You may have heard, we're joining with Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice for their Advocacy Day at the capitol on April 8th. (REGISTER HERE!) This is part of our community work on behalf of our neighbors: to advocate for laws that provide justice for immigrants and refugees. 
As part of the 2019 legislative season, IMIRJ is also inviting its partner communities to play BINGO..... immigrant-justice style! Storyline has challenged itself to complete a diagonal, pictured here, by the end of the legislative season in June. (Spoiler alert... it's also a goal that will help us get to know more avenues for future justice work!)

WE CAN DO THIS!
The first step and square one for us is the show up for Advocacy Day. (Did I mention you can register? AND bring your kids?) 
In the coming weeks, we'll have more information on how you can help us work towards our BINGO set... so stay tuned. 

Written by Anna Hoesly Leader/Pastor/Organizer, Storyline Community

 up..This week my kids and I did this 5-minute Lenten activity: The Purple Practice of Waiting, and it ended up going in a direction I did not see coming... Because that's what happens when little people play with big ideas!

For the record, even though it took literally 5 minutes, we didn't get to it until a ten days AFTER the official start of Lent. Also, one of my children was all-in because it sounded like a science experiment, and the other announced that she would not be participating, as an act of protest, because she'd rather be watching My Little Pony. But she ended up joining us... because I am really good at parenting. Orrrrrrrr maybe it was because I told her if she joined us, I'd let her watch said show. All of which I tell you because I think moms owe it to other moms to be honest about these things.  

We mixed red and blue food coloring in water to make purple (the traditional color associated with Lent). We talked about how we would leave this glass on the table and check on it at dinner every day, and that it would take about 40 days (the length of time of the Lenten season) for it to evaporate. (This led to a lot of evaporation-related questions, which I could definitely answer because I'm an adult. In unrelated news, here is an evaporation educational video that I totally didn't have to google).

What are we waiting for?
We talked about all kinds of things we wait for in life (like when mommy tells us "not right now" yet again after we've asked her to play Uno for the approximately 987th time"). And we talked about how by the time the water evaporates, it will be Easter and we will have a giant bonfire and 'smores at the Saturday night Easter Vigil. And we talked about how 40 days feels like a loooong time to wait for such exciting things. We talked about how we might feel discouraged or wonder if it is ever going to happen, but slowly, very slowly all of the water will evaporate, even though we can't see it happening.

What are our neighbors waiting for?
And then we asked the final question of the practice, about what things our neighbors in our community might be waiting for. I did not have a preconceived thought about this and honestly thought we would probably move on quickly from it.

But then, as I thought about what it is like to desperately hope and wait for something, a face popped to my mind. It was the face of one my local neighbors who was recently telling me about something she had been waiting a VERY long time for. My neighbor, who is not yet a citizen, has been waiting a very long time for a driver's license. She recently told me with tears what that means for her and her family. It means she is constantly afraid of the moment her daughter gets sick and she cannot drive her to the hospital. It means basic tasks like getting to the store to purchase groceries for her family, or getting to work to earn money to buy those groceries, can become giant obstacles. It means she lives afraid.

I told my kids about this conversation, thinking these would probably be concepts they would not be able to wrap their heads around. Instead, my six-year old looked at me with a gasp and alarm on her face and said something I thought I would never hear her rule-loving, rule-following little self say,

"MOM, that is a VERY bad rule".
"We need to call the police right now and tell them to change it!"

I loved that her immediate reaction was one of empowerment, that we could speak up about this rule on behalf of our neighbors. And even more than that, I loved that particularly at this moment in time, she is right. 

NOW is the time to speak up for our neighbors.
​Did you know that the Oregon House is considering a bill to make drivers' licenses available to all residents? (Not just citizens). This is HUGE news for our immigrant neighbors who find themselves in dangerous and debilitating situations just trying to care for their children and create safe space for their families. This burden is very real, and these stories are often untold.

