September 9, 2020 | News | Volume 24 Issue 19Janet Bauman | Eastern Canada Correspondent
“One bar of soap isn’t just a drop in the ocean of need. The ripples keep moving out in ways we may not even be able to count.”
Sophia Bezoplenko, who coordinates material resources for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Winnipeg, insists that “the small things are not as small as we think.” The reality of the pandemic, she says, “makes us aware of the impact one bar of soap could make” for one person’s health and that of their family.
Bezoplenko was taking part in MCC’s monthly webinar series, sharing stories about the organization’s work in Canada and around the world. The webinar she took part in, called “From hearts to hands: Material resources,” highlighted meaningful volunteer opportunities in Canada for people making and packing material resources, such as comforters and hygiene kits, and the impact of those gifts on recipients.
The webinars allow MCC to connect with its constituency and provide a “behind-the-scenes look” at its service in the name of Christ. Two of the five webinars address how MCC is responding to COVID-19, and a growing global food crisis, drawing on experts in the field and their partners.
The episode called “Working toward right relationships” highlights MCC’s Indigenous Neighbours program, and features Bridget Findlay, coordinator in British Columbia, and Beverly Lightfoot, a partner and friend of MCC from the Cree community.
Findlay describes how the Kairos blanket exercise—a participatory history lesson—is a powerful tool in her educational work with churches. She challenges churches to make reconciliation work an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time project to check off a to-do list.
