Virtual Connection
In March, we were beginning to see COVID-19 spread to the United States but were still so unaware of the devastating impact it would have in our community. We were prepared to treat COVID-19 like flu season, asking everyone who came to drop-in to use hand sanitizer and being mindful of our own hygiene practices.
My position at SYM is a year-long fellowship and our annual Breakfast at Nine fundraiser is my big project. Since January, I have been planning seating arrangements, researching caterers, and purchasing things like table cloths, compostable dinnerware, and even the dress I was going to wear to the event. I knew I was going to be in my element. I dreamed about the day—me running the whole show, making everyone feel special and thought of.
Then, the stay-at-home order was put in place. Rowena and I spent so many anxious moments at her desk, wondering whether or not the Breakfast could be done. When school was canceled for the entire school year, our fate was sealed—the Breakfast would not happen. For me, this event that I had created and dreamed of just disappeared before my eyes. For Rowena, our most important fundraiser was no more.
The weight of the loss and disappointment weighed heavy on our shoulders. In the midst of all of this, our work was shifting daily. We were working as a team to do damage control in our community. What was our capacity right now? How comfortable is each staff member with working on the front lines? How can we best support the young people we serve? How will we continue to do this if the support dwindles?
Personally, I was dealing with grief. I feel silly calling it grief, but it was. I lost this event that was supposed to prove my position on the SYM team. I had been feeling insecure that I was in an administrative position while my coworkers were working on the front lines with young people during this pandemic. My role is supportive, and I was providing all the support I could, but nothing seems like enough when you watch your coworkers (we are more like family with a 6 person staff) work so hard to provide for the underserved in our community. On top of that, I felt guilty for feeling so sad. I am one of the lucky ones. I am privileged, I still have a job, and I am able to work from home most of the time. Then I was inspired by Brene Brown to accept my grief for what it was and not try to ignore it because it wasn’t big enough. She said on her podcast, “Hurt is hurt, and every time we honor our own struggle and the struggles of others by responding with empathy, the healing that results affects all of us.”
So, I accepted my grief over this event for what it was and began to plan a virtual fundraiser. I’m laughing as I think about the early days of planning. I had no idea what I was doing and most of the day I watched YouTube videos on how to use Zoom. My grief didn’t disappear, but I was distracted by this other goal I was working toward. I had no idea if people would be interested in an online event and decided that even if it was only staff who would be online, that it was still a good learning experience.
We deployed our table captains from the original fundraiser to continue their plans to host a table, though they would now be virtual. I created a PowerPoint presentation, and we employed a friend of SYM, Tate Busby, to film some videos of our staff and youth. We asked a former pastor of UPC, Courtney Grager to speak—a joy because she now lives in California and would not have been able to if the event hadn’t been online! We used all of the interactive abilities of Zoom so that our participants wouldn’t be bored to death. All of a sudden, people started to register. By the morning of the event there were around 130 individuals joining us!
The virtual event was a HUGE success. People showed up!
People participated in our activities and wrote thoughtful reflections in our chat box. Some people heard about SYM for the very first time!
Our volunteers got to see the youth that they’ve created relationships with on the video that Tate made. We laughed, we shared our story, and we shared the issues that our youth are facing due to these unprecedented circumstances.
I’ve been praying Psalm 91 since the beginning of this pandemic. Many times over the past two months, I have cried and shouted and wondered how God could allow this to happen? My heart aches for those without homes during this stay-at-home order. I feel like our systems have failed our young people over and over again. Sometimes, I see the sin in our systems and attribute that to God. But this past weekend, God made good on his promise to me. Through my doubt, I still clung to the truth that God cares for me and cares for our youth. We will not abandon our youth because God will not abandon us. “I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer. I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them salvation.” (Psalm 91: 14-16)
Yesterday, we packed up everything I gathered for the original breakfast— all of the tablecloths and plates and coffee. We plan to use it all when we are safely able to host an event again. I don’t know what the future holds for SYM, but I know that God is on our side.
If you would like to view a condensed version of the event, follow this link