There’s nothing about this process that promotes dignity or compassion. After making it through the metal detectors, pat down, background check, and a second round of metal detectors and pat downs, we are ready to visit.

We walk a mother through the process to see her son. This hassle grants the opportunity for her to spend 15 minutes shouting through a scratched-glass wall, leaning over the counter to get her ear level with the speaking hole to hear, and attempting to block out everyone else’s shouting as they talk to their own loved ones directly beside her. Despite the struggle, mother and son catch up the best they can, and laughter and jokes are shared between the two family members. It strikes me—these cages and safeguards are for this young man, beaming with a warm smile and discussing the latest book he has read. He is much more lost than he is dangerous.

He speaks to us about some of the conditions while he is locked up. There is a prevalence of inmate-on-inmate violence, unsanitary conditions, and poor food quality, among other issues. Gang members spend more time educating and recruiting inmates than they do repenting from their practices. In 2008, Cook County Jail was condemned for its poor treatment of inmates reaching unconstitutional levels (Full Report here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/us/18cook.html). While the jail has no doubt improved since then, it is not a model for humane treatment.

It is a nightmare that no parent would want their child to endure.
This is not an inspiring type of place, full of mentoring, role models, or life-changing programs for our inmates. It is a place that strips a person of their dignity.
How many people have you heard of were arrested once, served for several years, and then had a great, criminal-free life afterwards? While there are no doubt some exceptions, most re-emerging to society are angry, without opportunities, and seek solace among those who have faced similar conditions.

Other parts of our penal system create the same issues. Court cases are granted numerous continuances that drag cases on for months, straining the wills of both sides. The object of the prosecutor is to prove the defendant is beyond hope to change. Trials expose the worst as traumatized victims are torn to shreds by the defense. Meanwhile, ex-felons hustle on the streets because they are prevented from getting a real job, despite having “paid their debt to society.”

How did we decide as a nation that this was the best solution to the problem of crime? While the system is not necessarily unjust, it is certainly not helpful in rehabilitating young men. While there absolutely needs to be a justice system, the current one seeks punishment more than justice. Is our goal punishment or correction? While we cannot ignore the dangers of criminals, we also cannot correct without compassion and forgiveness.

Right now, inmates are not the only ones imprisoned. We are imprisoned by our inability to find restorative justice methods aimed at reconnecting “lost ones” back into society. Jesus calls us to take an active part in caring for our lost members, and these members need hope that they can belong.

–Megan Sherrier, BSL
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Unfortunately, it is not the first or even the hundredth time that I have looked into the eyes of a child and seen the rage of a bitter old man. In yet another case of a child drowning in the system of poverty, violent neighborhoods, a drug-abusing parent, and failing schools, this young friend has learned defiance at any early age. Refusing to listen to authority or participate in school, he chooses instead to project an image of an independent soul who needs no one. He is protecting himself from the vulnerability of trusting adults who do not fulfill his needs.

However, he is not lost. There is a small glimmer of hope in his actions; He cries out for attention from Brother Jim. Despite his defiance to adults, he still wants to be loved by them. Last Wednesday, when Brother Jim offered him a chapter book, his demeanor changed completely. The childish voice returned: “You gonna bring me a book next week?! I like adventure.” Cautiously optimistic, this boy is testing whether or not Brother Jim can be trusted.

We can see the trajectory of this child, and it does not look good. And yet his parents, teachers, and mentors feel lost at finding a solution that changes his path. Can you really be too far gone at age 10?

When have we decided that it is too late to act? States give up in 3rd grade; they track literacy test scores of this age group to plan prison populations. The practice is accurate enough to be useful. Leading psychologists give up as early as age 3, when they believe that certain behavioral development of the brain is set in stone.
It has been my experience that those who do not do anything to change the trajectory of “problem” children feel helpless. Teachers and community workers are engaged in conversations and feel frustrated with the lack of options. They are overwhelmed and paralyzed. The ability to lose a child to the streets is the result of losing hope in these moments. The prevalence of inaction happens because are a great many ways to legitimate it with fatalistic excuses.

When does BSL think it is too late to act? Never. On this same Wednesday walk, we stopped by one of our dear friends to catch up. A 50-year-old woman who admits her past includes prostituting, drugs, and squatting to survive, has turned her life around. In recent years, she has worked with the support of BSL to improve her health, take care of her home, and become a better community member. She now contributes her extra medical supplies to our neighbors at Port Ministries, is always helping a neighbor find a meal, mentoring the teenager upstairs, or offering part of her own link card to help our other friends in need. A “lost cause” is now a shining light of hope for her community.

