As the morning progresses, cell phones ring at an increasing pace. Project managers have questions needing answers and miscommunication has to be straightened out. Of the 150 dumpsters Beautiful Day has been allocated on this bright Saturday morning, none have been delivered to Camp Coyote. The ability to pick up and drop off these massive containers has been stretched to it's very limit by the efforts of Beautiful Day's volunteers and, unfortunately, one site is still waiting for its receptacle to arrive. Though disappointed, we can't help but be amazed. Just over halfway through the morning and Beautiful Day is well ahead of schedule in terms of clean-up.
Our first stop in Alviso is on Michigan Avenue. Having passed several houses being worked on, we've arrived at one of the most in need of drastic repair. The overall scope of the work organized by Jim Buchanan and Bob Froese comes into focus -- 41 homes are being cared for as if they are the only one being worked on. Excitement pulses through the community and it's difficult not to be caught up in it. (I am so overjoyed, I nearly shake Bob silly when I first see him.) As with all the sites we visit throughout the day, the evidence of impactful change has begun taking shape. For the first time, after months of preparation, I am witnessing what committed people can do for a community.
We stop at handful of other sites on our way to lunch, walking past a tray of homemade muffins and fruit punch placed at the end of a driveway with a large, hand-written sign: "ALVISO WELCOMES ALL VOLUNTEERS."
This becomes evident as I talk with residents watching a fresh coat of paint being applied to their home. Despite all they see, disbelief still shows up in their expressions. It's as if, after all the town has been through since the flood in 1983, they still can't help but ask, "Is this really happening?"
In truth, I find myself feeling the exact same way.
After a tremendous lunch at Maria Elena's, we head out to check on several other projects. It becomes clear the volunteers are more than willing to complete whatever is presented to them. Concerns regarding the number of workers have been somewhat alleviated, as twelve-hour projects have been finished in a morning by industrious teams at some locations. The issue now is reallocating people to maintain the level of service provided and ensure tasks are done right.
Those of us in the Command Vehicle are on the way to Buchser Middle School as the sun crosses the mid-afternoon sky. The pace of chatter has slowed significantly since the morning rush. Eight hours running from site to site has caught up with us all as we head to WestGate Church to split into two cars. (Courtney Cordero, who had been driving us around in her aunt's Ford Expedition, had to get ready for her graduation party.)
At 3:15, we make it to Buchser as the project is winding down. The principal, who gamely rose to join in the work on his day off, expresses his gratitude and wonder at the Beautiful Day volunteers' efforts to spruce up the campus. It's subtle and hard for me to appreciate because I've only seen the school under cover of darkness, but hand rails and benches gleam with a fresh coat of paint. Road squares are covered in a diagonal pattern of black and red, the school colors. Nearby, powerwashed surfaces glisten in the afternoon sun. One can only wonder what the students will think the following Monday morning.
It's almost 4:00pm and the Saturday shifts are coming to a close. With time for one more stop, we pile into the cars and point toward Julian Street to visit the InnVision Revision project. Having been by on Friday morning, I am eager to see the change. I had passed through around the lunch hour, dropping off some supplies and taking stock of the massive amount of demolition being done in the pantry. While all the destruction went on, some volunteers filled the courtyard with boxes of food while others sorted through them to determine what could be kept. Plainly, it was a mess.
A mere twenty-eight hours later, it is a work of art.
New shelves are being filled in the pantry as dishes are being washed in the kitchen. Other than some ladders for the artists painting a mural on the wall and a freezer awaiting its turn to be moved into place, the now-empty courtyard is bathed in sunshine instead of covered in stacks of canned vegetables. Looking in on the refurbished dormitories and shiny new tile on the office floor, I agree with the CEO of InnVision: news stations ought to have been there to bear witness to the "extreme makeover."
I'm left with an overflowing heart as I head home. As the clock turns over 5:00pm, those projects with work to do on Sunday are reaching stopping points as those finished on Saturday wrap up. I feel exhausted, yet unspeakably happy as I walk through the door, greeted by my bouncing niece, whom I will be babysitting for the evening.
