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Media Advisory
Cyclist "Pumped" About Putting Brakes on Cycle of Poverty
By Erin Butts, St. Helena Cathedral Parish and St. Catherine Parish, Bigfork
"All that I have seen readies me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The experiences of working thirty hours a week at a homeless shelter and spending a semester overseas have opened my eyes to poverty. I am not naive. I've been exposed to a reality in our world that can be ignored. However, if one chooses to confront this reality, it becomes incredibly hard to understand.
When I worked at God's Love homeless shelter in Helena, I was with people burdened by severe mental illness, others recovering from addictions, and still others with physical challenges. During spring semester at Carroll College in 2002, I traveled around the world on a ship. I was in Cuba, Brazil, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Japan. Time was spent both as a selfish United States Citizen seeing the sights, and as a student immersing myself in the realities of third world hunger.
Certain countries contained an immense amount of poverty and racism. The worst poverty I experienced was in South Africa. Due to the Apartheid legacy, South Africa is divided into a minority first world and a majority third world country. Thirty shipmates and I spent one day working with Operation World Hunger. We built gardens in three communities and we watched traditional African dancing in a fourth, named for Marcus Garvey. People in all four communities lived in small wooden or tin shacks. Some children were barefoot, while others were completely bare.
In Mauritius, I visited an elderly home and orphanage that Mother Theresa had visited on four different occasions. In Chennai, India, I participated in a service project at a government school. We worked for the "untouchables" of Chennai. I never experienced anything quite like the caste system of India.
During the months of travel, I became discouraged with myself and with my country for the conditions I continued to see. The trip raised so many questions about my own lifestyle. It was an incredible experience to work with the poorest of the poor, but their plight seemed so unfair. I cannot imagine what someone like myself looked like in their eyes.
Internal challenges have stirred my soul – so much questioning, with few answers. In all this questioning, Jesus had introduced Himself to me a thousand times over. My most vivid memory of Him was in India. My journal entry of March 27, 2002 reads:
I remember the man hunched over, old, very worn and tired, carrying a cane, hardly able to walk. He had an aged dirty cloth bag in his left arm, with a tin can in his right, begging for money as we climbed into the bus after eating a quality lunch. I had a partially opened bag of crackers in my backpack. I opened the bus window, handing them to this man. He quickly limped over, and grabbed them from me. I did not know this man's situation or story, or even how he survives. His legs were long and so very thin. Wearing a string to hold up an old tattered cloth to cover only the front of him, his entire backside was bare.
This man had the greatest effect on me. All I could think about was what if this man is Jesus?
I know many people in India have incredible needs, but this was a man who literally had nothing. How people in his situation survive each day was a lot for me to try to comprehend. Jesus said there would always be poor, but this? I do not think I quite grasped what I saw in that one moment, let alone everything I continued to be exposed to during my time in Chennai, India.
God speaks to us in many ways when we listen not only with our hearts, but also with discerning intellects. When we are presented an opportunity to work for the good of others, that is God's work. Today I find that "Brake the Cycle of Poverty" is another blessing from God to me, through my dad. It can be a blessing to you, too.
My dad is a Catholic Deacon in Bigfork, and is on our diocesan committee of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. CCHD is a program of the US Bishops that helps poor in the US find their way out of poverty – for example through programs that provide marketable skills. Funds donated each November are granted to poverty groups. Over $260 million has supported 4,000 projects in all fifty states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Information about domestic poverty can be found at the CCHD website, www.povertyusa.org.
At a CCHD conference last October, my dad learned of and then presented me with an idea that stuck: cycle across the United States to help put the brakes on poverty.
For me, this is a win-win situation. I get to participate in two of my greatest passions – biking, and helping the poor. It is a bike road tour leaving San Francisco June 1 and arriving in Washington, D.C. on Aug 1. The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness of poverty in the United States. We will take days off for poverty-related events planned in specific cities along the tour route. To read more about "Break the Cycle of Poverty," go to www.usccb.org/cchd/brakethecycle/.
Being a rider in "Brake the Cycle of Poverty" is an honor. As one of 20 cyclists, the only Montanan, I am privileged to represent the Helena Diocese.
Don't be fooled though. Anyone can be a participant in the Brake the Cycle of Poverty effort. Shorter, local cross-county "solidarity" rides are encouraged. These need volunteer planners, riders and organizers. Just call our Helena Diocese CCHD director, Deacon Tony Duvernay at (800) 584-8914 to get involved. I will write again in this column to let you know of new developments.
Concrete change will happen when we work together in community. It is my hope that people who enjoy riding will participate. The solitary rides can be done individually, with friends, family, or church groups. The important thing is to remember why.
The next time we offer service to someone, or see someone in need, we can ask ourselves, is that person Jesus? We'll find that actions of solidarity with the poor come easily.
Editor: Anyone wishing to help sponsor Erin can send donations to "Brake the Cycle of Poverty" c/o Deacon Tony Duvernay, P.O. Box 1729, Helena MT, 59624-1729. The national CCHD office estimates the cost per rider at $2,000, although Erin needed to purchase some equipment, so her costs will be a little higher.
Justice Voices stories are coordinated by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development committee of the Diocese of Helena.
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| Learn more at PovertyUSA.org |
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