Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64care, aboriginal race relations, compassion, kindness, service, unity. I felt accepted right from the get-go, even though I wasn’t wearing a mask and I was clearly an invited guest. But I was not sheltered from truth. Reaching across the Fence There was a split in the Nova Scotia Anonymous group a while ago, and two groups formed. Group One (the one that had been involved at Souls Harbour last year) made a last-minute decision to change their march route and march to the finish line of Group Two. It brought tears to my eyes to see people putting themselves out there, extending an olive branch of friendship and reconciliation. Group One stood at the street corner, shouting their rally cries, beating their drum, and cheering on Group Two on as they came closer to the finish line. Some members shared how they at first had a touch of anger, but then, as they came closer to the finish line and rally spot, they realized it made sense and melted animosity. We are all stronger together. Factions and divisiveness only serve to alienate, creating chaos and even bondage. Freedom comes when we accept one another and work together for the common good. There are those in my world who will not understand why I participated in a day with Anonymous. It doesn’t mean Souls Harbour isn’t faith-based. It doesn’t mean that I have gone off the rails of my Christianity. It means that I accept- ed an invitation from some new friends to be part of their world for a couple of hours. It means I got out of my bubble. As we enter each others’ spaces, we can offer light and life and hope. Be yourself. Be unique. Befriending someone who is different in how they look, think, or act, isn’t a compromise. It’s love. Ĩ 34 WWW.AGRM.ORG JULY/AUGUST 2016 Bringing It Home Ways you can collaborate with “fringe” groups in your community It’s not about marching in a rally or chaining yourself to a tree. It’s about becoming inclusive without sacrificing your values. Did anyone doubt Christ was the Savior when he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners? Yes, they did. Will someone question your faith if you accept an invitation to a protest rally? They might. But walking in the shoes of Jesus is our highest calling. Here’s how that could look at your mission: • Collaborate with other groups and agencies to reach a common goal. • Allow other groups freedom to serve a meal using your mission’s kitchen. • Let fringe groups come and serve, and invite them to chapel. • Next time you want to brush someone off because they look, think, or act differently, give them the royal treatment instead. • Be like Jesus, who allowed people on the fringes of society to serve and touch Him. • Invite a local group to have a tour, and be sure and tell them you serve the poor in Jesus’ name. Start doing some of these things, and you’ll be surprised at what opportunities will come your way. We don’t have to hide our light. We need to go into the darkness and let it shine. If we don’t go, who will? —Michelle Porter