Our immediate instinct for action in ministry is to “do.” If there is not an immediate 3-step plan, we think the cause is lost. More often than not, though, people need us to “be.” Missions and ministries fail when they focus too much on doing. Creating plans for others to change their lives does not show love; it shows control and conditionality. Be. Be present, be ready to help, and be there when people make mistakes. Love unconditionally, and create the space people need to change themselves when they are ready. Change cannot be a pre-requisite for love. Love has to come first.

The story of most evil in the world has started with a child who was ignored when he or she cried out for love. Do we learn this lesson, or allow history to repeat itself with the youngest generation of the poor? On this Valentine’s day, will you give your love to those who are perceived as lost? Despite your fears or hopelessness, it is the only tool you need to act.

–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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This sounds like the perfect suburban neighborhood or small town, right?

Wrong.

Actually, this is a description of the Cabrini-Green projects in the 60s or 70s as told to us by one of its long-time residents last week.

Even today, walking the row houses of Cabrini-Green, you will find evidence of this. Guys are on their front porches, relaxing and talking about the Bulls and other every day events. Everyone says hello to one another, and if you are looking for someone, a first name or even nickname is enough to find them. In the warmer months, you will see residents help one another fix their cars, get their hair cut, or have a barbecue. Without calling ahead, you can knock on anyone’s door and be welcomed into their home. Some families still do not lock their doors. You cannot find better hospitality.

Shocked by the ideal description? Don’t be. Suburban neighborhoods are becoming increasingly known for their isolation. It has become a trend that the more money you possess, the higher that your gate rises in front of your home and the less you are able to recall your neighbor’s names, much less their occupations, interests, and hobbies. If you ever had an emergency, how many of you would feel comfortable approaching your neighbor?

Meanwhile, poverty creates community because people are forced to realize both that they need and belong to one another, and that it is easier to survive in community than alone. The destruction of the high-rise buildings in Cabrini-Green has caused widespread grief among the poor that is unspoken in political and social circles. Did Cabrini-Green have its crime and problems? Absolutely. But it also had a sense of community that would rival the most prestigious country club. In the words of our friends, “They don’t realize, it was home to me.” The sentimental value of “home” is ignored as residents continue to get displaced and forced out of their living arrangements.

For example, an older woman who is a friend of BSL and who we have mentioned in our previous blogs on housing continues to remain in a home with toxic mold, despite the Chicago Housing Authority being given the specific problem, address, and telephone number to look into the problem. For months, she has battled with various agencies and most recently, was forced into making a rushed decision to move, being told that her Section 8 voucher would expire on February 1st. Phone calls were left unreturned, workers deflected her to other workers, apartment searches were promised that never materialized, and other mismanagement forced her out of her community and into less desirable housing, especially for her grandsons who will be vulnerable at the new location.

This woman represents countless stories of displaced residents of Cabrini-Green. Without concern for the emotional impact of being displaced, agencies are dispersing poor residents throughout the city, making these communities a dream of the past. While the poverty and crime persists, the sense of community is being lost. The poverty is now spread throughout the city, straining the ability for diminishing services to reach those who need it.

Tearing down the housing projects to create mixed-income housing and reduce crime and other problems in the area is not an evil pursuit. In fact, the end goal is necessary. However, the people displaced by this decision are neglected. These once-tight communities have been separated, sometimes in traumatic ways. Chicago Housing Authority places pressure on uneducated individuals to move quickly and to move into areas where they are not part of the community environment. Pressure and fear push them into isolating living conditions. They lose the ability to rely on friendly neighbors and need to rebuild relationships over again. This community building is not happening as it once did in the past. Something of value is being lost.

Chicago lies at a crossroads. We all have something to learn from the poor when it comes to community. Can we become vibrant communities once again and understand that we belong to one another? Or is community something Americans want to forget? Mixed income neighborhoods provide an opportunity to enhance community living that has not been actualized. Instead, communities have been eliminated and replaced with an increasing sense of isolation.

We dream of the old-fashioned communities mentioned above, but act to create isolation. During this time of change, will we embrace our neighbor or shut the door?

