Morning Thought presented on BBC Radio Jersey by Rose Helie

Thursday October 2^nd 2008

Good morning. It was the Senior Citizens at the Willows who initiated the packing of Christmas shoeboxes for pensioners about 5 years ago. Now as far as I know Mustard Seed Jersey is the only charity that appeals for Christmas shoeboxes for pensioners as well as children. Last year about a third of the Christmas shoeboxes we sent to Romania were for pensioners.

Statistics show that pensioners are now the neediest group in Romania and certainly when we have visited some desperately needy pensioners on our Adopt a Granny programme we have witnessed the truth of that. During the communist era many had very poorly paid jobs and now the pensions they receive are often too small for anyone to live on, especially a frail elderly pensioner needing to pay for medication as well as food and fuel for heating. It is very different being a pensioner in Romania from being a pensioner in Jersey.

While the joy and excitement of children opening their boxes is obviously exciting and thrilling it is often more rewarding to see the pensioners’ joy. I can remember little Maria aged over 80 – a tiny little woman, crippled with arthritis. We waited for a long time for her to answer the door of her apartment and when I saw how slowly and painfully she moved I understood why. She needed help to open her box – her hands did not have any strength in them and the knife she lent us to undo the tape was pretty blunt. The social worker explained what each item was – she beamed at the bars of soap, and stroked her hair when she saw she had shampoo. I wasn’t sure what she would do with the toothbrush and toothpaste as she had no teeth. Tears rolled down her face when she saw the colourful soft warm shawl and she cried so much on finding the fingerless gloves that we opened the packet of tissues for her. It was so obvious that that Christmas shoebox brought her great great joy – mainly to know that someone cared enough to pack her a gift.

Most of the pensioners we assist are female – it seems the men often die younger leaving the women alone. But I remember one man – he was blind and quite thrilled to receive a box. He opened his box and took out the contents carefully one by one, feeling them, then very accurately telling the social worker what they were. “The candle is no good to me” he said “but my wife will use it.”

As well as giving out Christmas shoeboxes we also distribute food parcels to the pensioners – part of the £2 donation with each pensioner’s box is used to buy food. For several pensioners that food parcel was incredibly important and they were thrilled and over-joyed – we saw the bare cupboards in some of the little hovels we visited. The food parcel meant there was something to eat – it was really that important to a number of the pensioners receiving Christmas shoeboxes.

There are many reminders in the Bible of our responsibility to help the widows and the orphans, and defend the rights of the poor, the oppressed, the weak and the needy. In the books of Hosea and Joel it is reported that God said what he wants from people is to acknowledge God in good actions rather than religious rituals, unless the religious observances are accompanied by practical help for those in need.

One way you can help is to pack a Christmas shoebox to give to a needy child or pensioner or to help us buy food to feed the hungry. There are information sheets at the parish halls or on our website giving details.

Back to Prayer Updates