Meera Atkinson
While most chase the Holy Grail of upward mobility, a curious band of everyday missionaries are hanging out the ‘Home Sweet Home’ sign in suburbs others dare not even visit.
Unpack the issues...
In Melbourne, 1993, a Christian couple moved into a bad area and the Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH) vision was born. There are now scores of full-time UNOH workers living in needy neighbourhoods in Melbourne, Sydney and Bangkok. And the organisation plans to have established 30 urban neighbourhoods in ten Asian-Pacific cities by 2015.
Jon Owen and his family are among those who have so far answered the UNOH call. Jon, 32, lives in Bidwill, Mt Druitt, with his wife and two daughters, aged 5 and 6. “It all began when I was searching for groups that were authentically living out Jesus’ mandate,” says Jon.
The UNOH website describes the project as an intention to shine light in dark places and Jon says the "darkness" of poverty and marginalisation, “Grinds away at people,” while, “Children and women grow up with violence and abuse, men are devalued and people are stigmatised socially by the area or their race."
Jon and his family live near one of Australia’s largest public housing estates. Jon says the suburb has the largest number of Indigenous people of any postcode in Australia and a significant Pacific Islander population.
“There’s fourth and fifth generation unemployment here. It’s one of the highest postcodes for attended reports of domestic violence,” he says.
Asked how his family and friends view his decision and if they’re happy to come and visit, Jon reports that the path he’s chosen does meet with some misunderstanding, confusion and apprehension.
He describes the biggest challenges of the commitment as resisting the temptation to go with the aspirational flow.
“Our whole society is geared away from the poor and the marginalised. It’s hard to actively resist the idols in our midst — trying to get more power, success, prestige and to just stay focused and present to loving God and our neighbours.”
To Jon it's less a matter of UNOH workers descending like saviours on a struggling community and more a case of God-inspired communion.
Yet lovely as the vision of communion may be, the reality is these are areas often rocked by crime where personal safety can be an issue. Jon concedes he experiences some apprehension but he and he wife turn to their faith in the face of it.
“God never really promises to protect us. He promises to be with us. We hold on to that knowledge,” he says. “We’re terrified at times when we send our kids to the local public school and we hear and see what their friends are doing but they are an integral part of our ministry. I model how to be a father to a lot of fathers in the area. My wife models how to be a mother to our girls.”
Love your neighbour as yourself is one of the quintessential Christian dictates. While Jon doesn’t assume all Christians should join UNOH, he does believe all Christians have a responsibility to respond to the needs of those who are marginalised and disadvantaged.
“There are wonderful opportunities to get involved in all suburbs, not just marginalised ones. There are many ways we can be responding but I think we need to have personal responses. It’s not enough to just sponsor a child," he says.
Having been a member of UNOH for 13 years Jon sees no reason to move to greener pastures now.
“I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. I get to meet every day heroes every day. Every time we respond to someone’s need we’re encountering Christ so I get to meet Jesus every day; why wouldn’t I want to be in this neighbourhood?” he says.
“What we’re living out is Good News. Often we think people need a prayer and they'll be fine, but holistic problems need holistic responses.”
Unpack the issues...
- What are the ways you could respond to the needs of your community?
- Would you ever consider becoming a UNOH worker? Why/why not?
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