Ours to Serve House of Hospitality Executive Director Rebecca Hoffman and Board Members Scott Thorson, Lori Theis, Cheryl Yarnott, Sue Snider, Diane Baer, and Lois Jenkins break ground on Village of Hope on 4/29/2010! Lois Jenkins offered the following invocation:
Let us face East from this Village of Hope and welcome all peoples from the East, especially our close neighbors from Leech Lake. May they feel welcome and safe. Let us welcome our city and county and state elected officials and staff who, together with our staff, all of whom are relied upon to work for the 'good of the people.'
Let us look to the South from this Village of Hope and welcome all peoples from the South, especially our close neighbors from neighboring counties. May they feel welcome and safe. Let us remember every day the builders, especially Kuepers Construction, and the subcontractors; may they work smart and safe. may they know they are constructing not just a 'building' or even a LEED building, but a community home for the many.
We delight that the children who will live here for awhile will have a wonderful playground surrounded by nature and caring family and staff. May their 'peels of joy' while at play, transform this neighborhood of Bemidji.
Let us look to the West from this Village of Hope and welcome all peoples from the West, especially our close neighbors from White Earth and the Red River Valley. May they feel welcome and safe. Let us remember the close neighbors especially those Veterans who seek medical care, may they hear the children play and be glad for life.
Let us look to the North from this Village of Hope and welcome all peoples from the North, especially our close neighbors from Red Lake. May they feel welcome and safe. Let us remember all neighbors, migrants, immigrants, refugees who move around looking for work or for family in times of war and famine and tough economic times.
Let us look UP at the wonder of the day, sun (and the rain that will make our crops grow) that will help energize our Village of Hope; and the folks who live and work here. Let us look up with the children, with wonder at the night sky of star and moon and be scared no more. May the beauty of this corner of our community called Village of Hope shine forth in the staff and board of directors, and in our guests.
Let us look Down at the wonder of the earth, this place that has been waiting, waiting, waiting, to build this Village of Hope. May we be kind to Mother Earth as we build a home for her children, a community where they can restore their lives.
Let us look Within ourselves and always remember our neighbors and our guests who go to work, go to school, and yet are in need of this family shelter, Village of Hope. Let us with them promise that we will end homelessness in our day, even at this Village of Hope.
With Gratitude to the Creator and to the many neighbors from all directions who have made Village of Hope possible we now take a moment of silence, to each in our own way, our own say, or in a gesture pause,
And if a song burst forth, that is okay, too!
Miigwetch!