Recently, Storyline leaders were able to be at a community organizing event where story after story was shared in a safe and private place: individuals afraid to take their children or ailing parents to the doctor because they do not have a license and fear being separated from their family. One woman who was pulled over on Christmas Eve and was already trembling with the anticipation of the police officer possibly detaining her and taking away her young son in the backseat. Countless others who refuse to drive at night because the statistics of getting pulled over show raised instances of traffic stops that might lead to them being found out. As people of faith, we know that fear is no way to live... and that love of neighbor dictates we hear their stories and share them forward to people in power, like our legislators. 

I loved that I could tell my daughter, that we CAN use our voice to speak about our community's "rules", when those rules hurt our neighbors. I was able to tell her about some things Storyline is doing this month to use our voices.

Join us for Advocacy day (and beyond)!

​Storyline is participating in Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice's (IMIRJ) Legislative Campaign season. First up, IMIRJ Advocacy Day April 8th at the capital in Salem. Storyline leaders are going! Register here to come with us or email Anna or Sara to let us know you are interested. It can be a space where you get hands on (IMIRJ is putting together educational tools for having conversations with our legislators, set up all the meetings and host spiritual grounding before and after our actions. There are some great resources here on their website if you want to learn more in the meantime!)... OR it may be a space where for now, you join a fun road trip with us and observe and just begin to get comfortable in that setting.

It's an all-day event, but it's also a no-school day for NCSD and PPS, and there are a few other faith communities who are bringing adults, youth, and families who want to lend their voice or their ears. Together at Storyline, we're going to begin to practice telling the story of being called to God's work in the world alongside our children... so if your kids can handle a day of conversation and wandering the capitol building, lets grab our snack packs and books for the car ride and be village together doing God's work! 

Watching the water as we wait!
In the meantime, as a family we have chosen that each day at dinner we will look at our purple water, and wait for it to evaporate even though we can't see it happening. We will remember our neighbors who are waiting, and wait alongside them as together we "hope for what we do not yet see".

Lent is the time that the ancient church set apart for getting ready for the mystery of Easter Sunday. We take time during the season of Lent to be in a Wilderness space…. A space set apart that looks and feels different than the rest of our day to day lives. Kind of like how when we go on a hike, or to the beach, or spend time in the mountains it feels different.

​We engage new disciplines during Lent to turn ourselves back towards our spiritual and physical roots. Here is an earth-friendly challenge that can turn your habits toward earth-care!

(Or check out our 5-minute kid-friendly option or our simple pantry practice option here!)
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from Traci Smith’s book Faithful Families.

Lent is the time that the ancient church set apart for getting ready for the mystery of Easter Sunday. We take time during the season of Lent to be in a Wilderness space…. A space set apart that looks and feels different than the rest of our day to day lives. Kind of like how when we go on a hike, or to the beach, or spend time in the mountains it feels different.

​We engage new disciplines during Lent to turn ourselves back towards our spiritual and physical roots. Here is a simple non-time-consuming practice you can engage in daily with our family using just what's in your pantry!

(Or check out our 5-minute kid-friendly option or our environmentally-friendly habit-changing option here!)
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​Waiting is hard, for children and adults alike. Sometimes we wait for small things like the bus or our turn in line. Sometimes we are waiting for something that happens slowly and gradually, almost imperceptibly, like water evaporating from a glass. Throughout life we must wait. We wait for healing or for our dreams to become reality; we even wait to understand our faith. This activity is a visual reminder that many of the things we hope for in life come slowly.
 
Materials:

• Pitcher with 8 oz. of water
• Empty glass
• Purple food coloring (optional but helpful)

 
How to:

1. Read aloud Romans 8:25, which says, “If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Then talk about these two questions:
   1. What does it feel like to wait a long time for something?
   2. What is something you are waiting for now?
2. After the questions, say, “We are going to start an activity now about waiting and it will take a very long time. Each of us is going to pour a little water into this glass, and then we will put the glass somewhere and check on it every day. We will wait to see how long the water stays in the glass and how long it takes to evaporate. As we pass by and see how long it is taking, we might feel discouraged or wonder if it is ever going to happen, but slowly, very slowly, all of the water will evaporate. The water becomes part of the air but it is such a slow process we hardly notice it.
3. Take turns pouring water into the glass. Then, add a few drops of food coloring so you can see the water (and see that it’s not just a glass that needs to go in the dishwasher!) In fact, help label the glass “The Waiting Glass” so that it is set apart from your other glasses. Decide where it is going to sit for the next 40 days so you can see it but it won’t be disturbed.
4. As Lent passes by, be sure to check in with one another at meal times or other times about how the glass is doing. Wonder together about how much longer it will take to evaporate.
5. When the water has evaporated (or when you notice that it has evaporated), gather together again around the glass. Read the bible verse again. Ask:
   1. What did it feel like to wait?
   2. What are some things that WE wait for that take a long time? (baby to be born, a scab to heal over, a tooth to grow in, summer to come, etc)
   3. What are some things that our neighbors wait for that take a long time? (finding housing, finding jobs, racial equity, access to food, access to healthcare etc.) 

Lent is the time that the ancient church set apart for getting ready for the mystery of Easter Sunday. Easter and the story of Jesus’ resurrection is such a big mystery that we have to take time to get ready for it. We mark the season of Lent for 40 days… or 6 weeks. 40 days is symbolic of Jesus’ time in the wilderness after his baptism, which was symbolic of the number of years the people of God in the Hebrew bible wandered in the dessert before finally coming into the promised land. We take time during the season of Lent to be in a Wilderness space…. A space set apart that looks and feels different than the rest of our day to day lives. Kind of like how when we go on a hike, or to the beach, or spend time in the mountains it feels different.

We engage new disciplines during Lent to turn ourselves back towards our spiritual and physical roots.

Storyline has curated three Lenten practices that offer options to choose from this Lenten season. Click on any of the links below to link to the full practice!

​Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the season of Lent. Lent is the time that the ancient church set apart for getting ready for the mystery of Easter Sunday. Easter and the story of Jesus’ resurrection is such a big mystery that we have to take time to get ready for it. We mark the season of Lent for 40 days… or 6 weeks. 40 days is symbolic of Jesus’ time in the wilderness after his baptism, which was symbolic of the number of years the people of God in the Hebrew bible wandered in the desert before finally coming into the promised land. We take time during the season of Lent to be in a Wilderness space…. A space set apart that looks and feels different than the rest of our day to day lives. Kind of like how when we go on a hike, or to the beach, or spend time in the mountains it feels different.

Time required: 15 minutes to 1 hour (depending on age of kids)
Fire – either a fire pit in your backyard, or a fireplace in your home, or a gas stove or a lighter over the sink
Marshmallows – big ones
Roasting sticks
Paper and markers
A bit of earth

Light a fire together.
Explain the colloquialism “that really burns me”. Use examples from your own life of things that cause you exasperation, zap your energy or leave you feeling down. With older kids, talk too about how we sometimes can evoke that feeling for others. If it helps, make a list together of all the things that “burn you” or that you might do unintentionally to burn others.

Now, pull some marshmallows out!
Share together different ways you know that marshmallows respond to fire. Watch a marshmallow completely burn together. Toast one just a smidge. Let one catch fire and blow it out. Notice what happens to the inside. It gets soft and gooey (or melts altogether if you just leave it in the fire!). When hard things happen in life, the insides of us that might have felt firm and reliable start to get gooey. We need time in our days to reset and “firm up”. Talk together about some of the rhythms that help you do that.

Taking naps or breaks.
Having time to reflect.
Going outside and breathing fresh air.
Taking a vacation from work or school.
Having a trusted grown-up help you identify your emotions.

Share again the intro from above about wilderness time.
Lent is a time to help us “firm up” our insides and turn ourselves back towards the thing that firms us up: God. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of that time. It shows us not only how we have God’s firming power in common with humanity, but how we also have God’s cycle of creation in common. Where the marshmallow that got burned into ash came from somewhere kind of impersonal, (the Jet Puff factory), we all are born from God’s creation and one day we get folded back into God’s creation. So, at the beginning of Lent, we mark ourselves with a sign of that reminder. A cross made of ash/dust and we speak the words that God spoke to Adam and Eve: remember you are dust, you were taken from the earth…. And to dust and earth you shall return.

Another way to think about it: We belong to God and we will one day return to God. Sometimes the stuff in life that “burns us” isn’t God-stuff. So we take time to firm ourselves up and return to living in a way that reminds us of who we are and whose we are.

