Morning Thought presented on BBC Radio Jersey by Rose Helie

Friday October 3^rd 2008

Good morning. Every year at the end of November or even after Christmas, people get in touch full of apologies that they forgot to do a Christmas shoebox before it was too late. Every year they tell that I should have publicised the Christmas appeal more. So I personally thank BBC Radio Jersey for this opportunity to remind you about Christmas shoeboxes for the last five days.

It was in November last year that the Romanian social workers found to their horror that 2 of the pensioners on their sponsorship programme had been evicted and were literally living on the street. Frantically they phoned round to find somewhere to house these 2 frail old ladies to prevent them from dying homeless on the streets of the city of Oradea. But there was nowhere. Finally someone suggested approaching Alin who lives about 40 kilometers away.

Alin is a pastor from a little village church. Earlier in the year he had come across 2 other old ladies who were homeless so he took them into his own home. But it was not just an isolated incident – there were many others equally in need. Alin found it impossible to say No to old people facing the prospect of living and dying on the streets. When the social workers approached him in November he took in the 2 old ladies – conditions were cramped, toilet facilities were really not adequate, but it was a roof over their heads and security and love.

Alin’s brother now lives in Italy and he gave him the use of the adjoining house, so Alin with the support of his wife and children has been able to take in more and more homeless pensioners. When we visited there in April there were 16 old age pensioners living in these 2 houses – without Alin’s intervention and compassion by now they would have all died of exposure on the streets. Conditions are cramped with 2 or 3 beds to a small room but there is love. Interestingly while the Romanian authorities will not officially recognise what Alin is doing because the facilities are not up to standard, but they will recommend that needy pensioners go there.

Mustard Seed hopes to open a home for pensioners within the next few months in the village of Cefa, which is where our biggest pensioner support programme is based, as well as our kindergarten and homework clubs. Thanks to generous sponsors in Jersey the pensioners home will be purpose built and should have adequate toilets and other facilities. Just this week the Romanian building company began constructing the outer structure which is in wood. I understand the outer shell should be completed before the end of the month.

We can only hope and pray the Mustard Seed pensioners home will have the same amount of love and compassion that was so evident in Alin’s home, because it was the commitment to love that made that home so special. We saw love in action, in a way that I personally have rarely seen before.

St Paul’s famous words about love are often read at weddings. They remind us that love must be a real commitment to love and to action, to keep loving even when the going gets tough. “Love is patient, love is kind … love is not rude, is not self-seeking, love does not keep a record of wrongs …. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails ….. These three remain faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love”. Those are challenging words and none of us live up to that standard.

I hope you will either pack a Christmas shoebox yourself or consider donating the money to pack one. Even although Romania is now in the EU there are still many needy & vulnerable pensioners & children who will be just thrilled to receive a box from you. Or you might consider sponsoring a pensioner for the winter through Mustard Seed’s Adopt a Granny scheme. To adopt a granny you would need to contact us at Mustard Seed, the phone number is 482637 or via the website. To pack a Christmas shoebox you can pick up an information sheet at the parish halls.

Please think about showing your love in a practical way as once again we approach the anniversary of Christ’s birthday (which is what Christmas is all about).

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