Why Esperanza Works

We left Esperanza a few weeks ago and have had many conversations about it ever since then.  In our conversations we are always trying to communicate why Esperanza is different from anything we have seen before.  Esperanza isn’t perfect, but we have seen miracles happen there, and we have often been amazed by how much change, growth and reconciliation we have seen.  These are some of the things we think make Esperanza such a unique place for healing, rest and growth.

1. The History.  Esperanza opened in 1937 as a hospital in its present location and has been there ever since.  Some of the people connected to Esperanza have been in ministry on the coast for over 50 years.  They have worked very patiently in showing a kinder, more loving face to Christianity than many have seen in the residential schools and other places.  When anyone serves at Esperanza they are working with borrowed relationships, and that is a blessed and humbled experience.

2. The Location.  Esperanza is incredibly beautiful, and everywhere you look you see the wonder of God’s creation.  Living in beauty isn’t just a nice thing to look at, it is essential to our spirits.  I believe we are created to receive and experience nature, to take it in and be amazed by it.  If we let ourselves be open, God can change us through nature.  Beauty can slow us down, show us our priorities and give us space for the Spirit to work.

3.  The staff.  Esperanza doesn’t just give lip service to mutuality, it actually lives it.  Esperanza is different than anywhere else I have seen, where there isn’t a staff-patient relationship.  We are all here for healing, and we are all changed when we share our lives together, both the good and bad.  It is much harder to work this way, as the roles are trickier and it is impossible to separate our personal lives from our professional lives, but the outcome is definitely worth it.  Change at Esperanza happens not just with advice, but in communion, in the day to day shared lives, caring for each other in our struggles and celebrations.

This last session Stacy and I both had aunts die, and we weren’t able to go home to see family during that time.  But we felt so loved and cared for by the people up there, who just sat with us as we shared stories and tears.  I couldn’t imagine a better place to grieve, surrounded by people who know loss so well, and who patiently live with us, never asking us to get over it and move on.  We have seen so much change happen this way, as we all love and care for each other.

4. Stories.  Esperanza is built on stories.  We tell the story of the founding of Esperanza, the story of how each staff member came to be here, the stories of how God changed us, and many stories of how we were wrong and God used us anyway.  Telling stories is the primary way of communicating for many people on Vancouver Island, and it is ingrained in everything we do.  We tell stories when work groups come, during family sessions, during summer camps and holidays, and we ask others to tell their story every chance we can.  I am still learning to tell a good story, and have along way to go, but Esperanza and the people up here have truly shown me the importance of telling and living a good story.

For any of you who have been to Esperanza before, please tell me your reason as to why it works.  I would love to hear more thoughts.

Jeremy

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