Most of this year has been different at the Care Centre, and December was equally as strange. Usually we would be creating invites for a Christmas party, setting up the decorations, buying and wrapping presents and looking forward to a wonderful meal and a talk on what Christmas means to us as followers of Jesus. But this year we have been serving a takeaway meal through the shutter doors, just as we have done since the end of the first lockdown.
Two HUGE turkeys were kindly donated and Stan, who is ‘on loan’ to the Care Centre from ElderLink (as they remain temporarily closed), worked wonders in creating turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce rolls with Christmas pudding and custard or mince pies for dessert. Gifts of chocolates, socks, hats, rucksacks and toiletries were donated from various individuals, schools and churches and packs were made ready for the 23rd. As we prepared to open, it was pouring with rain and we assumed the day would be a washout but, as noon approached, the sunshine came out and 60 guests arrived in great spirits to enjoy all that God had provided for us!
Early in December we were approached by four guests whom we know well. They had found themselves sleeping rough at the same time and were looking for accommodation. They had been in and out of hostels and shared accommodation and desperately wanted somewhere they could be together and support each other. Generally this would be an impossible task. Nobody on our usual network of contacts would be able to house all four people in the same property. But we had recently met a young man who had just started a supported accommodation business and shared our values in helping people and improving lives. He was worth a call. He had just finished decorating a four bedroom house! The four guests are now living happily in that property, helping each other, cooking, cleaning and being supported with their individual needs. We don’t believe in coincidences; this is all God’s will.
We would like to thank every individual, church, school and business for their incredible support in a complicated year. We value your prayers for 2021 as we hope that, at some point, we can start welcoming guests back into the building once again.
