Linwood House Ministries

Linda Marie Nelson - Grandma

Grandma and Friends

Linda Marie Nelson, affectionately known to many as Grandma, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning in her beautiful bedroom at Linwood. Of course, the Christmas lights were shining and the family was present. She said earlier in the day, “I am so sorry I am going to miss Christmas this year.” She knew that soon she would be in a better place, even better than Linwood at Christmas.

My mother loved each and every one who passed through her doors, especially her friends from the Downtown Eastside. She enjoyed listening to their life stories and answering their many questions about her life. She would encourage them, love them, and often give some tough words of advice. Grandma is regarded as an elder by the many First Nations women that come to the Journey at Linwood (a 3 day retreat) and her words of wisdom were always appreciated.

She told them about her time in the Far North teaching in a one room school, about her hardships and her joys. She shared recipes and always reminded them of their potential. She told them how blessed they were to live in such an amazing country with so many opportunities.

Grandma is going to be missed, certainly by her family, and also by the many guests at Linwood. But we did have her for just under 99 years and she only spent one full day in bed unable to move! Thank you God for your amazing grace that is present and does fill every gap in time.

My prayer is that her legacy of unconditional love, acceptance, and PRESENCE will spur us on to continue the work of Linwood House Ministries and keep Grandma, my mother’s memory alive.

Another (Optimum) Way to Help

We're very pleased to be able to share another great opportunity for you to participate in the work of Linwood House, made possible by Shoppers Drug Mart through the Shoppers Optimum Points Donation Program.

By donating some of your Shoppers Optimum Points to Linwood House, you're enabling us to use your points at shoppers Drug Mart toward the purchase of products and supplies we will use at the Great Room and on The Journey.

You can donate your Shoppers Optimum Points here. if you're not a member, ask for a card the next time you are at Shoppers Drug Mart.

We Are The Great Room

Nearly five years ago we stepped foot onto the creaky floors of a second floor loft that became known as “The Great Room,” in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, for the first time. We were, essentially, handed the second floor of a condemned building off of East Hastings and Abbott. After years of walking around the DTES becoming familiar faces, meeting women in the neighbourhood, building trust, investing in friendships, our dream had quite suddenly come to fruition: a space that invited hurting, broken, lonely women to be wrapped in rest, acceptance, love, and hope.  

This space has become sacred over the last five years. It has sheltered us in times of tears, of laughter, of confusion as we have shared the stories of our lives, seeking hope and healing amidst pain, grief, addiction, etc. It has hosted Olympic athletes and tourists, Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers, Christmas carollers, various organizations and church groups. But most of all it has hosted our sisters, and has inspired creativity, fostered beautiful friendships, and has given many a place to call home.

Two weeks ago we were informed that this entire building had been sold and that we needed to vacate the building as soon as possible.

Thursday November 10, 2011 marked our final day in this space that we have called home for nearly five years. While this is certainly a very emotional transition for everyone, our friends continue to surprise and inspire us.  Last Tuesday during our women’s circle, in full recognition of the sadness in losing the current space, one of our friends said, “It’s not about the space… We are the Great Room.” With the rest of the ladies chiming in validating that statement in full agreement, we can’t help but be reminded once again that this is so much bigger than a space, a circle of women in the DTES, our vision: it comes back to women standing in solidarity with each other no matter personal histories, believing that there is hope and healing for each of us.

On Tuesday November 15 we will step into a new space that we will bring The Great Room to. Grace Mansion, on the corner of Princess and East Hastings, is operated by The Salvation Army, and they are partnering with us to create a space for the new Great Room in the lounge of the women’s floor. It is a smaller space, but its two-story corner windows with views of the North Shore Mountains inspire great potential for a new space. On Tuesday we will begin painting and start refurnishing and decorating the space. It is only a matter of time before this new space will be anointed with laughter, tears, story, and sisterhood as we step into the next season of our journey with The Great Room. Aside from saying goodbye to the vermin and insects, change is always challenging. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we make this transition with our friends in the DTES.

The Change of Seasons

The cooling temperatures, the colorful leaves, and the evidence of the harvest in markets everywhere are sure signals that the seasons, once again, are changing. Not only does creation go through transformation but so do each of us as we journey through the various stages and transitions of life. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that there is a season for everything under the sun--weeping, laughing, rest, work, mourning, dancing, living and dying.

