Q&A: NURSE OFFERS CHRISTIAN DEFENCE OF INSITE FACILITY

Meera Bai is a registered nurse who worked at Insite for nearly a
year. The 24-year-old is now pursuing a master's degree in Christian
studies. Ms. Bai had reservations when she first started at the
supervised injection site. She now advocates for the facility,
offering a Christian defence of harm reduction.

What Led You to Start Working at Insite?

"I didn't actually want to work at Insite, initially. I just wanted to
work among marginalized populations. The clinic that I applied for,
the nurses at that clinic were also cross-trained at Insite. I decided
to give it a try. Don't judge it before you know what they do."

What Concerns Did You Have About the Facility?

"It wasn't so much that I didn't see addicts as being human or
anything like that. It was more that I didn't know if what Insite did
was the best thing to do for them. I didn't want to enable them. I
feel like that's the fear that many people have, that giving out clean
needles is encouraging drug use indirectly. I just realized it is
really beneficial."

You've Given Talks and Published Articles Offering a Christian
Defence of Insite. What Points Do You Make?

"I think that we are all extended grace by God and that we are all
loved by God and made in the image of God. When we talk to addicts and
we spend time with them, we see them as human, just like ourselves,
and see glimpses of God in them because they were made in God's image.
We're clearly called in the bible to spend time with the
marginalized and to protect those who are struggling. Many of these
people have gone through incredible abuse in their childhood and
throughout their lives. God, for us, as Christians, he's a place where
we can go where we don't have to be ashamed."

What Feedback Have You Received at the Lectures You've
Given?

"I gave a talk at Ambrose University College, which is quite a big
seminary in Calgary. It was a public lecture and they thought maybe 50
people would come, but 150 showed up. One of the people who came, he
put up his hand and said, 'I'm a donor for Ambrose and I was quite
appalled that they were doing this talk. So I came here because I
think this is wrong. But now I realize what Insite does and this is
completely what Christ would be doing. If Jesus was here, he would be
washing feet the same way.' He's just one example. I think as people
are starting to learn what actually goes on [at Insite], they're
realizing this is totally in line with what we think."

What Work Still Needs to Be Done?

"I think a huge part of it is education, reframing harm reduction. Not
hearing it as just giving condoms to prostitutes but actually helping
people. I also think a part of it has to be about understanding what
your faith is about. If your faith is, 'I listen to what my pastor
tells me and what the political party that I vote for says,' then
that's going to be a different brand of Christianity than a thoughtful
faith. And I'm trying to encourage a thoughtful faith, because when
you're thoughtful about what you believe, it leads you to a deeper
understanding of God and a more sincere understanding of God."

This interview has been edited and condensed.