Episode 28

full
Published on:

26th Jul 2024

Summer Speedos | Building Bridges With Kathy



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Description

How can simple acts of kindness transform a community? Kathy Boschmann, shares a story of how meeting a basic need for a queen mattress and toddler bed evolved into a profound friendship. Kathy shares the inspiring story of a single mother of four, whose resilience, love, and community spirit deeply impacted her. Through CarePortal's efforts and the power of neighbourly support, Kathy and the mom not only helped each other but also extended their compassion to others in need. This touching narrative highlights the beauty of connection, the importance of community, and the transformative power of lending a helping hand.

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Email: podcast@careimpact.ca

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or get both podcasts on the same RSS feed! https://feeds.captivate.fm/n/careimpact-podcast

CareImpact: careimpact.ca

About the CarePortal: careimpact.ca/careportal

DONATE! Help connect and equip more churches across Canada to effectively journey well in community with children and families: careimpact.ca/donate

Editing and production by Johan Heinrichs: arkpodcasts.ca

Mentioned in this episode:

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CareImpact Christmas

Transcript
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This is Journey with Care. Hey. We're taking 4 weeks of the summer

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to keep it short or speedy. Let's just call these

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summer speedos. Short action packed dives into the

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incredible stories of everyday people using Care Portal to

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build connection and change lives. Care Portal, for those

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that haven't heard, is an amazing platform connecting churches,

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families, and businesses with specific needs with some of the most

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vulnerable in our communities. So as you soak up the sun this

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summer and enjoy these summer remember, Journey with

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Care is powered by Care Impact, a Canadian charity helping

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strangers become good neighbours. To keep bringing you our podcast

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and these stories, we rely on supporters like you.

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So for the summer Speedo series, join our summer of 30.

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We're looking for 30 amazing listeners to donate $30 in

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the next 30 days. Every dollar helps us maintain our

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equipment, update our software, and help us cover all the

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expenses associated with bringing you these important stories.

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So to join the summer 30, check the show notes for the link or visit

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journey with care dot ca slash 30. That's journey with care

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dot ca slash 30. So go ahead,

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pause it, and become 1 of the 30 right now. Alright.

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Enough chit chat. Let's get on with the summer Speedos.

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My name is Kathy Boschman. I'm an active care portal

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responder and on the leadership team for Care Portal in Winnipeg.

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Earlier this year, a care portal request came via

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email to my inbox. The request was for a queen

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mattress and a toddler bed for a single mom with 4 children

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in the neighborhood very close to where I work. My husband

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and I brought the mattresses over late 1 evening,

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where we met the family and their friend who was there to help with getting

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the mattresses up the stairs.

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The kids were very excited. Mom wasn't feeling so

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great, but she insisted that we leave the mattresses in the living

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room and that they would manage.

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Mom struck me as a very calm and skilled parent,

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even while she was struggling with her health.

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The initial connection was short and hurried, which was disappointing,

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but not unusual for our first connection. I knew I'd be back

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with the bed frame, so I had hope of a better connection the following

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visit.

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When I returned to the family's home the next week, with the help of my

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friend, we were able to set up the beds and spend a little more time

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with this young family. The bedding, frames, and

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mattresses were donated through partnership with another church in our city that

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uses Care Portal. That provision

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was a huge help in getting the much needed resources for this family and

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creating the opportunity too for continued support.

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These items helped with transitioning a toddler out of a crib,

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which no longer contained her, and gave the mom the much needed

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rest. Watching mom soothe her baby

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in the midst of all the action of setting up the beds, I was

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impacted by her love and ability to attune to her baby's needs.

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I shared by observation that she is a baby whisperer, which

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she received with a smile. It meant so much to me that

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she knows for a special connection with her children.

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While we would all feel challenged in parenting for children

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without a partner, she recognizes the gift that they are.

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She truly inspires me. In my

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continued interactions with this family, I have seen mom's resourcefulness.

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She even invited me into an opportunity to care for someone in her

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community who was suffering a tragic loss.

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We teamed up to provide a couple of meals for them and activate a

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church nearby to continue that support.

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I am touched by her love, both for her children and for her community.

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I'm humbled

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around us who could use some support as we ourselves would like to

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have it. Her ability to receive and give makes me

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reflect on my own motivations and desires.

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This beautiful young woman has inspired me with her courage and

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her contentment. Her resilience and compassion for others led

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me to action. She gives me hope for the communities

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around me. As I think about the importance of

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community support, I recognize that the first step towards

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others can be the most challenging, and

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that doing it is so much better together.

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Truly, the benefit outweighs the risk.

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I encourage people to keep their eyes and ears open at how they

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can connect with their neighbors and show support. I

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also invite people to check out Care Portal as a community responder,

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small group, or even activating their whole church community.

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Everyone can do something.

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When I reflect on my connections in community because of Care

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Portal, I'm reminded that as I open my heart and

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my life to people in my neighborhood who may be in a hard

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place, that together, we can be transformed

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into the likeness of who we were created to be. There's

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hope to be found in the beauty of compassion and loving kindness for

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1 another. I

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am grateful to be able to call this mom my friend, and knowing

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that I will be reaching out and hearing about what

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she is doing with her kids, and I can share with her what I'm doing

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with my family. And I'm just really

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impacted by who she is and so grateful for that

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connection.

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Thanks for listening to this summer's Speedo on the Journey with Care podcast. To

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keep the stories

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a make a difference. Visit journey with care dot c a slash

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30. That's journey with care slash 30. Thanks for

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being part of the journey.

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About the Podcast

Journey With Care
Equipping communities and the Church to love neighbours well
The conversations that inspire curious Canadians on their journey of faith and living life on purpose in community. Join us for thought-provoking conversations that inspire you to live a life of purpose and connect with like-minded individuals. Discover actionable insights, practical tools, and inspiring stories from leaders who are shaping the future of faith, business, and community. Together, let's disrupt the status quo and create a world where faith and entrepreneurship intersect. Become part of a community that is passionate about making a difference.
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