Last week, 10 new friends from the Downtown Eastside and workers from Union Gospel Mission, Grace Mansion and the Salvation Army 614 joined us at Linwood House for the October Journey. We enjoyed all the wonderful things of the season--cozy fires, walks in the beautiful crisp air, and an amazing Thanksgiving feast of roast turkey with all the trimmings. We enjoyed the pampering of a spa morning, and the creativity of an art night as we collaged our personal stories to share with each other.

But perhaps the most significant time again, was the time we spent together in the Women's Circle. We reflected on the above passage about seasons, and shared with each other the season of life that we find ourselves in. As an act of honoring each story, we created a tree of life from which every branch hung a leaf that named each women's season.

Nesting. Grieving. Letting go. Health. Sobriety. New Beginning. Wellness.

We recognized that each one of us will find ourselves in those seasons at some time in our lifetime, and it was a beautiful picture of how God knits together all of the seasons of our lives. Each season is tilling ground for the season to come, and it is that truth that brings hope.

At Linwood House Ministries we too, are in different seasons of life, and as a ministry are preparing for change and transition yet again. Perhaps you are too. And so may this season, whatever season you find yourself in, hold hope, healing and the promise of new beginnings.

Thank you for your continued financial, practical and prayerful support of The Journey.

The Freedom Relay

Our good friend, Danielle Strickland from Edmonton has invited us, the us being all who are interested in ending human trafficking in our world, to participate in the Freedom Relay Canada Closing Ceremonies on October 1st at 7:00pm at the Salvation Army, 1648 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver. I know you share the burden with many others of ending human trafficking in our world, beginning in our own community.

This event is hosted by Stop The Traffik and Chrysalis Anti-Human Trafficking Network. From Newfoundland to British Columbia Canadians have joined together and passed on the key to stop the world’s fastest growing crime—community action! It is believed that the great problem of human trafficking begins in a local community and so does the solution.

The Closing Ceremony on October 1st will feature a dance performance by “Collective Productions” led by professional and internationally travelled founder Heather Clark; an artist rendering by Debra Brosseuk and comments from Joy Smith (MP) and Benjamin Perrin.

Imagine the momentum of hundreds of people taking a stand in local communities against human trafficking. Be one of those people by joining us at the final ceremonies on October 1st at 7pm. Pass the word to your friends, churches and families.

Closing Ceremonies
Freedom Relay Canada
October 1, 2011
Salvation Army, 1st and Commercial
7:00pm

It seems to be the season for running. We'll also be supporting our friends at SheLoves Magazine as they run tomorrow in support of women in Northern Uganda. Good luck ladies!

Journey to the Art Experience

On August 18th five friends from the downtown Eastside gathered together with us at Linwood House for a three day, art themed Journey. With a smaller group, Jen, myself and our five dear friends tucked ourselves into “the station” off the main house and prepared ourselves for the creative journey that awaited us.

On our first night as we gathered in our circle, candles flickering around the room, we reflected on where we were in our personal journeys – where we had come from, the truth we stood in now, and where we were going. We opened ourselves up to what this weekend of art was going to teach us, and we declared that we were all creative women who had a place among all of the artists that would be gathering at the house throughout the weekend.

The next morning we woke and greeted our guest artist, Ron Stevens, professionally known as Rogest. He is a world renowned artist, environmentalist and humanitarian. He also happens to have a very big heart, a hilarious sense of humor and a deep belief in the potential that lies in each person and so was the perfect person to lead us.

The day was perfect, sunshiny and warm. We gathered outside of the station by the pond, and set up with our canvases, paints, smocks and open hearts. By the end of the day Ron said we would each end up with a beautiful landscape painting that would be auctioned off in the Linwood House Art Experience later that weekend. Really, he promised!

And so we began the process. First, covering the canvas completely with color. Then the sketch on paper. Next, transferring the sketch onto the canvas in a faint and easy outline. Then painting in the layers…..first, the dimension farthest away, sky and clouds. Then the next dimension and the next and the next. Layers and layers of paint added to create depth, dimension, texture.

The process was an interesting one. At times there was pride and excitement in what was unfolding on the canvas. At other times there was fear of being unable to meet the task at hand. Or disappointment at the way one stroke was too dark, too faint, went in the wrong direction, “ruined” what was already there. Sometimes, standing back to look at the canvas, only to wonder how this was going to turn into anything beautiful.

