Who’s in your circle?
May 19, 2020
Who is in your circle? Who are you in physical proximity with as you navigate stay-at-home orders and these days of quarantine?
For some of us, it’s just our own household. Others have included extended family or friends, whether of out of necessity because of childcare or health issues or because of other practical issues.
Many of us wrestle with whether to safely include aging parents in our circle, young adult children and grandkids who we long to hold in our arms again. Most of us are staying distanced from at least some of our loved ones and connecting in creative ways. I love this photo of our granddaughter and her dear friend finding a way to be together.
Who’s in your circle right now and who are you anxious to open your circle to include again?
Just like you and I, moms and children in Bridge of Hope are also wrestling with these questions, and can’t always safely determine their circle. Many single mothers make incredibly hard decisions about childcare, wishing they could afford to stay home and not expose their children to other people, but committed to continuing to work in their essential worker roles. Some Bridge of Hope families who have significant health and immune-compromised members are struggling to meet basic needs because of the high risk of working. In Bridge of Hope, Neighboring Volunteers are a vital source of support for families, even while physically distancing. From virtual gatherings and porch drops to one volunteer who self-quarantines so she can provide childcare for a mom who is an essential worker. Neighboring Volunteers have opened their circles to include Bridge of Hope families.
I’ve been wondering lately who would be in Jesus’ quarantine circle and what creative “pandemic neighboring” would look like to Jesus!
I’m guessing it would intentionally include those who hover on the fringes of my life circle. Likely Jesus would be reaching out to those who feel disconnected: homeless families, our aging neighbor, the “different” family on our block, those who are marginalized or feared. How do we reconcile the heart of Jesus with the public health risks and need to keep everyone safe? Here are some great ideas that show how you and 5 others from your church or Bible Study can do both!
You can still follow Jesus’ call to be a good neighbor in these days of physical distancing! Our road ahead is full of learnings and I’m grateful that so many, like you, have continued to pour out support to families in Bridge of Hope over the past 60 days!
Join with Bridge of Hope! Through Neighboring (safely), you can open your circle to include families facing homelessness.
Edith Yoder
Chief Executive Officer
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