"She'll probably fall asleep early," my sister-in-law says during her last-minute instructions.
That makes two of us, I think.
Three hours later, as I listen to the characteristic rustling of a sleeping child echo through the baby monitor, I chuckle. I've managed to find the juice to sift through photos and Facebook posts to see what went on at the Room Refresh sites, marveling at the personal touches produced by the smallest Beautiful Day volunteer teams for the most intimate of projects: sprucing up the bedrooms and kitchens for victims of elder abuse.
I am struck by the love shown in every last detail, from clean streets to brightened houses. Worn out and ready to sleep, I see more pictures have been posted and smile.
Well, maybe I can stay up a bit longer.
Showing posts with label compassion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compassion. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
My First Beautiful Day Experience, Part 1
A familiar sound rouses me from a peaceful slumber.
My one-year-old niece is whimpering across the room, half-awake and frustrated at having burrowed herself into the corner of her crib while sleepcrawling. This happens once or twice a night, so I instinctively reach for my iPhone and check the time, careful to minimize the bright light in the darkness.
It's 5:50am on Saturday, May 21st. For many, it's officially Beautiful Day, but not me. I'd been up past midnight, unable to shut down after an "almost-too-fun-to-be-legal" time at the SuperDance for SuperHeroes.
My alarm is set to go off in a half-hour. I tiptoe to my niece's bedside and gently slide her into the middle of the mattress, place the pacifier back in her mouth and return to bed. This has become rare as she's grown but it's still somewhat routine, just common enough for me to know it works every time.
Except this one.
As I pull the covers on and lay my head on the pillow, she sits up and begins talking to me. She's fully awake two hours before normal and showing no signs of returning to dreamland. I pick her up and whisper to her, desperately pulling all the tricks from my uncle bag in the hopes my brother and sister-in-law will be able to keep sleeping after I leave to meet the Beautiful Day leadership team for breakfast.
My niece is determined to stay awake. The extra thirty minutes of sleep I hoped for disappears quickly. Finally, at 6:20, I give up and lay her back down. I've got barely enough time to get dressed and get on the road. I stop and open my laptop to post one last reminder on Facebook about the little ways to help spread the word about our community service efforts using social media.
The phone rings -- it's Jon Talbert. "Hey, have you left yet?"
"Nope. Will be in a minute."
"Can I get a ride?"
It's 6:26am and all I can think about is the proclamation the last one to arrive for breakfast at Holder's on Saratoga Avenue had to buy Starbucks at the morning break. I hop in a borrowed car and speed over to the Talbert residence, arriving fifteen minutes later to find the leader of Beautiful Day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
"I woke up at five. I was wide awake. Couldn't get back to sleep." I nod in agreement, though I'd been up for entirely different reasons.
The excitement of the day has energized both of us. As we pull onto Highway 85, the discussion pinballs between events we've seen -- InnVision and the SuperDance -- and the route for the Beautiful Day Command Vehicle to maximize our visits to ongoing projects.
It's almost 7:00am when we join up with the rest of the team. Amazingly, it's only been a few hours since we parted and yet it seems like days. We laugh over breakfast, fueling up for a full day criss-crossing San Jose, intent on visiting as many sites as possible to witness the culmination of months of planning.
An hour later, we pile out of a borrowed Ford Expedition at Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church. We are greeted by some two dozen volunteers being briefed about the locations they'll be working in as part of the Clean Mile project. Councilman Pete Constant has shown up to offer his support as the groups load up with rakes and trash bags before breaking out into neighborhoods. I smile to myself, taking a moment to marinate in the realization this is the first trickle in a flood of compassion spreading throughout the city.
Next, we make a short trip to Washington Elementary, passing volunteers pulling weeds and picking up garbage. As I walk up to the school parking lot at the intersection of Oak and State Streets, I am moving purposefully alongside a man in a hurry. He has a question: "Can we clear city property?"