Ron encouraged us to press on, let go (ok, that might have been specifically a direction to me!) and trust the process.

He was right. At the end of the day, together we stood with 6 beautiful canvases and a deep sense of awe and pride at what we had accomplished. We had tapped into the creativity within us that perhaps had been dormant or that we didn’t even know we had, and you could see and feel the expansion in each of us……of hope, of possibility, of deeper, truer identity.

On Sunday, at the 5th Annual Linwood House Art Experience each of us gathered on the side lawn as featured artists to have our art auctioned off. Nina, Elizabeth, Carol, Grace, Marcy and myself had the opportunity to share a little bit of our story and our art before it was auctioned off to the highest bidder. There were many tears shed and victories honored as the guests heard stories of homelessness, addiction, brokenness and most of all, hope.

The response to our collective art was amazing! Close to $1000 was raised in the auction alone! As for our group…….the affirmation of our work, our process, our stories and our creativity was nothing short of joyous!

In our final circle together as a group that weekend, we shared about what this experience meant for each of us. Here are some of our reflections:

“My life was like that blank canvas. Coming to Linwood House for the first time, and connecting with God has put the color back in my life” – Nina

“I was always told that I would never do anything in life because of my learning disability. This weekend has helped to encourage me that my life does have potential and purpose” – Marcy

“I am grateful for the gift of finishing. This experience has reminded me to have perseverance in my life, that I can overcome any obstacle that comes my way” – Grace

Finally, I want to share with you the lyrics for what became our theme song for this wonderful weekend. From “Living Proof” by Mary J. Blige:

Anything you say to me
And everything you do
You can’t deny the truth
Cause I’m the living proof.
So many don’t survive,
They just don’t make it through
But look at me, yeah
I’m the living proof!

Thank you for your support, in every way, of the Linwood House Art Experience, The Journey and our amazing friends from the downtown Eastside. We are grateful!

~ Sue Todd

Be sure to check out our photos from this great weekend! Do you have any to add to the collection? Please let us know.

Grandma, artists, build Art Experience

AUGUST 19, 2011 
JAN DEGRASS/ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
Coast Reporter 

She's known simply as Grandma and she's been serving the women of the Downtown Eastside for many years now, on the streets of Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast through the retreat space offered by Linwood House Ministries (LHM).

At 98 years old, Grandma (Linda Marie Grant) is also a dynamite baker and cook. She has freely passed on her wisdom to guests that she learned from years of cooking for a family of six, including her daughter, Gwen McVicker, founder of Linwood House.

Grandma's skill has inspired a cookbook, Linwood Family Recipes, to be sold hot off the press this Sunday, Aug. 21 during the fifth annual Linwood Art Experience on the grounds of the lovely mansion in Roberts Creek.

Read the rest here

Europe 9: The Wrap-Up, and the What Now?

We are home safe and sound, jet-lagged and thankful.  The Linwood House Ministries’ Adventure to Europe is already a memory in the hearts and minds of the adventurers (Gwen, Britni, Emma, Karen, Diana, Donna, Anna, Robyn, Idelette) and the senders and pray-ers who have faithfully journeyed with us.  Our minds have been stretched, our hearts have been broken and our territory has been enlarged as we shared our lives and ministry with women in Europe and they shared their lives and ministries with us.  Both parties have been enriched and challenged.   We know as we have oriented ourselves to home this week that it is the end of this journey, and yet it also marks the beginning of a new journey.  The new journey begins with the question, “What now?” and begs us to process what we have seen and experienced on this trip.   How do we stay connected?  How do we support, inspire and help one another to persevere and do “even greater things” in the days ahead?

We have looked into the face of prostitution, trafficking, destination countries, sending countries, poverty, corrupt government, legalized prostitution and the effects, the church and justice, and are more than ever determined to do our part “to journey with women into the hope of their story”.  We will not stop until all women are released to be who God created them to be; equal and free, both here in our own nation and beyond.  

We experienced safe places where women can heal and become whole as we visited with Alabaster Jar, The Café in Berlin, Herz Werk in Vienna, The Church of Serbia and Slovakia, and the Choose Life Center in Novi Sad.  We met strong, courageous women who believe in God’s power to bring healing and wholeness and who choose to stand for justice in their communities and nations at great cost.  We heard the stories of the “ones” who have been freed from lives of enslavement.

