Our schools are supposed to provide free and accessible public education. Something which a good number of our children are not receiving -- including Vincent. Your ideal Corvallis child would be busy with soccer and involved with 50 other activities. My Vincent struggles with the sensory issues that come with a crowded classroom, is very literal (he has an excellent vocabulary, but almost always applies the very literal meaning of these words), has problems with social skills -- everything that comes with Aspergers. Coping with these issues can be taught and managed, but it would require a smaller group setting and a teacher who can communicate well with students like Vincent. By law the schools are required to provide this setting and the capable personnel to provide this education. What happens when your principal is a former military man who believes that each student conform to his demands? You have an overwhelmed student who goes beyond his tolerable anxiety level and is no longer aware of his actions. What happens when the school district would rather not have these kinds of students in their system? Then you find yourself as a parent being made to believe that they are on your side, but realize as summer fast approaches that the school district still has not replied to your pleas for a better setting. I've been told too many times that they've never had to deal with a student like Vincent. NOT TRUE!!! I've learned that Vincent is one of plenty of children who are out of the school system and being taught by tutors an hour a day because they do not fit the mold of your ideal Corvallis student.

Fast forward this to high school. The drop out population of our high schools consist of students who are not able to conform to the college-track system that has been set in place. Some even feel that attending the local community college means that they are not smart enough to attend a university. Rather than face this shame, some drop out and obtain their GEDs in order to get into vocational courses at the community college. This does not make them any less smarter than your average university student. In fact, I've spoken to a few who are very smart. It just means that they have different talents that have been given to them. Some simply don't go back to school. What happens to them? A few of them become the ones who turn to the system to provide for their basic needs. Could something have been done to prevent these students from dropping out? Most certainly. Are these precautions being taken? From what I've learned -- no. Who is tasked to take care of students who struggle with conforming to the Corvallis mold? The non-profit organizations, counselors (if their parents can afford), or just brave souls who reach out to at-risk students.

The language of your typical Corvallis resident shows that the city has done a good job at pushing the least of these aside. They're the people who "live in the south side of town". They're the illegal immigrants who are generally referred to as "Hispanic" -- not all Hispanics are illegal and not all illegals are Hispanic. They're the children we don't want our children to play with. They the children you no longer see in schools because their parents can't control them. They're the ones whose parents choose to spend their money on alcohol and cigarettes. I wish I could tell you that I'm making this up, but these are statements I've heard from people around me.

Do they really exist? It depends on who you ask. I say yes. What do you think?

On Retiring And Other Random Thoughts

It's taken me a while to write because blogging seems like this futile exercise to which I send all my thoughts out into space to which no one really reads and no one probably cares. I've decided that I don't particularly need an audience. I just need an outlet for all these random thoughts...

I spend a good deal of my time at work meeting with people. These people are passionate, energetic, full of laughter, honest, and lovely to work with. Also, we have at least a 25-year age gap. Since most of the people I deal with are volunteers, it just goes (in this town anyway) that most of them are retired. Retired ladies. I have learned quite a bit from all of them.

There's Betty who is 86 years old and can take on any 30-year-old! She is someone you would want to advocate for you about anything; especially if it happens to be about health care. She is part of all sorts of committees and boards that are working towards affordable health care for all in Oregon. Here's an example of what she's like. She drove up to Portland (about 2 hours away) at 6:00 in the morning for a health care forum that lasted the whole day. She then went straight to a dinner function that we were attending at 7:00 in the evening. She drove herself both ways. Eighty six years old! She will argue with me about making 800 photocopies of a flyer for a film that one of her committees/organization is showing. She will also invite us young ones to her house for dessert and dominos and think that we're ending early when I say it's time to go at 10:00pm. She also, though, tells her husband every night how blessed she is to have him in her life and they share with each other the blessings they experienced that day. Oh, I love watching her with her husband. They still hold hands throughout Mass.

Then there's Ellen. She is quite the communicator. When we get on the phone, we end up talking about our meetings for almost an hour. She is quite apologetic always, but just wants to make sure she understands everything correctly. Part of these conversations, though, are about Vincent. She always makes it a point to ask about Vincent. She is a breast cancer survivor.

Angela will speak her mind and is quite the law-abider. She will then laughingly say, "Well, but that's me -- the cup is always half empty!". She babysits for her grandchildren on a regular basis.

Maxine was the first Social Justice Coordinator at St. Mary's (the position that I now fill). She is part of a group that goes on bike rides every Saturday -- at least 30 miles. She and her husband also take long-distance bike trips with friends annually. She has tried to talk me into joining her bike-riding group, but I do not quite have the freedom to be gone that long every Saturday. She is so passionate -- to the point of being very emotional as well.

One common sentiment from my retired lady friends is this: When you are retired, people are more forgiving of your honesty. Actually, the way it's been put is this, "When you're as old as I am, you can say anything you want and people forgive you!" They will say this with a laugh that makes it sound like they're getting away with something and just absolutely love it. They all have different organizations that they volunteer for and this keeps them very busy! They all also work out at the gym everyday. To which they've also made sure to talk me into giving in and signing up with the gym. They always check on my well-being and make sure that I'm not working above my 30-hour work week.

These ladies have taught me that age does not matter when you love what you are doing. In fact, this is the perfect time to be able to do the things you love. They work harder than a lot of younger people I know and have more energy than this late-thirties person. Then they retreat off to the coast on the weekends and travel extensively. They've also taught me quite a bit about being compassionate and passionate. I love seeing the fire in their eyes when thye're talking about issues that they feel strongly about. Then there are the times when tears are close by because of the hardship of others. It's quite a treat to get to work with them. It's quite amusing especially because I actually graduated from high school with the children of a couple of them. One thing is for sure -- two hour meetings are still not quite long enough with these ladies. I want to be like them when I grow up!

I actually have one last random thought. In the Bible it is said that each person should be given a plot of land that cannot be bought or sold. Think about how this world would be so different if this were the case. We had talked about this in a workshop that I had attended, but it didn't really fully hit me until one early morning. First of all, I wouldn't have a job. We would all more or less be equal and should have what we need to survive. It would also be interesting to see who survives and who doesn't. How would each one of us make use of this land that has been given? Would there be enough land to go around? Just a thought...

That's it for now! The coming month will find me busy preparing for my upcoming trip to Peru. I can't wait to see Todd!!! Before that, though, I have to plan my activities for the upcoming year (August to June), get all the things I need, get Vincent prepared for my being away, pray that my mom comes home soon, and get fit enough to make it though the 4-day hike to Machu Picchu! I can't wait to see Todd!!! Have I mentioned that? Until next time...