A woman who lives nearby has bushes in her front yard and "bad people throw bad things into them" to avoid the police. Being that she's alone, she wants to eliminate any possibility of her home becoming a hot spot in this troubled neighborhood. The answer is simple:
"Take them out." Multiple city officials trust the judgment of Beautiful Day volunteers and, if an issue arises, they are comfortable someone in a "Let it Shine" shirt would make a decision to benefit residents and action can be taken quickly. To cement this fact, I listen as Khoa Nguyen (pronounced "KWAH"), Mayor Chuck Reed's policy advisor, describes meeting with the US Attorney General the day before -- and mentioning Beautiful Day.
I shake my head. This is bigger than I thought.
As we load up again and move towards Camp Coyote. As we roll towards the first of two sites, our driver sheepishly reveals her recent discovery it's a homeless encampment. Knowing the Awakening Alviso project would have a sports camp for local children, she assumed this was the same. Laughter fills the SUV.
Twenty minutes later, reality has set in. We stride along the trails, bumping into a group from Breath of Life Ministries. This handful of people walks through the various locations along Coyote Creek every Saturday, building relationships with the homeless and delivering necessities. We talk for a few moments and exchange information. Kerry is the kind of person we must connect with Housing 1000, a project designed to get the most vulnerable of Santa Clara County's 7,000 homeless into permanent housing within the next two years.
This is my second trip to the area and the scene is vastly different than the first. Law enforcement came through just a week ago. I am stunned as Harry from County Health Services and Donovan, a resident, describe the process. Sadness creeps in as I look on the remains of a Buddhist shrine one resident had erected. The touches I remember from the month before, the carpet and seating -- those things that made it home -- have been swept away. Lives taken for granted, but meaningful nonetheless, have been disrupted.
It feels unfair to leave such squalor for the air-conditioned comfort of the Command Vehicle, but there is still much to see. Having made it to three projects by 10:30am, we are now pointed towards the largest of them all -- Alviso.
My one-year-old niece is whimpering across the room, half-awake and frustrated at having burrowed herself into the corner of her crib while sleepcrawling. This happens once or twice a night, so I instinctively reach for my iPhone and check the time, careful to minimize the bright light in the darkness.
It's 5:50am on Saturday, May 21st. For many, it's officially Beautiful Day, but not me. I'd been up past midnight, unable to shut down after an "almost-too-fun-to-be-legal" time at the SuperDance for SuperHeroes.
My alarm is set to go off in a half-hour. I tiptoe to my niece's bedside and gently slide her into the middle of the mattress, place the pacifier back in her mouth and return to bed. This has become rare as she's grown but it's still somewhat routine, just common enough for me to know it works every time.
Except this one.
As I pull the covers on and lay my head on the pillow, she sits up and begins talking to me. She's fully awake two hours before normal and showing no signs of returning to dreamland. I pick her up and whisper to her, desperately pulling all the tricks from my uncle bag in the hopes my brother and sister-in-law will be able to keep sleeping after I leave to meet the Beautiful Day leadership team for breakfast.
My niece is determined to stay awake. The extra thirty minutes of sleep I hoped for disappears quickly. Finally, at 6:20, I give up and lay her back down. I've got barely enough time to get dressed and get on the road. I stop and open my laptop to post one last reminder on Facebook about the little ways to help spread the word about our community service efforts using social media.
The phone rings -- it's Jon Talbert. "Hey, have you left yet?"
"Nope. Will be in a minute."
"Can I get a ride?"
It's 6:26am and all I can think about is the proclamation the last one to arrive for breakfast at Holder's on Saratoga Avenue had to buy Starbucks at the morning break. I hop in a borrowed car and speed over to the Talbert residence, arriving fifteen minutes later to find the leader of Beautiful Day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
"I woke up at five. I was wide awake. Couldn't get back to sleep." I nod in agreement, though I'd been up for entirely different reasons.
The excitement of the day has energized both of us. As we pull onto Highway 85, the discussion pinballs between events we've seen -- InnVision and the SuperDance -- and the route for the Beautiful Day Command Vehicle to maximize our visits to ongoing projects.
It's almost 7:00am when we join up with the rest of the team. Amazingly, it's only been a few hours since we parted and yet it seems like days. We laugh over breakfast, fueling up for a full day criss-crossing San Jose, intent on visiting as many sites as possible to witness the culmination of months of planning.