We realized as we shared our own story of Linwood House Ministries that we are part of a much larger global story.  The provision of safe places at The Great Room and Linwood House, the building of relationships and trust, the creative ways of bringing value and dignity through art and music to women are some of God’s ways of bringing freedom to those who are devalued, abused, violated and sold.  Our story was received as an inspirational gift by the women of Europe.

More than ever, we are aware that there is much to do as everyone does their part here and throughout the world.  Everyone can effect change.  Will you continue to do your part and journey with us?

My deep felt thanks:

• To those who provided financial support, prayers and encouraging words as we travelled these past two weeks.
• To our hosts and hostesses who welcomed us into their country, lives, and ministries.
• To our organizers, Anna and Sheldon Armitage.
• And most of all to the 8 amazing women who travelled with me to Europe; Emma Strobell, Britni Ludwig, Robyn McVicker, Karen Reed, Diana Christou, Donna Cain,  Anna Armitage, Idelette McVicker.  The gift of their story, their openness to share, their vulnerability, their talents and resources were all part of God’s plan to bless the women of Europe.

Yesterday I received an encouraging email from Vesna, our host in Novi Sad:

Dear sister, 

Thank you, thank you for coming to our country, traveling so far away and for sharing your hearts with us. And what a beautiful hearts you have! You have served us well, your Serbian sisters, may you all be blessed for that!

I hope that rest of the journey was fruitful and encouraging and that you have many new sisters here in Europe! Please let me know of the rest of your trip. Also I want to thank you for the donation that you gave to us. It will be spent wisely where is the most needed at the moment. Thank you all!
 
And I do not have time right now but I just need to quickly tell you what had happened yesterday! And let me tell you this has never happened before. 

A girl 26 year old came to our home, she is a drug addict but also a prostitute. We have spent 4 hours talking to her.

A taxi driver, brother in Christ whose wife was at the seminar that you held, and who heard all about it, met this girl, driving her around and he guessed what is going on. He shared about his own addiction and Teen Challenge program and gave her our phone to talk to us if she wants to get out of all that madness. So she came. And let me tell you she is a beautiful human being.
Please pray! She needs so much love, she is afraid that we will reject her as all the other people. She is not very positive about going to the Rehabilitation center. Please pray! She is at the moment with my sister in law, Maja. Her name is 'K'.

I will send you some news soon.
 
Much much love
 
Vesna Radeka
Choose Life Center
Serbia

This is why we go, and this is why we ask you to journey with us. Please continue on this road by joining our Facebook Page, or following us on Twitter. You can also donate to this ongoing work online if you wish.

Thank you.

Gwen McVicker

PS. For those of you in the Lower Mainland please consider joining us next Sunday, August 21 from 1pm to 5pm, for our 5th Annual Linwood Art Experience!

Europe 8: Picking Up Where We Left Off

Slovakia

While I so wish I was sitting in my charming, bright yellow room in Slovakia writing this update, I must admit that I am in my cozy, blue room in Vancouver reflecting on our final day in Slovakia. Wi-fi was sticky towards the end of our trip, so, here we are now: Slovakia.
 
Quite honestly, I remember waking up on this final day (last Thursday) in Slovakia, dropping my blush/bronzer combo, watching it shatter and crumble on our less-than-sanitary bathroom floor, scooping it back into its worthless gold container [totally irritated], feeling like this was probably a prophetic incident for how my day was going to go. We were as a team somewhere between exhaustion and this incredible eagerness to still hear and see what was next. I felt like I had come as my blush/bronzer combo had: appearing solid and intact, but really made up of small bits that come apart almost by accident when I forget to pay close attention.  I felt like I was scooping myself into the day--trying to make room for as many bits as possible. But as we all met for breakfast at Anna and Sheldon’s lovely apartment in Nitra, I realized we were all in the same boat--ready to fill in for each other’s missing pieces. This was the beauty of our circle.
 
After breakfast we met Lubka and Michal, a couple starting a church plant in a neighboring city, over lunch to hear about the “re-education centre” we would be visiting.  We learned that the centre is a government run program for youth under 18 with behavior concerns, crisis pregnancies, and young moms. For some, it is a safe place out of abusive situations, a place of opportunity. For others, it appears to be a somewhat sterile environment where they are under lock and key.  We had about 10 young moms/moms-to-be join our circle. Much like Serbia, we brought snacks along, laid out the beads, and had fresh roses around the room.  Before making bracelets together, we started our time by introducing ourselves and then a few of us shared our stories using our ‘story bracelets’ as examples. Once again, what a beautiful array of story, rich in experience, and such hope sprouting within these young women as they continue to grow up.  I was continually amazed by how all of the women we met responded to our stories: with great love, compassion, and honor in the fact that we would come and share simply our lives with them, with no real agenda- simply to connect.
 
