Morning Thought 3
Wednesday October 4th
On Monday I mentioned that over the years that
in Mustard Seed Jersey our priorities and focus have developed to include 2
essentials in our Christmas appeal, as well as the Christmas
shoeboxes we send to Romania.
On Monday I spoke about the need for food
to stop the poorest of the poor starving. Today I focus on another basic need.
But first let me tell you why this need is close to my heart:
I will never forget my sense of sadness
and failure when I heard that one of the young people we fed in our soup
kitchen 13 years ago had frozen to death. She had made quite an impression on
me, a bit older than some of the other kids we helped, almost impossible to
communicate with as she was deaf and didn't speak. The other kids called her Muta and they looked out for her.
I had noticed she wasn't there at the
shoebox distribution and that rang alarm bells with me. I mentioned it to the
social worker and he asked the other street kids.
We were back in Jersey by the time they
found her frozen to death in a basement.
Each year we aim to give money to purchase
winter fuel to stop other children, families or pensioners freezing to death.
As temperatures can drop as low minus 10, even minus 20, it is a real
possibility that you will freeze to death in Romania without heating.
I am reminded of the words of Stephen
Carters hymn:
"I was cold, I was naked, were you
there, were you there
I was cold, I was naked, were you there
And the creed and the colour and the name
won't matter
Were you there?"
And this year I hope and pray we can be there for those in need.