–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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What struck Br. Jim and me was the uniqueness of this funeral. The first thing we witnessed was a “friend” of the victim being chased out of the church. In this case the victim and the shooter were in the same gang, so there were conflicting loyalties. The person who came was a friend of both the shooter and the victim, so while he came to pay his respects, some thought he had other motivations. Anger, hurt, and fear ebbed and flowed through the crowd.

The atmosphere in the church shifted drastically to a hushed piety. The victim had been hospitalized for six months and while he was able to communicate he had lost the use of most of his body, breathing by machine until he passed. The relative who led the service desired to express the victim’s conversion from a gang banger to a man who accepted Christ into his life and forgave the one who shot him. The funeral continued along this theme of hope.

The problem with this is that the victim went through a number of emotions concerning the person who shot him. While he did try to forgive, he would also stew in anger. He named the shooter, but would not tell the police. He asked for prayers and scripture readings and had a positive disposition, but he also expressed his frustration that he could do absolutely nothing for himself. He grappled with his current experience, but he also wanted his old life back.

The complexity of the victim’s emotions is a human reality. While we strive for one desire, other intentions creep in. While we know and may seek the moral high ground, our actions do not always match this will. The relationship between the friend of the victim mentioned earlier to both him and his shooter represents this complex tension. Within one person there are conflicting emotions.

Brothers and Sisters of Love enters into situations of extreme pain. In this case, healing will not take place for awhile. The family wants to believe that the victim was saved and is enjoying paradise, but this comfort does not erase the wounds. There seems to be no justice for the crime, for the guilty continue to prosper. From the family’s perspective, the death is void of meaning for the community. Therefore, their perception of heaven is in conflict with their reality in this world. Part of the problem among gangs is that the pain from these murders is carried for a long time and affects the community in negative ways.

God sees these conflicts and still loves all of us; our virtues and the parts we wish to hide. In times of tragedy, in order to find hope, we often put our best foot forward before God and suppress our true emotions. We fear displeasing an all-powerful God, and as a result, we limit God’s love for us, the very tool that has the power to transform our situation. Presenting our true hurts and desires before God liberates our concept of God from a God who needs to be pleased to a God who understands our situation, healing us and bringing hope for the future.

–Megan Sherrier and Br. Jim Fogarty, BSL

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–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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Readings:1Samuel 3:3b-10; John 1:35-42

The first reading and the Gospel reading this week speak to us on call and on prayer.  As a baptized Christian, I believe that God loves us all equally and uniquely.  It does beg the question, is God more pleased with some of us, like Samuel or Peter in how we respond to the call? Or does God love so much that we are just loved unconditionally? 

The Bible says that both Samuel and Peter received numerous theophanies or direct messages from God.  Peter’s are documented from the passages of the Transfiguration and of the Resurrection, and even a few times after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven; from these he determined the direction of the early Church.

Samuel seemed to experience direct messages throughout his life telling him to be a conduit of God’s messages for the transition from the period of the Judges to the first Israelite Kings.  In reflecting on Samuel’s interactions with Saul and David, it just seems natural to Samuel that he would get these messages and directions.  Why is that? And why does it not happen to all of us?

I have often reflected on this passage of Samuel’s calling.  The conclusion that I have come to is that this was the Prayer of Samuel: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”  The proof that Samuel was able to listen was that the Lord did not always say what Samuel wanted to hear.

Brothers and Sisters of Love was founded by Bill Tomes who experienced numerous theophanies or direct messages.  The messages of Love, Trust in God, Forgive Everyone, and Be Not Afraid are the basis on how we have worked with gang members and others through the years.   Even though I have never experienced a theophany myself, I have come to believe and experience the power of the messages that Brother Bill received.

If we believe we are called by God to being doing what we do or how we live, we must be tuned into God speaking to us in ways we can understand.  I pray the Prayer of Samuel often and seek to find the answers.  The danger is that I confuse God’s will with my own.  This is brought home to me when Jesus says that the Prostitutes, the Tax Collectors, and the Gang Bangers will enter the “Kingdom of God” before the Pharisees and Practicing Christians (Mt. 21:31).

Over the thirty years, I have experienced the grace of God “breaking into” situations that I face on the streets working among the poor.  Often it coincides with what I am praying about or struggling with.  Over and over again, I see that God shows no partiality to even gang bangers, drug dealers, and prostitutes who often show more generosity than I am willing show myself (see Peter in Acts 10:34).  That is not to say that the sins of gang bangers, drug dealers, and prostitutes are not devastating, because they are.  Still I have experienced the presence, grace, and Kingdom of God breaking into my life and the lives of the people I am with. 

