Morning thought 1 Monday April 19th

 

Good morning.

This is the first morning thought I have presented since our Christmas appeal so although it is now past Easter, I take the opportunity to say that in spite of the Covid pandemic and lockdown almost 3000 Christmas shoeboxes was sent to Romania. Most of the recipients had assumed that because of lockdown there would be no Christmas shoeboxes in 2020 so Jersey’s generosity brought a huge amount of joy.

In Mustard Seed we believe our humanitarian outreach is about more than Christmas Shoeboxes. Again last year the Jersey public amazed us with their financial generosity, helping our appeals for food, bread, medical needs and winter fuel.

As a result several hundred people have benefited by receiving bread each week during the bitterest winter months. Over 60 households had heating during the coldest months. Several people now have spectacles, one woman has had surgery for cancer, another has received a hearing aid. So the generosity from people in Jersey has made a real difference to those with no opportunities in Romania.

I apologise if you’ve already heard me share this story. It made a real impact on me. About 23 years ago at the very beginning of Mustard Seed Jersey I received a thank you letter from Romania for a Christmas shoebox. As the girl gave her address I wrote back and enclosed a $10 note. Weeks later I had a reply that made me weep. She wrote “we thank you for your letter. The morning it arrived we had no food in the house and we had no money. At breakfast time we prayed and asked God to provide. Then your letter arrived. God provided and we could eat”.

I gave thanks to God then that I was able to meet a need at just the right time.

We give thanks to God today that through mustard seeds ongoing work we are still able to help those who otherwise would not have the opportunity.

 

 

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