[Faith-Talk] serving and connection examples

Sun Aug 11 01:41:17 UTC 2024

Andrew, this is going to sound really weird to you. Hopefully not weird to anybody else here.

Perhaps God led you to this list. Perhaps he led you to those who could speak in a way that you could hear. Faith is an action word, and all these people here are living their faith by helping you with ideas. Please reach out to those of us who volunteered to talk to you. God doesn’t like excuses and nor do you. Right? Well, someone telling you you can’t do it as an excuse tonight. Have to learn about your disabilities. Well, don’t give them that choice. God’s telling you there’s something out there bigger than living in an independent assistant apartment. 

And for whatever it’s worth here, we have two little old ladies who have the same kind of issues emotionally that you do, but they are not blind. So it’s not a blind thing it’s a human thing.

Ericka Nelson

> On Aug 10, 2024, at 8:32 PM, andrew edgcumbe via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> another peace to add to the puzzle if it means anything is that I get the I
> a live in supported living which means staff checks on me sometimes and
> they help with some cooking and cleaning.
> 
> With grocery shopping one of the grocery stores is excessible  but some of
> the other grocery stores tht are cheaper in price are not excessible the
> driveways are not designed for walking and i have told the town about it
> and told them what the obsticals are.
> 
> I even had meeting few years ago with o and m and the town.
> I keep persisting on finding new just exersize or walking roots that is one
> thing been parsistant with though. trying to learn walking roots even if
> they are just that walking roots.
> 
> I  have met with other orginizations to one other that still is on in the
> works.
> 
> /sin Sometimes it is hard to know why i am a Christian and sometimes i have
> a hard time knowing  how to hear god's voice. People say god told them that
> god told them this but i never heard his voice audiblly at all.
> All i ever experience is silence from him like when i pray and often times
> i get so out of focus like i can never focus i never can focus  at all
> anymore so istruggle with prayer and finding people that i can talk about
> bible with and know what i am suppose to do not as far as serving but
> knowing how to study the word I can't sit still for long periods of time.
> i get very figgity and very down some days especially in the evenings.
> sometimes i feel like nobody wants to talk to me on the phone oops heari go
> again with feeling but for me i find that there is true answer to where my
> head is going as my head goes all different directions and i struggle to
> even think through things and think clearly about things.
> Sometimes my thinking is just not good at all and any thoughts are to far
> out into the left field and those thoughts are just impossible.
> 
>> On Sat, Aug 10, 2024 at 3:04 PM Brian Hatgelakas via Faith-Talk <
>> faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I totally agree with Ashley.   Andrew keep pushing for yourself and be an
>> advocate.      Praying for you as well.
>> 
>> On Sat, Aug 10, 2024 at 2:26 PM Ashley Bramlett via Faith-Talk <
>> faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi,
>>> Unfortunately, the links did not come out as I expected as clickable
>>> links.
>>> These are great articles. Jusst copy and paste the websites into the
>>> address
>>> bar of your browser to access them.
>>> They did display as clickable links when I sent it from  Outlook. Andrew,
>>> I'll email you off list with the info. The name of the article was
>> supposed
>>> to be a link to click on and then you can read the article.
>>> Instead, you have the hyperlinks in brackets when it was sent to the
>> list.
>>> If I email off list I think it will display right.
>>> Good discussions.
>>> 
>>> Ashley
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Faith-Talk <faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ashley
>>> Bramlett via Faith-Talk
>>> Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2024 2:02 PM
>>> To: 'Faith-talk, for the discussion of Blindness in faith and religion'
>>> <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>>> Subject: [Faith-Talk] serving and connection examples
>>> 
>>> Hello Andrew and list,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> It is important to serve. It shows our abilities and that we can give
>> help,
>>> not just receive help.
>>> 
>>> Andrew, I hope you can overcome the barriers you have and find a way to
>>> serve.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> As I said before, there are numerous articles about blind and low vision
>>> people serving.
>>> 
>>> Perhaps I need to write my own, too, once I serve more. Before the
>> pandemic
>>> I volunteered two summers at a summer camp for low income children.
>>> 
>>> Right now, I am looking into volunteering for a food pantry, homeless
>>> shelter, nonprofit to keep the Chesepeake Bay clean, or tutor older kids.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Below are some links to articles.
>>> 
>>> I share these because they are great examples of service work in action.
>>> Some speak of accommodations and overcoming attitudes of the organization
>>> to
>>> fit in.
>>> 
>>> These articles could be printed and shared as well with organizations
>>> including the church to show that blind people are involved in the
>>> community.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The first two are by Jonathan Franks about giving a party for homeless
>>> children. Another story, which I found inspirational, is about a family
>>> helping out after a hurricane.
>>> 
>>> Another one is about Angela who volunteered with a homeless community.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Throwing a Party for Homeless Kids
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/throwing-a-party-for-t
>>> he-homeless-kids/
>>> <
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/throwing-a-party-for-the-homeless-kids/
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Throwing a Party for the Homeless Kids Part 2
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/throwing-a-party-for-t
>>> he-homeless-kids-part-ii/
>>> <
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/throwing-a-party-for-the-homeless-kids-part-ii/