An hour later, we pile out of a borrowed Ford Expedition at Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church. We are greeted by some two dozen volunteers being briefed about the locations they'll be working in as part of the Clean Mile project. Councilman Pete Constant has shown up to offer his support as the groups load up with rakes and trash bags before breaking out into neighborhoods. I smile to myself, taking a moment to marinate in the realization this is the first trickle in a flood of compassion spreading throughout the city.
Next, we make a short trip to Washington Elementary, passing volunteers pulling weeds and picking up garbage. As I walk up to the school parking lot at the intersection of Oak and State Streets, I am moving purposefully alongside a man in a hurry. He has a question: "Can we clear city property?"
A woman who lives nearby has bushes in her front yard and "bad people throw bad things into them" to avoid the police. Being that she's alone, she wants to eliminate any possibility of her home becoming a hot spot in this troubled neighborhood. The answer is simple:
"Take them out." Multiple city officials trust the judgment of Beautiful Day volunteers and, if an issue arises, they are comfortable someone in a "Let it Shine" shirt would make a decision to benefit residents and action can be taken quickly. To cement this fact, I listen as Khoa Nguyen (pronounced "KWAH"), Mayor Chuck Reed's policy advisor, describes meeting with the US Attorney General the day before -- and mentioning Beautiful Day.
I shake my head. This is bigger than I thought.
As we load up again and move towards Camp Coyote. As we roll towards the first of two sites, our driver sheepishly reveals her recent discovery it's a homeless encampment. Knowing the Awakening Alviso project would have a sports camp for local children, she assumed this was the same. Laughter fills the SUV.
Twenty minutes later, reality has set in. We stride along the trails, bumping into a group from Breath of Life Ministries. This handful of people walks through the various locations along Coyote Creek every Saturday, building relationships with the homeless and delivering necessities. We talk for a few moments and exchange information. Kerry is the kind of person we must connect with Housing 1000, a project designed to get the most vulnerable of Santa Clara County's 7,000 homeless into permanent housing within the next two years.
This is my second trip to the area and the scene is vastly different than the first. Law enforcement came through just a week ago. I am stunned as Harry from County Health Services and Donovan, a resident, describe the process. Sadness creeps in as I look on the remains of a Buddhist shrine one resident had erected. The touches I remember from the month before, the carpet and seating -- those things that made it home -- have been swept away. Lives taken for granted, but meaningful nonetheless, have been disrupted.
It feels unfair to leave such squalor for the air-conditioned comfort of the Command Vehicle, but there is still much to see. Having made it to three projects by 10:30am, we are now pointed towards the largest of them all -- Alviso.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Five Questions with...Drew Froese
What attracts you to Beautiful Day?The idea of being the church. I love the fact that WestGate doesn’t just talk about serving others and showing Christ’s love through service, they follow it up by placing something on the schedule that says, "This is not just something we talk about, this is something we live.”
Which project are you a part of?
We will be cleaning up a homeless encampment, blessing the homeless with some necessities as well as giving them something extra special as we celebrate their birthdays. It’s a great opportunity to both provide for needs and express our love by giving them a party they probably don’t often experience.
What about Camp Coyote, in particular, draws you in?
My wife and I started serving the homeless breakfast on Christmas Day two years ago and have found it such a joy to serve those in need. When this opportunity came along to continue to serve the homeless, I joined.
Anything special you're looking for in terms of volunteers?
We are looking for high school age and above to help clean up the encampment, distribute food and serve in the celebration for the homeless, including people willing to barbecue.
Look into your crystal ball and talk about your ideal outcomes
Not only to bless the people of this encampment now, but to work with the city and those who serve this population on a regular basis and connect people to serving the homeless continually.
Drew Froese leads the Junior High Ministry at WestGate Church. He grew up in San Jose and is a big fan of pizza. He and his wife Amy recently welcomed their second daughter, meaning he's a fan of sleep and boy-proof security systems, too.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Four Answers from...Bob Froese
What drew you to Beautiful Day?I had participated in Beautiful Day projects in the past and have long been stirred by getting into the community to show Christ's love to others and let our deeds preceed our words.
