Stop, Drop, and Roll

One of SMC's main community ministries is called "Stop, Drop, and Roll." The goal of SDR is "to provide personal storage and access to transportation in order to allow participants access to needed services and employment opportunities not available in Lake City." SDR happens every Monday and Thursday with drop-off between 6 & 8 a.m. and pick-up between 6 & 8 p.m. During this time, the front part of the church is opened up: tables and chairs are set up, coffee is brewed, and breakfast is often provided.

I guess I haven't explained yet that the church is in an old community movie theater, so this front part is an entrance way with several sets of doors and a ticket counter / concession stand that has been converted into a small kitchen. It faces onto NE 125th street less than half a block from the main intersection of Lake City (the northeastern-most neighborhood in Seattle). I also haven't explained yet that Lake City is a section of Seattle with a good percentage of lower-income housing and apartment complexes and fewer single family homes. It doesn't have a trendy little downtown (like some other neighborhoods) or cute coffee shops or exciting local restaurants.

Anyway, back to this morning at 6 a.m.: I had the pleasure of coming with my Rob, my gracious host here in Seattle. Rob is known as "The Egg Man," because every other Thursday when he and Lee volunteer at SDR, he makes egg sandwiches with toast, two eggs over-easy, and cheese. It's a definite treat for the community members as it was for me today. But the egg sandwiches aren't the reason I'm reflecting today.

I sat with the notebook and handed out bus passes and shower passes to those who needed them (about 15 people today). Jonathan (one of the community ministers) had also found a deal on socks at the store, so I passed out socks on what has been a cold day (45-60 degrees). But the biggest treat was just to sit and drink coffee and in simply my presence in that space begin what promise to be transforming relationships.

It wasn't until later in the day when I truly interacted. As I was going to grab some lunch, a guy I'd met that morning walked by, excited because he'd seen on CNN in the lobby of the V.A. that a huge tornado was tearing through Colorado. "If you don't think all this stuff is a sign of the end times, then I don't know how spiritual you are," he said. Later walking out of the post office, I ran into John and Greg who seemed excited to see me again and asked if I'd be here tonight. John talked my ear off about his days in the marines: two terms in Vietnam and then about his days fishing out of Seattle up to cold northern seas. I had him promise me more fishing stories next time. So often where I've been, I would never notice a man selling $1 papers or a scruffy guy in a University of Washington cap walking by, but today these people were not unkempt folks to avoid eye contact with on the sidewalk. They were part of my community, the one where the walls between inside and outside are a little more arbitrary.

The first time around

My one week Seattle anniversary has now come and gone, and it is high time to share. I've settled in with Lee and Rob Murray, whose hospitality has been fabulous to say the least. Their cats (Big Doodles and Little Doodles) have also been quite welcoming. They live in the northwest part of Seattle, and the church is in the northeast section of the city, about three and a half miles away. As you may know, my transportation options are limited as the teal tornado is parked with Jamie in Nashville. Note: we haven't been separated for this long since we first got together back in June 2002. [I'm talking about the car.] Therefore, I have found four distinct methods of transportation: the Seattle metro buses, an occasional ride with church folk, bicycle transport, and that ever-popular mode, walking. Now my hostess Lee told me early on that she sometimes walks to church, and so I naively thought it wouldn't be a big deal - only three and a half miles. Only later did I find out Lee's true commitment to walking. I've been sore for days. Additionally, the bike ride to church is relatively easy, but that's because of the large hill that I go up heading back home. I still have not conquered 125th street without walking the bike. Apparently in Seattle you have to be more than just young and athletic to navigate the commuter culture: you also have to be in shape. The good news is that I'm well on my way back to the fitness level of the old days. A smattering of thoughts to share the first time around:

• Among the "green" things I've been enamored with: mandatory recycling, hybrid-electric buses, a program for youth participation in the Seattle Marathon, and bike-to-work month (which we're in the midst of).
  
• The view of the Cascade Mountains on a clear day will, I guarantee it, put Appalachia to shame.
  
• So far I've dined on salmon and scampi and (surprise!) enjoyed it. Apparently the fish in non-landlocked states really is tastier.
  
• I will never truly fit in here in the northwest because I certainly cannot afford a "The North Face" anything, and therefore I will have to stick to my trusty Missouri State windbreaker and continue to feel a little bit foreign.
  
• It turns out you don't have to be connected to a farm, or have grown up in the Midwest, or have a last name like Kauffman, Klaassen, Epp, Nuefeld, or Miller to be Mennonite. We do in fact accept converts, and lots of them. Think O'Leary, Roe, Murray, Heredia, Lim, and Wattles. Furthermore, it also turns out that some of these crazy urban Mennonites enjoy a good micro-brew and the local wine.

Cheers to all!