I was 16 years old — I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license. I couldn’t wait to work and make my own money. I couldn’t wait to go to college to be a social worker. I couldn’t wait to move out of the house and be independent.
I was going to have a great life — get married, have children, buy a house. I was a typical teenager. I was in control.
But life happens and my life has certainly been an adventure and not what I had planned at all! There have been many detours along the way.
One such detour occurred in the ’90s. Our family went through some terrible hardships (unplanned, of course, and unexpected).
In every hardship there are also unexpected blessings. The fund for ministerial assistance was one such blessing.
Sickness had left our family in a crisis and things were getting worse. But with the same spirit of determination I had when I was 16, I was going to manage (somehow!).
However, as time went on, we found our family caught between the left hand and right hand of financial assistance for those who are not able to work due to disability. My husband had no long-term disability at his work; the sick benefits through unemployment insurance were only for a short term (10 weeks approximately).
The provincial disability family benefits would only kick in when the E.I. ran out and once you were under the provincial legislation, you were expected to apply for all other benefits you may be entitled to, which in this case was Canada Pension’s disability plan.
Sounds complicated. It felt complicated. I remember what I felt like back then. Trying to juggle everything — hoping that we would find some stability. It seemed that we spent the entire year trying to unravel the bureaucracy of social assistance while my husband coped with a permanent disability at age 47 and what that would mean to him for the rest of his life.
And then came a blessing! (Unexpected and unplanned for.) The fund for ministerial assistance. I don’t remember who it was, but some kind soul directed me to the fund.
I am very determined and independent by nature! We will manage! But there is a time when we all have to put aside our pride and ask for help. It took a lot of courage back then to ask for help and looking back, I am so glad I did.
Today, I share my story for three reasons. First, I would like to express my deep and heartfelt gratitude for this fund and all who administer it. I respect your confidentiality, your kindness and love shared through the gifts given to our family that year. I also thank God for all those who are part of the team of people who hear stories like ours year after year and yet continue to offer such a genuine expression of care.
Secondly, I would like to express my thanks to Norman M. Paterson posthumously for having the foresight to see that his gift of generosity made in 1951 was needed and would continue to help many families like ours over the years.
At our 136th General Assembly the following recommendation was passed: “That the continuing need for new infusions of capital into the fund for ministerial assistance, in order to maintain the gifts to eligible ministers and their families, be drawn to the attention of sessions and to the members of congregations.”
As one who was a recipient of this fund many years ago, any donation to this fund will make a difference to some family this year … and in years to come. As the Moderator, Rev. Dr. Herb Gale, shared at General Assembly, let us board the ship of Generosity and give.