I had been retired for about a year. There was plenty on my plate, but I felt the need to have a bit more focus for a time. I have an interest in continued work and had applied for a job that I really wanted to do. It offered challenges in an area I really wanted to pursue. At the same time, I was praying that God would give me peace about pursuing a new career or make it clear that He had something else for me to do. I even was praying that if I was to give up on the job at this time, that the "something else" come from WestGate.
Then Jon Talbert approached me about Beautiful Day in the same week I was contacted for an interview for the job -- and this was to be the most extensive Beautiful Day project to date. My goodness it was intimidating! I prayed that God would give direction, and felt immediately that this was bigger than one person could handle. So confirmation would come from a spirit of peace and knowing that Jim Buchanan would say, "Yes," as well -- this even though we had never worked together before and only had passing contact previously. About a week and a half later I found out Jim had agreed to be a part of the leadership and I had also determined that I couldn't deny that God had answered in a specific way. So I knew my choice was either to obey or knowingly disobey His call. I called the HR person and cancelled the interview. I haven't regretted it at all. Even though there have been a number of challenges, this has been an amazing experience!
Tell us about Alviso and what got you interested in helping out.
Alviso has an amazing and colorful history. I first knew it as a place where a friend had a boat docked. Then I knew it because of the floods of 1983. The community has often been viewed as a bit renegade. When I was told we where going to "makeover Alviso" my thought was "Yeah, right!" Before I said "Yes" to the project I drove through town as I prayed. All I can say is that my heart was turned toward showing love and compassion to this community. Besides seeing places that needed help, my overwhelming feeling immediately after driving through the town was that there was only one small Catholic church right there inside the town, and my heart ached for the people to know the love of Christ.
What sorts of volunteers would you like to have?
We need all sorts of skills, but ONE HEART to serve! If the heart is right, then people's eyes will be open to whatever their hands can do to show love.
What is the ideal result of your project?
WOW! The ideal result? That the residents of Alviso and those passing through would SEE that Jesus Christ came to Alviso in the form of a mishmash of people who didn't come just to do a good deed, but came to show the people His love in a practical way.
Bob Froese is retired, both from the San Jose Police Department and his DJing career during college. He and his wife, Sheila, have three adult sons and a teenage daughter, as well as an expanding collection of grandchildren (the third and fourth are on the way). He has been known to "play a lot of golf. Understand, I don't play golf often. When I play, I play it A LOT!"
Monday, April 25, 2011
Three Questions for...Julie Simonin
How did you first get connected with Beautiful Day?I started doing Beautiful Day about four years ago when Vicki Field asked me to be in charge of the Blood Drive. I felt honored and challenged with this project. Challenged because I'd never given blood before and I pass out when I get shots. I wasn't sure this was right for me, but I knew God would help me along the way. I needed to try something different and this was definitely a stretch for me.
Talk about what it's like to help with such a "stretch."
Blood Drive has been awesome. The people from Blood Bank of the Redwoods are awesome to work with.
A blood drive has to have donors, obviously, but what are your needs in terms of volunteers?
We need people who like to bake and/or cook, as well as volunteers who don't mind talking to donors when they are recovering in the cantina.
Julie Simonin is Co-Chair of the Beautiful Day "Life Support" Blood Drive and a ten-year participant in the Campbell Relay for Life. A devoted wife and mother, she spends at least part of her free time at Chicks N Flicks with other movie lovin' women.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Three Answers from...Kristy Espinoza
Why did you get involved in Beautiful Day?
The reason that I am in beautiful day is because I love to help people. I first started out by walking in AIDS walk with WestGate church, but that wasn't enough for me. Last year someone approached me and asked if I would lead a group in District Five, which is East San Jose. I agreed and was very happy with my decision, we had a great time going out in the neighborhood and helping people clean their yards and do some minor home repairs. This year, I am the project manager in District Five, too.
What are your needs in terms of team members?
