Volunteering - and learning
What a week in Flint! My 11-year-old son Micah and I made last week’s trip, and assisted in moving more than 30 pallets of water from the grounds of the church into the back seats, trunks, and truck beds of people who have not water in their homes. When I say folks have no water, I now understand this needs a little bit of unpacking for folks unfamiliar with what is happening on the ground in Flint.
At least two neighbors have no water in their homes because they own their homes and are extremely low-income. The city turned off their water when they could not pay bills that were running more than $200 per month for water that, at that time, could not be used. In fact, it could not be used for more than 18 months, but bills were still coming in. There are some homes in Flint that are in similar circumstances, but I only know of two in the two blocks around the First Church of the Brethren.
Another aspect of water distribution that I was forced to think about last week was the circumstances of immigrants. One woman drove up to the church who was picking up water for eight families. One or two of the out-of-state volunteers seemed to question the request a little – who would pick up for nine families? Yet, this woman was an immigrant who still spoke heavily accented English, and spoke no Spanish or Arabic that I was aware of. It is difficult to access information for immigrants who do not speak one of the more familiar languages heard most in Flint or Michigan, and they are often reliant on serendipitous discovery to get needs met. This is only one of the many concerns related to the water crisis that are on the back burner, because some folks are simply not as visible to the rest of the community as others.
Visibility or lack of it, as well as a number of cultural differences, is one aspect of volunteering that could be addressed in a manner that helped folks understand the differences in the realities perceived by people of differing backgrounds. For instance, the manner in which folks are approached for information while receiving services.
An national organization of volunteers are distributing water, and the organization would like to collect information about how many folks they have been able to serve. This is a way in which they both document the work they do, and it also allows them to raise funds for further work by indicating the value of the services they provide. It is an important aspect of the overall work of this organization. However, when I first saw the manner in which they were collecting the information they wanted, it triggered all sorts of emotions in me, and I spoke out rather directly. I was in fact, rather accusing.
As a car drove up, a volunteer approached the car with a clipboard and pen, leaned into the car, and began asking questions in a manner that was rather like that of a bureaucrat. Of course, there was absolutely no ill intent on his part, nor was he asking for information that was very personal in nature. Yet, a few things were triggered in my mind and I wondered if the folks receiving water from us were triggered too.
A lot of people in Flint will not aggressively seek out assistance for a variety of reasons. In many cases, they have had poor outcomes related to interaction with the police, or with DHS social workers, or with the water department. They may be afraid of being reported for some “behaviors” that are neither criminal, or are otherwise minor. So, when you lean into someone’s vehicle and a child has unbuckled themselves from a car seat, or there is smoke in the air, or apparent evidence of something else, folks think you will turn them in to authorities, or otherwise judge them. People who are already vulnerable to the attention of “authorities” tend to feel targeted for things that are matters of common sense to them, if not cultural misunderstandings. As such, when an individual with a clipboard leans into the car and asks questions about how you are using water, how many kids in your home, and how many families are in your home, you tend to either not tell the truth, or, avoid coming back. Folks may wonder if you are writing down their license plate and other items, as well as believing that you might somehow be judging their competence as a parent or worthiness as a recipient of help.
We did a quick “hands-on” training with the volunteers, who are providing valuable help and necessary logistic, physical, and spiritual support. We began how to model conversation making, asking questions while already providing the service so as not to equate getting water with answering questions the “right way.” We say “we got ‘wipe-its’ and diapers if you got babies at home!” Then, people will open up ab out their kids, and what other needs they have. It is good to share personal experiences with people. I love to share with folks who drive up about my experiences in the neighborhood as a child, and, as an adult who has returned to help. If one is authentic and eager to help, it puts others at ease.
That being said, when anyone volunteers with a community other than their own, there are obstacles to effectively communicating that must be overcome. So, ask folks to provide feedback on the way you interact. Ask about the history of the community. Take issues of race and religion seriously and accept the reality of differences as matters of perspective as well as truth. If one has a servant’s heart, it becomes easier to find that place of authenticity when the building of relationships becomes the primary mode of getting necessary information so that the help can keep coming. And there is still plenty of need for more help!