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> My AmeriCorps Experience
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/my-americorps-experien
>>> ce/
>>> <
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/my-americorps-experience/
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This is by Serena Cucco who had a mother active in NFB Parents division.
>>> 
>>> Serena tells about her experience as a life skills advocate for a public
>>> defender's office.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> AmeriCorps Vista Experience
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/americorps-vista-exper
>>> ience/
>>> <
>> https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/americorps-vista-experience/
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This is by Denyece Roberts who volunteered with AmeriCorps for two years
>> as
>>> a coordinator for a youth transition program.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The Service Effect, How Helping the Community Develops Strong Leadership
>> in
>>> Students
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr31/3/fr310
>>> 313.htm
>>> <
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr31/3/fr310313.htm
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This article is by Darian Smith who also volunteered in AmeriCorps. This
>> is
>>> from Future Reflections in the Summer 2012 issue.
>>> 
>>> He worked outside on service projects.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Community Service For Fun, Friendship, and Future
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr34/2/fr340
>>> 209.htm
>>> <
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr34/2/fr340209.htm
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This article is also by Darian Smith who tells about
>>> 
>>> How to get involved in community service as a child or youth but the
>> ideas
>>> can apply to most age groups; it also has an article within the article
>> by
>>> Mary Church. This was from Future Reflections in the special issue in
>> 2015.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sharing Hope
>>> <https://nfbcommunityservice.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/sharing-hope/>
>>> 
>>> This is an article about a family volunteering to help after Hurricane
>>> Katrina and someone is blind in the family.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Philosophy in Practice
>>> <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm19/bm1910/bm191008.htm>
>>> 
>>> This article is by Angela Howard who tells her story about volunteering
>>> with
>>> homeless people at a nonprofit Called the Open Door. This was in the
>>> November 2019.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Baking Our Daily Bread
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/books/kernel1/k
>>> ern1508.htm
>>> <
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/books/kernel1/kern1508.htm
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This article is by Barbara Pierce and part of a NFB Kernnel book which
>> is a
>>> series of books about everyday experiences of blind people.
>>> 
>>> It mentions her baking talents were used to bake bread and buns for
>> church.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> A Maid of the Royal Court
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/books/kernel1/k
>>> ern1504.htm
>>> <
>> https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/books/kernel1/kern1504.htm
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This is by Julie Russel telling about her experience in the Mardi Gras
>>> parade. I assume she volunteered for this. Its also from a Kernel book.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Blindness No Obstacle for Church Choir Singer
>>> <
>>> 
>> https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2009/05/15/blindness-no-obstacle-
>>> for-church-choir-singer/30797351007/
>>> <
>> https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2009/05/15/blindness-no-obstacle-for-church-choir-singer/30797351007/
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This is from the Wilmington Star; a part of local news. Its an older
>>> article, in 2009, but still relevant.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I hope this gives you some ideas of what blind people are doing. Most are
>>> written by the blind person themselves. You might even reach out to the
>>> author, Andrew, and ask for more information if something strikes a chord
>>> with you. Ask what techniques they used to do the tasks and more about
>> how
>>> they overcame attitude barriers.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> You say you do not know many blind people and it's a small town. But, you
>>> can simply chat via phone with someone or facetime if you have an IPhone
>> or
>>> other IOS device or use a video service like zoom or Microsoft Teams.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I do not recommend email though because you cannot type correct sentences
>>> and most people will not understand your jumbled sentences. They often
>> make
>>> little sense. I read it carefully to get a sense of what you meant
>> though.
>>> 
>>> Also definitely try CNIB again; they might be helpful that next time.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> HTH,
>>> 
>>> Ashley
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Faith-Talk mailing list
>>> Faith-Talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Faith-Talk:
>>> 
>>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthl
>>> ink.net
>>> <
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Faith-Talk mailing list
>>> Faith-Talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Faith-Talk:
>>> 
>>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/bhatgelakas%40gmail.com
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> *Brian P. Hatgelakas | *
>> 318 Washington Road, #212, Pittsburg, PA 15216
>> C: 412.862.8644  *I* E: bhatgelakas at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Faith-Talk mailing list
>> Faith-Talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Faith-Talk:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/rollercoasterman86%40gmail.com
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> Faith-Talk mailing list
> Faith-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Faith-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/dotwriter1%40gmail.com