Last week I spent a few days camping at Timothy Lake near Mt. Hood. I was there with our daughter and my dear friend Amanda who is also the leader of the SFC laundromat team. We spent time swimming, boating, reading, hiking, and dreaming about the laundromat. We had hours of time to brainstorm and talk about big issues like water use and power dynamics as well as to dream and think about how we wanted to work going forward.
It is so true that time apart is crucial to creativity. Time to float and enjoy the beauty of the blue sky and blue water, time to hike by myself under a glowing green canopy, time to laugh and play with my daughter and her friend who happened to be at the next campground over, all made me sharper and more open as we got down to business.
We believe that the laundromat is a great idea and that we are ready to do the work to make it a reality. We want to create a space where people can cross socioeconomic boundaries in our community and come together to share space, do needed hygiene work, take care of the precious resources of our planet, and engage with one another around the big issues of life. We’re calling the laundromat Saint Veronica’s, after the patron saint of laundry workers. She was a woman who gave Jesus a cloth to wipe his face as he headed to the cross. This image of care and compassionate outreach is one we want to live out in our work with the laundromat. It will take many of us to live in to this reality and I’m so excited to share this journey with you all.
Our website will launch at the beginning of August. When it does there will be an opportunity to give to the laundromat. We encourage you to save your quarters throughout the rest of the summer in solidarity with those who need quarters to do laundry. Once the website is up you can donate your quarters either in person to Amanda or I or through paypal.
The beauty of this place where I live constantly amazes me, as does the incredible, holy work bubbling up through the Sellwood Faith Community. I count myself as so fortunate to be able to take time to create and dream in the glory of creation and to have the opportunity to follow the wild call of God’s spirit at work in this time and place.
May you have such life in your community as well.
-Eilidh
| The view from camp |
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