Manna in a Wilderness of AIDS : Ten Lessons in Abundance

by Smith, Kenwyn K.

• ISBN13: 9780829814583
• ISBN10: 0829814582
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: INGRAM

Summary

This is a poignant story of how a tenacious group of seven individuals from a Philadelphia church transformed a modest initiative to serve food to those with HIV/AIDS into a vibrant, interfaith nonprofit organization called "Manna" (Metropolitan AIDS Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) -- and in the process, revitalized their community, themselves, and their church.

The book describes ten life-giving lessons they experienced during "Manna's" early years. These universal lessons include:

-- The greatest insights came from the most vulnerable in our midst

-- The "leaps of faith" we took filled our spirits with vitality

-- To thrive in the midst of massive turbulence required deep roots and radical shifts carefully timed

-- "Manna" both sharpened and healed the tensions between race and social class

-- The miraculous was contained within the mundane

The book depicts how "Manna" overcame tremendous obstacles -- namely, fear and ignorance of AIDS and a lack of funding to accomplish benevolent goodness.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction: Modest Beginnings	1	(12)
Lost and Liberated	13	(18)
Whenever we were lost someone appeared to show us the way
Dancing with Children	31	(18)
The greatest insights came from the most vulnerable in our midst
Leaps of Faith	49	(16)
The leaps of faith we took filled our spirits with vitality
The Strength of Vulnerability	65	(20)
Manna's vulnerabilities were its strengths, and its strengths were its vulnerabilities
Giving Is Contagious	85	(20)
Love grew when given away
Importing Pain	105	(21)
Manna became an importer of pain; it had to learn how to manage pain internally and not become an exporter of blame
Doubting Our Doubts	126	(19)
Manna changed how we looked at the world
Growth amid Turbulence	145	(19)
To thrive in the midst of massive turbulence required deep roots and radical shifts carefully timed
Healing the Breach	164	(18)
Manna both sharpened and healed the tensions of race and social class
Death's Dawning	182	(23)
The miraculous was contained within the mandane
Conclusion: From Scarcity to Abundance	205	(8)
Notes	213