One of the effects of the 2008 global economic crisis in the U.S. is on the care of the elderly. Recently, budget cuts have been made to the salaries of care-workers which is going to affect caregivers, their families, and the elderly. For years, America has been relying on a system that is failing us. Many people think of the financial system… but a financial system is actually a reflection of the social system. We are now seeing the results of years and years of failing to live by the higher standard of morality that our beloved Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and all the prophets before him taught us. Reporter Lesie Casimir wrote:
“Specifically, IHSS [In Home Social Services] workers face about $78 million in cuts, leaving nearly half a million clients around the state in limbo. Many workers who care for the seniors also are their relatives, which has been successful in keeping families together and the infirmed in their homes, explained Donna Calame, executive director of IHSS, which provides services to more than 19,000 people in San Francisco.”
Recently, the CA Disability Community Action Network Capital New Report, has given the communities of California the good news that our legislative budget subcommittees have taken initial steps in rejecting our governor’s proposed cuts. Still, these actions are not final and need approval by the full Senate and Assembly.
One single mother with no money or marketable skills worked for In Home Social Services, and did not make enough with that salary to provide for her children. Many displaced homemakers work for IHSS. Casimir’s article explains that many of those who are receiving payment for the caregiver services are providing care to their own family members, and this is the only way the family can survive. The question is not whether or not cutting funds to this program will hurt caretakers, their families, and the elderly, it will. Instead Casmir asks:
- Why are women with children forced to work outside the home in the first place?
Many women who are working as caregivers do this job because it is the one transferable skill that they have, and they MUST work in order to provide for their children.
- Why is our elderly living in lonely apartments, by themselves and given such little dignity and respect that all they have to depend on are these programs that barely manage to meet their needs?
What Does a Muslim Community Look Like?
- How can we develop strong Muslim communities within the milieu that we find ourselves in so that they can withstand the changes of time, social norms, and economic downturns?
We need to develop community models that work for Muslim communities across the globe. I have shared with you many of my ideas in previous writings of mine. This is one of my main “soap boxes”. I am in no way suggesting that I have any answers. What I am suggesting, is that Muslims continue to move forward, without losing faith, and without losing hope. We can take care of each other the way we are intended to. Political and economic models are going to come and go as they have done through the ages. The world will continue to be at war until what has been fortold comes to fruition. This is the way of the world. There is much truth to the saying that has been associated with our Prophet Jesus/Isa. We are told that he taught us to “be in the world, but not of it.” The world will have its ups and downs, and politics and changing trade lines and definitions of countries and new leaders, economic issues in every land, budget issues in every state and province. What the world cannot mess with is a God Fearing Community.
My disclaimer is that I am certainly not the Program Designer - Allah is. I am not a scholar, a Sheikh, or Imam. I am simply a woman who has listened to many other women. I am a mother who has survived a few social systems and witnessed a few models. I am a Muslim female suggesting that you write your program design ideas down, and let our brotherhood see what we are thinking. Encourage them to lead us toward strength without fear. They will indeed be inspired to work even harder (bless our brothers) when they see what our needs are.
Imagine this...
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Name… Muslim Sisters Relief Society
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Vision - Global World Muslim Community - thriving
- Countries-Provinces-States able to integrate safely while adhering to the Shari`ah
- Counties of Provinces and States Organized to be able to support Social, Health, and Human Services to “parishes”. At this level, community lines for Muslims would be drawn according to what makes sense for the community, based on location of masjids (mosques), etc… The Governing Boards would likely decide where these lines are to identify where once Muslim Community begins and one ends.
Goal: Local Communities have access to resources, funding, and human recourses to provide Social, Health and Human Services to their own community.
Proposal:
“Pilot Program”. Strength will be developed by having a two way flow from the top down, and from the bottom up…both equally valuable and necessary.
The Program is a Muslim Female Relief Society, and each community would have one.
I am proposing to my own local community that if we adopt something like this, and we have an opportunity to see what works and what does not, it can be used as a “pilot program” . Sisters from all around the globe can suggest such programs, and request support from the brotherhood and their governing boards. We could end up with many “pilot programs”…. The results of which, would be very useful in helping us become educated, organized and strong as a people. In the USA, such religious non-profit organizations are legal, and can help families stay together. We can help the mother who lost her husband, and we can help the elderly. We can do all that.
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In my little mind, I see a Muslim Women’s Relief Society where all women in the community belong to this Society. Whether a woman is giving or receiving; we are all equal in the eyes of Allah. There are times when a woman is at the receiving end, perhaps when she is alone with children to rear and no money. There are times when she is at the giving end. Women who want to be Active will sign up as active members and be assigned duties. Duties can include visiting the sick, running a clothes closet, running a food closet, cleaning the masjid, organizing social events, etc.
One practice I find especially helpful, and would like to borrow from the Mormons is for two women to go together to visit two other women in their homes to provide companionship, and they read from the Qur`an or have a lesson of the month, and they tell the women that they are passing on what is happening in the masjid etc. At the same time, they are able to ask if the woman or family has any special need so that they can ask the men on the board for assistance if needed etc. I have proposed this to some sisters in my own local community integrating a way to organize and provide Mental Health Services, Medical Services, preventive care etc.in addition to a food program, a clothing program, a women’s educational program (Islamic), Women who can cook for the brothers who are dedicated to da'wa can form an organized team, and more. You would be surprised how much you will have with a little support from the community, and families with elderly members get the care they need as well. Sometimes all a woman needs is some help cleaning her home, or some babysitting. If financial need is evident, the visiting sisters can advocate for these families. If the sisters are empowered with their families, and do care for them, this will help the elderly as well. As one drop of water in this big ocean, all I can do is contribute my own little drop of water and offer it to the “cup” or community that I live in. But if all of us contribute little drops of water which work together to fill these cups, our full cups will indeed be equal too, and as strong and whole, and deep as our Earth’s ocean. An ocean that is both diverse, and vast, but cannot be defeated.
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