For my project I am looking for some volunteers that don't mind getting their hands dirty and who love to serve others. I could really use people who have handyman skills. I could also use people who want to stay clean and don't mind flipping burgers or turning some hot dogs. I have lots of spaces to plug anyone in since I have a two-day project. My project is good for families with children seven years and older.
What would you like to see happen after Beautiful Day 2011?
If I could look into the future my ideal result for the project would be that the people we helped can see that we really cared about them and that we are not doing this just because it is a community project. Another thing would be that more people would come to know Jesus because we showed them love through our actions.
Kristy Espinoza and her husband, Jorge, have lived in San Jose for seven years. She is a part-time coordinator for the elementary school ministry at WestGate Church and full-time mom to Makenzie (7), Stephanie (4) and a "cute Pekingese dog named Buttercup."
The reason that I am in beautiful day is because I love to help people. I first started out by walking in AIDS walk with WestGate church, but that wasn't enough for me. Last year someone approached me and asked if I would lead a group in District Five, which is East San Jose. I agreed and was very happy with my decision, we had a great time going out in the neighborhood and helping people clean their yards and do some minor home repairs. This year, I am the project manager in District Five, too.
What are your needs in terms of team members?
For my project I am looking for some volunteers that don't mind getting their hands dirty and who love to serve others. I could really use people who have handyman skills. I could also use people who want to stay clean and don't mind flipping burgers or turning some hot dogs. I have lots of spaces to plug anyone in since I have a two-day project. My project is good for families with children seven years and older.
What would you like to see happen after Beautiful Day 2011?
If I could look into the future my ideal result for the project would be that the people we helped can see that we really cared about them and that we are not doing this just because it is a community project. Another thing would be that more people would come to know Jesus because we showed them love through our actions.
Kristy Espinoza and her husband, Jorge, have lived in San Jose for seven years. She is a part-time coordinator for the elementary school ministry at WestGate Church and full-time mom to Makenzie (7), Stephanie (4) and a "cute Pekingese dog named Buttercup."
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Four Answers from...Jim Buchanan
What drew you to Beautiful Day?
Actually it was Joanne Glen who asked me and Bob Froese to take on Alviso Beautiful Day. When we walked through Alviso and I saw the level of need, I was hooked. Up until then, I still only had memories of 1983 when it was under 8 to 10 feet of flood water. Much has changed over the years but much still needs to occur. Alviso is a community in need.
Tell us more about the project.
Alviso Beautiful Day or ABD as it is referred to, is the beautification of the historical town of Alviso. It involves everything from "mow, blow and go" to masonry work, painting, siding repair, debris removal, installing ADA access ramps, roof repair, window repair, fence repair, curb address painting, mural
refurbishing, the demolition of a 1983 flood-ravaged structure and a community fiesta. ABD is a partnership between WestGate, Jubilee Christian Center, Holy Spirit Church and Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish.
What sorts of volunteers would you like or special needs do you have?
WE NEED A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS, TOOLS AND MATERIALS! We have over 40 sites that need attention, so we're looking for a wide range of items, things like gallons of paint and wheelbarrows -- even a stove, if possible.
For volunteers, we need everything from weekend warriors to skilled carpenters, masons, plasterers, painters and, of course, anyone who can lift, rake, sweep, mow, weed wack, paint, pound a nail, etc. Enthusiasm and a willingness to serve are two strong traits!
If you could look into the future, what is the ideal result of your project?
What do I hope for? One thing: that the actions of all involved in ABD will glorify God!
Jim Buchanan is a native of the Bay Area and retired law enforcement administrator. He and his wife Karen have three adult children. His choice of music drifts between country, classical and old school rock. He is Co-Lead of the Alviso Beautiful Day project with Bob Froese and is always willing to have sushi for dinner.
Actually it was Joanne Glen who asked me and Bob Froese to take on Alviso Beautiful Day. When we walked through Alviso and I saw the level of need, I was hooked. Up until then, I still only had memories of 1983 when it was under 8 to 10 feet of flood water. Much has changed over the years but much still needs to occur. Alviso is a community in need.Tell us more about the project.
