NewStarts
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin . . .
 As you read this there will be people just like you, living not far from where you’re sitting right now, who won’t be sitting comfortably. Perhaps through no fault of their own, they’ll be in disastrous situations, finding themselves without the means to make even a poor attempt at comfortable living. They may be in difficulty due to one or more finance, violence, family, alcohol, drug or gambling related problems, or they may be legal or illegal immigrants or people with psychiatric problems. No matter why they find themselves in their situation, we will wish to help them if we can.
"Then he will turn to the ‘goats’, the ones on his left, and say, "Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell”.
And why? Because . . .
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'
Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, “Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?”
He will answer them, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me--you failed to do it to me.”
(The Message, Matthew 25, 41:45)
So, how do we help folks make a "New Start"? Let's be clear; Bromsgrove isn’t a ‘poor’ town in UK terms. It's ranked 293rd out of 354 Local Authorities based on the average deprivation scores (with the most deprived area being No. 1). That's just 61 places from the top! It really should be within our grasp to help alleviate this problem.
There are some simple things we can all do to make life a little less harsh than it need be. Firstly we can pray; pray for the people who will be forced into accepting offers of assistance tonight, and for those people who will reach out to help them. Then make a concerted effort to give practical help; by giving good quality items which we no longer need. If you don’t actually have any items you no longer need, go out and buy some!
The things we need all the time are:
- Alarm Clocks/Radios
- Beds (Bunk, Double, Single & Storable)
- Bedding
- Carpet, Rugs & Floor Covering
- Cleaning Equipment (i.e. Brooms, Dust Pan & Brush Sets, Mops & Buckets)
- Clothing, (clean and good quality)
- Cookers (Electric & Gas)
- Cots and Pushchairs
- Electrical Items i.e. Kettles, Toasters/Sandwich Makers, Lamps
- Food (long-term storable items only)
- Freezers & Fridges
- Furniture – all sorts
- Radios and CD Players
- Toys, (good quality, clean, undamaged)
- Tumble Dryers
- Vacuum Cleaners
- Washing Machines
All of these items are needed by, and will be distributed to, people living in shelters for the homeless and women’s refuges in our area, to people just starting out again who have managed to rent a room somewhere but have nothing whatever to sleep on, to help them in the process of re-establishing themselves and starting new lives in new homes. Gifts such as these also help people to realise that there are friendly faces in the crowd; that they aren’t on their own.
NewStarts works closely with locak relief agencies. Dedicated storage facilities are available and whole house clearances can be undertaken. Contact the NewStarts team on: 01527 882410. Alternatively click here to access a simple form which will enable you to offer the items you have available.
Together, we can do something to help.
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