If you’re like me you might have been missing the sunshine this week. When I saw it in between the clouds on Monday it made me want to take photographs so here they are. These were taken on my phone whilst having lunch outdoors(!) at Tea Monkey.
When the clouds part, it reminds me that the light was there behind them all along.
It’s been a little while since I blogged about anything, let alone about how the job is going, so I thought I would take this opportunity to give a quick update.
There’s a number of things in the pipeline that I’m really quite excited about. Firstly, a few of us are coming together to take part in MK Pride on the 11th August by providing a tent where people can swing by to relax or reflect and perhaps explore faith. One of the reasons that I’m really proud to be a part of this is that I believe that God’s love is available to everyone and this may be a way to demonstrate that.
I’m also quite excited about the potential of making some creative spaces in the City Centre; one of the ideas we’ve had is to make a ‘living advent calendar’ whereby each day of advent there will be a new thing to discover, all themed around the advent period.
With the YMCA, we hope to set up a new basketball club for residents and I’m currently looking round at venues. And there’s also the possibility of getting involved in the YMCA World Challenge.
While all this is in the planning stages it’s also been really good to make new friends across the city – we really feel like we’re settling into Milton Keynes and are looking forward to moving into our own house sometime soon.
That’s it for the daily updates. I really value all the things that I’ve started over lent and I hope I’ll be able to continue with them. I’ll also try to keep starting new things as these 40 challenges take root in my life. For a reflection of the last couple of months click here.
Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone for reading my blog (1,635 hits over the last couple of months from at least 18 different countries). It’s made it even more worthwhile.
I’ll continue to blog (albeit a little less frequently) so do click follow or check back regularly.
Happy Easter!
___
Count Your Blessings:
The following prayer is from the final day of Christian Aid’s ‘Count Your Blessings’ Sheet which I’ve been following each day of lent:
“Dear Lord, as we give thanks for the gift of your son, we remember that love and life are always stronger than violence and death. Help us to see past ourselves that we may love as he loves and bring your peace to the world.”
Count Your Blessings fact: Major Janvier Bulambo was one of 492 high-ranking Congolese soldiers to receive civilian rights training organised by Christian Aid partner CBCA. The training has seen the beginning of reconciliation between soldiers and civilians and a hope to finally bring peace to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Task: As we give thanks for our risen Lord, give thanks for all people around the world who are working for peace and reconcilliation
(Joint) Total Donation to Christian Aid: £37.84
After looking round a few charity shops I found a book to buy for Gem to read while she’s feeling ill!
A bargain at only 65p!
___
(Final ‘count your blessings’ instalment tomorrow)
Tomorrow is the final day of lent and so this seems like a good day to reflect back over the last 38 challenges. Click here for a recap of what they were. The challenges have been quite varied and have required different degrees of commitment to implement them into my life. Some were environmental, some community focused, some focussed on tackling poverty and some on faith But what brings them all together is that they are all positive changes; positive for myself and positive for people around me.
The most striking thing I’ve been aware of through doing these challenges is the fact that the way I choose to live directly affects the way in which others have to live. When picking up litter and recycling more, it affects the places that other people have to live in. When donating to MK Food Bank or giving blood, it directly helps other people and can even save their lives. When I choose to spend money on myself rather than give to charities, it means that those charities are less able to help others. When I act on my faith and follow the example of Jesus’ life, I’m inspired to live my life in a way that puts others first.
Jesus said ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ – the challenge to love our neighbour can be difficult but there is also the challenge to love ourselves. Some of the tasks that I’ve done over lent have been for my own benefit; (e.g. eating healthier, exercising more, taking a day off, looking for beauty in the ordinary. In order to help others we also need to help ourselves.
All that said, I wouldn’t say that my life has been radically transformed through these challenges. But I would say that I have significantly improved a number of aspects of my life. There’s still much more I’d like to change and I think it’s important for me to carry on trying, despite the fact I won’t always succeed. I believe that Jesus lived and died in a radically selfless way, which demonstrated his message of love and forgiveness from God. I hope that I can pass on this message of love and forgiveness through my words and the way I choose to live.
___
Count Your Blessings fact: in 2010 73% of the British population donated to charity
Task: Give thanks for the generosity that has been shown and the work that has been accomplished through it
(Joint) Running total: £37.84
Anyone who’d like to volunteer should have a look at http://www.do-it.org.uk/ - you can search for opportunities to volunteer based on interest and/or location.
In response to a suggestion the other day from my random acts of kindness blog post, I got in touch with Samaritans to start volunteering. I plan to attend an introduction evening in May. In 2007 Samaritans received 5,319,462 contacts. I’m glad there are volunteers who are there to listen when people are going through tough times, so I figured it would be good for me to be a bit more generous with my time as well.
___
Count Your Blessings fact: Christian Aid partner COC Bless in Egypt has trained farmers to grow green beans for export to Europe, earning them five times the local market price.
Task: Give 10p for any fruit or veg you have bought this week that was not grown in Britain
(Joint) Running total: £39.44 (Kiwi berries, pineapple, pomegranate, oranges)
Today’s challenge was to share lunch with a homeless person, however I didn’t meet one today. Yesterday and today I have appreciated how much hunger can affect a person by missing a few meals. There is some excellent work being carried out to prevent homelessness by people like the YMCA in Milton Keynes. It is also important for us to respond to the issues facing our society through volunteering and donating to the charities who are working to support vulnerable people.
___
Count Your Blessings fact: More than a quarter of the working-age population in South Africa are out of work, compared to 8 out of 100 in Britain and Ireland
Task: Give £1 if you a currently employed
(Joint) Running total: £37.84