A ‘house mom’/staff person came in and out of the circle as well. There was a softness about this woman. It was clear in the way she looked at each of the girls and the babies/toddlers in the room that she had great love and concern for each one. While we only had a couple of hours here, Lubka mentioned that it gave her such insight into the girls’ stories and lives and created a new openness for future visits.  We so look forward to hearing about the relationships that Luby and Michal will continue to foster in this place with these beautiful, hopeful, young women.
 
Next came the drive through Slovakian countryside, which is absolutely beautiful, to another city about an hour and a half away.  In the car ride we brainstormed ideas for the time we would have with a women’s circle from another church plant.  We settled on the story of Princess Tamar who is raped by her half brother and denied justice by her father, King David.  In fact, she lives a desolate life of despair, holding an untold story.  Maya Angelou suggests that “there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.”  We couldn’t agree more. Britni played the role of a lovely Princess Tamar as Gwen read aloud the biblical story.  As our Tamar, lowered herself to the floor with each loss of dignity, respect, advocacy, and family, we as her sisters came alongside her and lifted her up with words of love and action: I will stand by you, I will be your friend, I love you, I see you, I hear you, I believe you. You are beautiful. You have a purpose. You are my friend ... You are my sister. 

It was a powerful moment as we tangibly saw what it takes, what it means to stand by a sister. We then shared some of our stories, including moments where there have been feelings of rejection and/or judgment by the church, challenging the idea that there are certain taboo issues we must bear on our own- secretly.  Again we had laid out the beads that would represent pieces of story and invited the women to share in smaller circles using their story bracelet. It really is incredible to see how a small, hand-made, tangible bracelet can represent a woman’s story and provide the open door to sharing and then to action. Perhaps only a beginning, it is indeed in openness that we can begin to learn how to stand by and advocate for each other.  
 
I think we all took a deep breath as we drove back to Nitra for dinner, reflecting on the full day that we were certainly carried through. 

Thank you for your love and support--it meant more than you know!
 
With love,
 
Emma for Gwen, Robyn, Idelette, Donna, Karen, Britni, Diana, and Anna

Europe 7: Travel, Then Rest

Anno friends and family! 

 
Yesterday was a day of traveling for the team. After waking up in Hotel Vigor and meeting downstairs for breakfast, debriefing and prayer, the team met up for our final goodbye with Vesna and Neija. Our time spent with them in Serbia was such a blessing; they have been such an inspiration for us all. After hauling onto the bus with our many suitcases, we began the journey back to Belgrade where we boarded a flight for Vienna. Once in Vienna, we drove to Nitra, Slovakia, where we unloaded at the hotel and headed out to dinner where we had delicious Slovakian pizza and salads in a quaint little restaurant.

 

Today was our day for rest and relaxation; while some chose to catch up on rest at a local Wellness Center, a few of us decided to travel out to the old city of Bratislava, Slovakia. Bratislava is a lovely little city filled with cobblestone roads and beautiful architecture. A castle overlooks the city from a mountain and the golden roof of an old church peaks out above the surrounding buildings. We leisurely walked through the streets, occasionally stopping to look at souvenirs in nearby shops and stands. After Bratislava, we picked up the rest of the team at the Wellness Center and embarked on our drive out to Obsolovce where Anna's grandmother and mother hosted us for lunch.  Their cooking was absolutely incredible! The drive to and fromObsolovce was also amazing... the Slovakian countryside is filled with beautiful rolling green hills. I was completely in awe of the landscape and took numerous pictures as we zoomed along.

 

Tomorrow we are planning to meet up wth a local ministry that works with young women, including teenage mothers. We plan to connect with them through sharing our stories, creating story bracelets with them, learning more about the needs that exist in Slovakia and discovering ways to potentially partner with this ministry in the future.

 

Ciao,

 

Britni for the team: Gwen, Idelette, Robyn, Emma, Karen, Diana, Dawna and Anna