Everyday Stories

Greetings ACA Supporters!

The holiday craziness has come to an end and Awareness, Connection, Action is gearing up for a spring conference focused on education locally and internationally. More information to come soon!

While pondering further what ACA is about, individual stories kept coming to mind. We hear about everyday heroes who do a grand act, but we don't often hear about everyday people who are living their lives and serving others in the midst of it. Because of this, ACA has asked Jeff and Julia Shaffer to share their journey of serving the Santa Barbara community through their everyday lives.

Enjoy getting to know one of your global neighbors!

Awareness:
Jeff and Julia Shaffer live in Santa Barbara, CA with their 5-year-old son and 2 and a ½ year old twins. They met in Los Gatos, CA and were married there in 1990. To pursue Jeff's passion of working with youth, they moved to Santa Barbara in 1992 and served high school students at a local church until 2000. Jeff now works full time on the Uffizi Mission Project and Julia cares for her children as a stay-at-home mother.

Throughout the years, both Jeff and Julia have sought deeper ways to love others with grace and compassion while affecting the needs of those around them. The major change happened within Jeff when he, Julia and their eldest son traveled to Italy in 2002. There, they visited the Uffizi Museum in Florence, where Jeff was captivated by the artist's renditions of the incarnation. The incarnation is the idea of God becoming man in Christ and the reconciliation of men and women with God and with one another. Jeff returned to Santa Barbara with a renewed vision of how to truly love others. Thus began the journey of opening the Uffizi Museum here - to understand and to teach incarnationalional living. There is no building to come to, only the journey outward into the community, and an opening of our lives and homes to our neighbors.

One of the ways Jeff and Julia have been able to put the ideas into practical application is through serving their friends without homes a meal each week and through showing their children what it means to love others who society may cast aside.

Connection:
I have asked Jeff and Julia to each share their thoughts on serving and how, in everyday life, they can make a difference. These are their stories...

Julia:
"In the midst of teaching my 5 year old his ABCs, singing twinkle, twinkle, little star and changing my twins diapers... I have a heart for this world. My heart cannot stretch to the ends of this world because of these three little ones I must care for, but right in front of me I am able to open my children's eyes to the people around them. I want them to be compassionate, strong and justice seekers for those who can't speak or be heard.

As my own heart shifts for wanting to end the pains of the world, I must let my children participate and understand practically how they can make a difference. On a local level, as my husband began a potluck for his friends without homes, it seemed a natural place to begin the opening of my son's heart to people who may not have material possessions or who have suffered tremendously. My son does not look at them as different now, he can see beyond the exterior and see them as people."


Jeff:
"One of the very first things we did as a part of the Uffizi Mission Project was initiate a night to share a meal with people without homes. One of the local universities had formed a group and led the way by bringing food to the local downtown library. We chose a different night and a few of us made a meal together in our kitchen and took it downtown. It is now a community not just of homeless men and women, but also of some who are just poor, and some who come because they are lonely and want friends.

It is something I wanted my son, Kairos, to be involved in primarily because I wanted him to learn to see people as people, and not start life off with all the labels that we easily create. It has become something that he wants to go to, and I see an understanding of the needs of the less fortunate growing in him through the experience.

We changed the idea from meal sharing to a potluck when the local police threatened to shut us down because of health code violations. We decided to move the community to a local park, in a less public atmosphere and call it a potluck instead, so that anyone could bring food.

I have had to argue that my only agenda with the men and women who come is "friendship". I feel free to pray for my friends, feed them, interact with them about issues and about God. I am encouraged with the fact that many of them now call me a friend. I do not take that statement lightly and it means I have to be with them in times of need.

I am working now to multiply these groups throughout the city. The community has become the highlight of my week."

Action:
Jeff and Julia are like you and me - everyday people with a job, kids and trying to navigate through life as best they can. Their love for their neighbor has culminated in the Uffizi Mission Project and is a practical vehicle for others to get involved with.

If you are interested in the Uffizi Mission Project, Meal Sharing or would like to contact Jeff to learn more about his journey, you can visit www.freewebs.com/syncman or can e-mail him with an encouragement, thought or question at syncmanatns@aol.com. Jeff and Julia's income is based on support raising, so if you feel this is something you would like to contribute to, please contact Jeff at one of the above places or e-mail me at acaorg@yahoo.com.