Alviso Beautiful Day or ABD as it is referred to, is the beautification of the historical town of Alviso. It involves everything from "mow, blow and go" to masonry work, painting, siding repair, debris removal, installing ADA access ramps, roof repair, window repair, fence repair, curb address painting, mural
refurbishing, the demolition of a 1983 flood-ravaged structure and a community fiesta. ABD is a partnership between WestGate, Jubilee Christian Center, Holy Spirit Church and Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish.
What sorts of volunteers would you like or special needs do you have?
WE NEED A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS, TOOLS AND MATERIALS! We have over 40 sites that need attention, so we're looking for a wide range of items, things like gallons of paint and wheelbarrows -- even a stove, if possible.
For volunteers, we need everything from weekend warriors to skilled carpenters, masons, plasterers, painters and, of course, anyone who can lift, rake, sweep, mow, weed wack, paint, pound a nail, etc. Enthusiasm and a willingness to serve are two strong traits!
If you could look into the future, what is the ideal result of your project?
What do I hope for? One thing: that the actions of all involved in ABD will glorify God!
Jim Buchanan is a native of the Bay Area and retired law enforcement administrator. He and his wife Karen have three adult children. His choice of music drifts between country, classical and old school rock. He is Co-Lead of the Alviso Beautiful Day project with Bob Froese and is always willing to have sushi for dinner.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Five Questions with...Jon Talbert
Tell us briefly how Beautiful Day began.
Beautiful Day started out as an idea. We felt that if we lived and loved like Jesus we could have a huge impact on the surrounding community. We began with simple projects that would reconnect us with local schools…addressing whatever needs they had. It grew from that to a creative collaborative of compassion and service ideas that spread across the county and, eventually, across the country.
Beautiful Day brings together people from all walks of life with a unique focus on compassion, why do you think that is?
It's crazy how compassion brings people together. Serving those in need unifies people in ways we would never dream possible. From different faith denominations to opposing political parties, to people with a wide range of values that would otherwise divide, we find people coming together. I believe that it's because all mankind has the DNA of compassion inside of them. You can be from different countries, faith groups, political parties, or economic backgrounds. Whatever the case may be, when you see someone in need, most people respond with compassion because we are all made in the Image of God and because God is compassionate, we therefore are intuitively compassionate.
What's one of your favorite memories?
I have so many memories of Beautiful Day it's hard to name just one, but I do have fond memories of watching 5th graders who recycled aluminum cans for 6 months purchase a brand new washer and dryer for the HIV/AIDS community center and drop it off to the shock of the clinic. They were stunned that 5th graders would do such a thing. People just froze and watched 5th graders struggle to get these newly acquired appliances through the door of the facility. Tears welled up in the clients eyes as they heard the story of 5th grade-level compassion heroics. It's a sweet memory.
As the big event approaches, tell us what has you excited this year.
2011 is going to be a big year. I say that every year, but something about this one is different. It has huge risk and danger…which is the way I like it. We have tackled some of the largest projects that require "compassion sweat" like we’ve never seen. We are taking on the hotspots that the city has identified and asked for help, we’ve partnered with the Catholic church and with new faith communities that want to work with us. And, we’re trying new projects that are just a bit out there in terms of creativity. My prayer is that Beautiful Day and our expression of who Jesus is in all of us, hits the South Bay like we’ve never seen before.
What's your vision for the future as Beautiful Day continues to grow?
My vision is corporate and personal. Corporately we’d see faith communities tackled the hardest problems that the city cannot solve. We would work side by side with city officials, schools, and businesses to address the very real needs of the city and that other cities would take notice of faith communities expressing Christ's love in the city. On a personal note, my desire is that individuals would embrace the idea of Beautiful Day and be always looking for an opportunity to “love their neighbor.” You don’t have to wait for an event to do something heroic in someone's life, you just need to jump in and do something.
Jon Talbert is the Compassion Pastor at WestGate Church and leader of Beautiful Day. He loves listening to his kids sing and would be a happy man if you delivered him a medium-well Victoria filet and garlic mashed potatoes from Outback Steakhouse.
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