Over the years people try to pin me down on the effects of Brothers and Sisters of Love on gang members.  There are still gangs, murders, drug abuse, and friends I have known for decades who go back to jail and prison.  If we are so effective, why haven’t these things stopped? I say often, come and see, like Jesus said to Andrew, John, and Peter.  They usually find something that they did not expect to see. 

Jesus tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things be given you besides (Mt. 6:33). It seems to me that we do this by listening to how God is speaking to us and finding where the Spirit of God is working, and following the direction of Jesus to Andrew, John, and Peter to go and see.

 –Brother Jim Fogarty, BSL

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Walking through the streets of Chicago and visiting our friends in their homes, I cannot help but notice that the poor neighborhoods of Chicago and poor neighborhoods of Northwest India are more similar than most of us would care to admit. Entering homes invokes some of the same smells, and the floors and walls are often below layers of dirt.  Families of double-digits squeeze into tiny apartments, with foam pads, blankets and other makeshift beds sprawled across the floors. Guys are near garbage cans searching for leftovers and plenty of our neighbors are working the streets for a dollar or two.  I have not known a single woman who has made the walk past 55^th andAshland without at least one inappropriate sexual comment from the group of guys hanging around. Despite garbage services in America, litter out-numbers the grass in front lawns.

There is one major difference: While there is no standard code or housing welfare in India, the housing conditions in the United States have a legal code aimed to prevent people from living in substandard conditions. Despite this, the homes we visit typically fall below that code in some way. Throughout Chicago, our friends crowd together in homes with cracked windows and warped floors that landlords will not fix.  Within these walls are toxic mold and other harmful agents that children and adults alike must breathe in as they sleep.  They awake to rashes, breathing problems, and other medical ailments, but have nowhere to escape. No matter how many grievances are placed, these issues are often neglected.

Most of us would last five minutes in a place like this. We would put up complaints, evacuate from the toxins, and file class-action lawsuits against the injustice.  But these friends of BSL have nowhere to go.  In fact, they consider themselves lucky that they have a place at all, and with the help of BSL often have to fight CHA (Chicago Housing Authority) in order to remain in public housing, where they can scrape the money together to have a roof over their heads.

As often as we complain that kids have poor attendance and records in school, or that the poor should seek jobs and fight for themselves, we must realize the discomfort it takes to live like this. How hard must it be to even get a night’s rest, knowing your family is being medically harmed, and fighting among the 12 other household members for the one bathroom to get ready in the morning? I cannot imagine an 8-year-old having the concentration to make it through their homework among the constant distractions of a crowded living space, or being well enough to get to school when they are constantly fighting illnesses caused by their living conditions. How depressing must it be to look at your window and see boarded up lots and broken glass bottles in every direction? This image is all you can provide for your family.  Now, imagine gathering the confidence to go out into an entirely different world to find a job. How would you fare?

I cannot help but reflect: Where is the social sin that has allowed this to happen in America? Where is the root of the neglect? Where did we lose the idea that we belong to a community that extends beyond our family and friends? The answers led me back to fear. The majority of our nation has learned to fear words like “projects” and “poor neighborhoods.”  We choose safety over our Christian commitment to love, and abandon the poor community. We do not buy homes in the area, or frequent the stores, or invest financially in any way. Our fear further isolates these areas, so businesses and builders alike all flee, diminishing any chance of improvement.  There is a cycle: Neighborhoods lose income and vitality, the desperation of poverty leads to violence, and violence creates unsafe neighborhoods that cause further isolation from sources of income and vitality. 

Only the courage to choose love over fear can break this cycle.  Brothers and Sisters of Love believes that love casts out fear. How can we love these communities back to health? Will you join us in loving our neighbor? No one should have to live like this. And no one will, if we would only make the commitment to cast out fear in the name of Christian love. Will you?

–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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I enter the gym to a crowd of new members trying out equipment in their rarely-used running shoes. The locker room is filled with the chatter of women on their first workout-high. “How wonderful this feels!” They exclaim before the muscle soreness sets in.  Yes, it’s that time of year again.  Resolution time.

