Crossing the Divide
By Sue-Ann MacCara
My life has been thoroughly blessed. No addictions, no sexual abuse, a happy home, two wonderful parents, a terrific husband, two beautiful children, and the kind of childhood bliss every child should know. However, whenever I journeyed through Vancouver's forsaken Downtown Eastside seeing a world of addiction, prostitution and desolation, I felt helpless and guilt-ridden. I didn't know how to cross over into this very different world.
Then, in October 2004, I was invited to a women's leadership retreat at Linwood House on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada. After retiring from a successful business, I was exploring what to do next.
The moment I walked into Linwood House, I burst into tears! It was a sacred space. The sense of love and peace I felt was overwhelming. At the end of our weekend, Gwen McVicker, President of Linwood House Ministries, shared some of the vision and work of Linwood House. Specifically she talked to us about a three-day retreat for women from the Downtown Eastside called "The Journey." She explained how many of the women who come from the Downtown Eastside cry when they get to Linwood House.
Right then it hit me: these women were no different from me!
A few weeks later, I went to East Hastings Street to purchase Tae Kwon Do shoes for my son. (East Hastings Street is the heart of the area referred to as Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.) I parked my car and just before I got out, these words escaped my lips: "God, if you want me to work in this place, show me someone!" I was quite perplexed by this, because that was not my intention for the day.
As I left the store, shoes in hand, I walked slap bang into a tiny woman with wild curly brown hair, beautiful legs, tall boots, a mini skirt and a leather jacket. Her two front teeth were missing. Immediately I thought, "Okay God, you showed me someone." Out of my mouth came the words, "Hi, I'd like to take you out for lunch!"
The next thing I knew, Sandra* and I were wandering around East Hastings looking for a place to have lunch.
I then invited Sandra to The Journey and spent three days with the amazing women from the Downtown Eastside. The stories broke my heart and blew me away. I realized that God had intended to place Sandra in my life and I felt called to working with these women, because I've been blessed with an overabundance of optimism and a belief in humankind.
I connect with many women at The Journey and give them my cell-phone number. Those who reach out to me, I take out for coffee or lunch, we go hiking or to doctors appointments. Mostly, I just love them.
I had little idea how much meeting Sandra would impact, not only my life, but also our family. When I told my husband and kids about my encounter, my husband immediately decided that our family needed to take Christmas stockings--socks filled with toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrushes, chocolates, oranges, etc.--to the forsaken hotel Sandra was staying at. Somehow my son's teacher also got wind of what we were up to, and before we knew it, his whole Grade 6 glass had gathered enough stockings so every room in the hotel received a Christmas stocking that year. Many families at our little school in beautiful Deep Cove, North Vancouver, have now asked if they can become involved and do the same thing.
Who knows where this journey will take us, but it certainly has been the most fulfilling, rewarding (and frustrating)! work I have ever done.
*Not her real name
For more information about The Journey and the work of Linwood House Ministries, check out the website at www.linwoodhouseministries.org.
