Margaret Phipps

Oklahoma City, OK

Working in a parish can be a challenge when you are charged with motivating folks to engage in all areas of justice and mercy. It is much easier to involve people in giving stuff to people who are poor, but extremely difficult to motivate them to work for change of the systems that trap the same groups in poverty.

Thankfully, NETWORK was willing to come to the hinterlands of Oklahoma.

At first, NETWORK provided staff to do some initial in-service at our parish and the larger community. This really invigorated those in attendance. Then, two of us were invited for an initial program to train us to train others.

Wow, what a difference in how we reached out to others to involve them. The next huge boost came from a program JUSTFAITH devised by Jack Jezreel. Now are parish is working locally with other faith communities and nationally to create real change.