As I listen to the typical resolutions (lose weight, eat better, get organized, save more money etc.) I can’t help but notice how focused they are on the self.  While no doubt these are healthy behaviors that we strive to achieve in 2012, the underlying theme is “me.”  I am going to ___.

I would like to challenge you to a new way of viewing resolutions.  What is the purpose of thousands of improved individuals if that improvement does not go beyond ourselves?  I propose that we take the time to embark on community resolutions, and with the same fervor as our first run or bank deposit, train ourselves to become a healthier, stronger community.

Where to start? 2012 offers important moments in political elections, economic hopes, and social endeavors. We saw last year that when small groups take the time to dream and communicate, great things can happen.  We need to look no further than Time’s Person of the Year: The Protester.  Grass-roots leaders from Egypt to Tunisia to China to the US renewed their commitment to bettering their nations.

Visions of the future are powerful.  Instead of dictating my own ideas for community resolutions, I want us to use this forum to generate them together.  Need help? Perhaps we can start with the charism of Brothers and Sisters of Love:

*How can we love God and one another better as a community this year?  When we cannot love, what does that tell us?

*What fears must we overcome to make the political, economic, and civic decisions that will improve the most lives? 

*What groups or people do we need to forgive in order to work together for peace? Who do we oppress with our lack of forgiveness? What progress do we stall by remaining angry at others?  What do our fears tell us?

*How much do we trust God?  Do we trust God enough to dream big for our communities?

What do we dare accomplish for the poor in 2012? We want to hear from you! Please leave your suggestions and resolutions in the comments section, and may we all resolve to commit our resources, energy, and love to a better community in the upcoming year.

Happy New Year from Brothers and Sisters of Love.

–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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The anticipation is finally over. That box below the tree that you shook for weeks has been revealed. Your living room has been destroyed with torn wrapping paper and the men in your life, young and old, have all disappeared to play with their new toys. The Christmas menu you so carefully prepared was devoured in 10 minutes, resulting in a pile of dishes and a bunch of over-stuffed stomachs. Sometimes, the end of the holiday can provide its own gift: a moment to rest.

  
For Brothers and Sisters of Love it has also been a chance to take a breath after coordinating Christmas presents for many of our needy families. Meeting requests and tracking shirt sizes, ages, and names of children throughout Chicago neared the point of frenzy as Christmas approached. We also were able to pay heating and electric bills so that families remained warm for the holidays, but not without persistence and more than a few phone calls.

  
By the time I sat in the pew on Christmas Eve, I was exhausted. All my preparations for Christmas giving had left my spirit quite unprepared to celebrate with God. For those who understand my exhaustion, I have some news that may shock you: Your work is not over. In fact, Christmas has just begun. The good news? This type of work can be much more life-giving than we make Christmas out to be.

  
We spend Advent waiting in hope for the coming of Christ into our world. Our hopes came true: Christ came to us on Christmas, and yet we all stop the celebrations and go back to our ordinary lives. Why is this? Did you miss the gift hiding among the others? God gave to us the gift of incarnation through Christ and we are leaving the gift in the box, despite the transformation it is meant to have for our lives.

  
I can only imagine the angels in heaven shouting down to shake some of us out of our holiday haze: Rejoice! Emmanuel! God with us! We sing the songs but do not celebrate the full extent of their meaning. The incarnation is God’s ultimate gift to us of love. How we allow the Body of Christ to shine in this world is how we bring the gift of love to others. The gift of the incarnation is a community gift. It takes every one of us to use the gift well. God’s presence in this world is as big or small as we allow it to be.

  
We pleaded in hope for God to be with us, and here is God, wrapped in swaddling clothes and ready to journey with us through every aspect of the human condition, our joys and our sorrows. God remains in each of us through the Spirit, so that we may reveal God to one another in love on this Earth. Therefore, every time you love your neighbor, you celebrate Christmas. Every time you see hardship and you choose hope, you celebrate Christmas. Every time you smile in joy at the beauty of life, you continue to celebrate Christmas. Christmas never ends unless you stop loving.

  
What can you do to keep Christmas alive? Now the holiday angel trees are over, will you still maintain a generous heart when the poor need help come January and February? Will you still call family members and support them, without having a holiday obligation to do so? Will you keep the joyful smile on your face as you head back to work, knowing that we have a God so loving that God remains with us, surrounding us in love if we but choose to accept it? Will you be Christ present on earth for others?

  
May we all summon the energy to keep Christmas alive, so that no day is without hope, and no one is without love.