Take a bit of earth around the fire and mark one another’s forehead as you speak those words of blessing to one another.
Some ways to phrase it that might best fit your kids:

REMEMBER YOU ARE GOD'S AND TO GOD'S CREATION YOU BELONG.
REMEMBER YOU ARE STARDUST, AND TO STARDUST YOU SHALL RETURN.
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND TO WHOM YOU WILL ALWAYS BELONG.
REMEMBER YOU ARE MADE OF EARTH AND TO EARTH YOU WILL RETURN.

​While you’re enjoying your marshmallows (maybe some s’more material shows up too?), make a list of words and phrases that remind you of your firm places…. Of who you are and whose you are. Save that list somewhere prominent in your house during the season of Lent. Now, take the list of things that “burn you” and burn it.

Say a prayer together releasing those things to God.

The Portland Womxn’s March is happening THIS SUNDAY from 12-3 downtown in the PSU Park Block. There will be speakers and music and then a march. A few of us are going to head down together immediately following our gathering, to join with other supporter’s and activist’s for womxn’s issues in our neighborhoods and city. You are welcome to join us!

Here’s some thoughts on public protest and marches and the PDX Womxn’s March in general to help you get ready:

Why Protest/March?
Getting out in public and putting your body into motion behind something you believe in and support is part of our pattern as humans. In fact, many biblical historians would even go so far as to paint the story of Palm Sunday as a public rally/protest. Here’s an article from Sojourner’s magazine published last year reflecting on the March for Our Lives that coincided with Palm Sunday weekend: https://sojo.net/articles/holy-week-choice-march-empire-or-march-christ
Putting your body in the place of your beliefs is part of the movement of helping co-create God’s kin-dom. Marches that happen for the sake of speaking out against hatred, oppression and systemic injustice line up with many of our beliefs as people of faith.

Can my kids come?
Yes. PDX Womxn’s March is billed as intersectional and kid-friendly. But here’s some things to consider in making your decision about if/how many of your kiddos come:
It’s three hours of standing and walking. Strollers and baby carriers are welcome. But if your kiddos are past stroller age, make sure they’re dressed for the weather and the walking (and bring snacks!)

There will be signs. And slogans. And probably some life-size likenings of lady parts. As long as you’re cool explaining that to your kids, then they’re old enough to come. (Or in Sara’s case, your kid is too young to notice that that’s weird.) Signs vary all along the spectrum from opinions about pro-choice, to gun safety and control to opinions about patriarchy and systemic misogyny. There are lots of big words and lots of beliefs. One way to help your kids get ready for that is to have them make their own signs about what they believe about women’s issues. Do they think God loves girls and boys the same? Great. Make a sign. Do they think girls should be paid the same as boys for the same job? Fantastic. A lot of people want that. Make a sign. (Pro-tip: if there’s rain in the forecast, you can “laminate” your sign by wrapping it in packing tape.) This is a great opportunity for your kids to experience and wonder at how to share strong feelings and help move our world into a place where everyone can thrive. Also, keep in mind that the bonus of coming in a group is that there’s more adults to go ‘round. It takes a village to protest.   


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Can boys/men come?
Absolutely. Dads and brothers and uncles can and should come.

Why is there an X in Womxn’s and what does intersectional mean?
Good question. Check out the march website. They’ve got a lot of great information on the speakers and on why they’re being intentional about intersectionality and the way they address womxn. https://womxnsmarchpdx.com/

How will we get there?
We’ll carpool and all pick a parking lot to park in together. Sara GS is driving and has room for one other kid/car seat and one other adult. Text Anna or Sara to let them know you’re interested and we’ll add that to our carpool awareness. Parking downtown during big events can get tricky so sticking together in carpools will help. Secret Option B may be a van of folks parking at the Orange Line park and ride and MAXing and meeting up with us in the Park Blocks.  
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What do I wear?
Shoes for walking. Warm layers. Rain gear depending on weather. And, if you have a shirt that expresses your feelings about certain women’s issues, this is a perfect event to “wear your feelings” to.