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Fire destroys Simple Way center...

[IndyChristian Ed. Note: A friend sent me this, and she said it better than I could.... Read on and see if you can help. Shane Claiborne is an avid Christ-follower, a Wheaton College graduate, living and leading the 'Simple Way' community in the inner city of Philadelphia. Shane's a CCDA advocate... in fact, a board member... and was actively a part of CCDA Indy 2005. Many of you met him, and you can't help but like and admire him. Here's a link to his cover article at Christianity Today magazine not long ago. Hat-tip, Sarah, for sending me this note below. Read on....]

Hi all - I know some of you have been deeply impacted by Shane Claiborne's message and the mission of the Simple Way community in Philadelphia. If you haven't heard about this, please keep them in your prayers and if you can support them, please do.



Article at ChristianityToday.com

The Simple Way

6/20/07 12:30PM
This morning, a 7-alarm fire consumed an abandoned warehouse in our Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The Simple Way Community Center at 3200 Potter Street was destroyed as well as at least eight of our neighbors’ homes. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes, and 400 families are currently without power. Despite this developing tragedy, we are incredibly thankful to share that all of our community members and every one of our neighbors is safely out of harm’s way.

This fire will forever change the fabric of our community. Eight families are currently homeless, and in many cases have lost their vehicles as well as their homes. One of our neighbors, the Mahaias Family, lost their three cars as well as the equipment one family member uses for her massage therapy business. Teenager Brian Mahaias is devastated not because he has lost his belongings, but because he fears that this fire will force him to move away from this neighborhood that is his family as well as his home.


The Simple Way has lost a community center that was home to our Yes! And… afterschool program, community arts center, and Cottage Printworks t-shirt micro-business as well as to two of our community members. Community members Shane Claiborne and Jesce Walz have lost all of their belongings, Yes! And…’s after school studio and library were ruined, and community member Justin Donner’s Cottage Printworks equipment and t-shirts were destroyed.


We are thankful that we are able to help each other during this time of need, and we will continue to keep your informed about today’s events.


We have established funds to support the families who have lost their homes, the Yes! And… afterschool program, and the Simple Way community.


A fund to support the families has been established through a partner organization, EAPE. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://www.tonycampolo.org/online_donation.php. Please make sure to put “Kensington Families Fund” in the memo section.

posted by IndyChristian @ 6:08 PM