–Megan Sherrier, BSL
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The way the woman calmly walked to the microphone, you could tell she had done this before.  Looking into the sea of young mourners, the principal from Banner West High gave this message: “If you want to honor this young man’s life, go to school. Stay in school or find a school.” 

An eighteen year old who attended her school had been shot, and his funeral was a stage to send several messages to his struggling peers, one of which was the importance of education.

Why is getting a quality education an exception and not a rule in poor communities?

 As a former Teach for America corps member, I have witnessed my fair share of public education failing students. However, I have also seen intelligent and highly qualified teachers give their blood, sweat, and tears for 80 or more hours a week and still have failing students.  Debate on the topic tends to place the blame on only one side of the problem:  lack of parental involvement, poor teachers, lack of funds, school attendance, lack of pre-school, learning styles, etc.  I would like to share some of the challenges that Brothers and Sisters of Love have encountered in the past few weeks that exposes the complexity of the problem and its long-term impact on job hunting and poverty.

1. A 16-year-old who is on parole gets kicked out of school for fighting. He searches for two months to find an alternative school. He was responsible for finding his own school, and for getting  himself there on public transportation.  His parole officer offered him a place at Banner West, but he was afraid he would be jumped or killed because it is in rival gang territory. His fear is legitimate. He ends up back in his original school, two months further behind the other students.  He has accumulated zero credits towards his high school diploma, and if he chooses to finish school, will not receive his degree until he is at least 20.  His friend, recently released from juvenile detention, is also facing the responsibility of finding his own school, and catching up in the middle of the year. The same struggles ensue.  As an alternative, the streets are offering both these teenagers a way to become an adult and have power now, while education remains an empty promise for the future.
2. A three-year old who is naturally curious and eager to learn is living in a house with at least ten other people.   She owns two books, but no one in the house can read them to her.  She is eligible for Head Start, but the mother does not have transportation to get her there, nor does she have the understanding to apply and follow-through with the procedure to enroll her child.  This mother, when asked to write some information for a Christmas donation could not spell “age”, “shirt,” “Christmas,” or some of her children’s own names.  Even when directed, she could not write the letters as they were told to her.
3. A young woman with four kids wants to get her GED so she can get a job.  In order to reach the level of GED classes, however, she needs extra remediation in math.  She struggles with basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  She has been given worksheets for practice, but needs one-on-one attention in order to comprehend the operations.  Her focus is kidnapped by her children’s needs, her inability to pay the rent and electric bills, and the negative relationships she has in her life.  Progress is therefore negligible.  Meanwhile, her eldest girls, who have always done well in school, have grades that are starting to slip.  Their math is getting harder, and their mother cannot help them with their homework because she does not understand it herself.

The situations continue: Moving from house to house, not being enrolled or attending school regularly because of transportation and chronic illness, having no one to help with homework,  having parents that do not have the skills to educate their own children; these are all issues that Brothers and Sisters of Love face on a near-daily basis.
How does this affect jobs?  The issue of poverty is an issue of literacy.  Education is power, and without it, the poor cannot understand their rights, or access the resources they need to escape the cycle of poverty.  Education is not about the particular subject matters—the date the Constitution was ratified or the square root of 320 is not where the achievement gap lies.  Education teaches public speaking and interview skills.  It teaches us how to fill out forms and job applications.  It teaches original thought and critical thinking.  It teaches us to question authority and to advocate for ourselves.  It allows us to draw conclusions about our circumstances and seek alternative solutions.  Without these skills it is nearly impossible to land a job with responsibility and upward mobility.  In fact, it is nearly impossible for some of our friends to fill out a job application that asks a short answer question demanding that one write a grammatically correct, complete sentence.

The poor have reached an uneducated level that cannot be bridged with GED coursework that is usually done independently.  And without the skills mentioned above, the job market will not open the doors for them.   This leaves two options:  struggling through a minimum-wage job that no one else wants (if such a job exists in our current economy), or claiming welfare and making due.  Neither option provides a way out, causing the poverty and literacy gap to continue into the next generation.

What is to be done? After studying and working in the field of public education, I do not have one solution.   However, in the meantime it is my responsibility as a loving neighbor to understand the struggle of the poor to get an education, and to stand beside them as we search for solutions together. How can you use your education to help your neighbor attain theirs?

–Megan Sherrier, BSL

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