Christmas is also the recognition of a beginning. It's the recognition of need . It's recognizing that we are in this for the long haul, and not just for a moment. If you have ever been a parent, or if you have been raised by a parent, you know something about how complex human needs are. All that stuff about helping, but encouraging independence, all that stuff about respect, about tough love, about complex family dynamics, is all part of the picture here.
Love is both very simple, and very complicated.
But it is more than just a moment. It is more than just a box of presents and a few bags of groceries. I don't know how, or whether, our meeting can handle the challenges that poverty like this presents. But I feel that the need goes beyond just Christmas morning. They need every resource that this community can offer.