In the increasingly popular carol, O Holy Night, there is a line that has been resonating with me as we prepare for our second ‘pandemic Christmas’…..“The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices”
“Exhausted”, is how most people respond when asked how are you doing nowadays.
Weary of the lockdowns, the injustices, the double standards, bereavements, the insecurity and uncertainty.
Weary that in 2021, despite our best efforts to maximise income for people through our benefit/debt advice there is still need for emergency Foodbank use in our society.
However……..
- When I think of our staff and volunteers and the sacrifices they have made this year, my weary heart rejoices a little.
- When I think of the new areas we are working in – the counselling, next steps, the work in schools and with families in the holidays, then my weary heart is beginning to recover.
- When I think of the extra mile we have been able to go with people my heart rejoices a little : sorting out fuel emergencies or through the new weekly Food Pantries we have set up in 2021; then my weary heart is expectant of better things to come.
- The ‘thrill of hope’ is what I see in the faces of the people who have received our Christmas hampers this week or the emergency cases of homelessness or with domestic violence survivors.
We can do these things only because of our donors. You are amazing people of HOPE. Its one of the defences we have against overwhelming weariness. There are too many to thank personally, but this year hundreds of individuals and organisations who have been so generous. It is our funding relationships with schools, businesses and trusts, that has enabled us to put in place an ambitious strategy to not just treat the symptoms of poverty- but to work on its causes too.
This year has seen us move to our own premises which is very exciting and we expect to welcome even more of you into this space for workshops, courses and events in 2022. The New Year will see some new preventative projects announced and of course we will continue to meet the needs of people as they arise.
For those of us of Christian faith there is the chance to once again connect with the amazing truth that God dignifies the human condition so much that God became ‘flesh’ and Christ was born not in an exalted place, but in the poverty and chaos of a ‘weary world’. Thank you to the churches who host one of our projects or support us in another way.
For everyone, of any faith or none, however you ‘do’ Christmas – I trust that there can be a moment somewhere in the festivities where we can draw a line under the weariness of a pretty tough year, and find some strength to start a kinder more humane New Year.
That is certainly my wish for you all as we, together, journey though this ‘weary world’.
To all our staff, volunteers, trustees, donors, supporters, referral partners, service users, clients and members : may I wish you a very Happy Christmas.
Keep safe and keep in touch with us in the New Year.
Richard Owens
Chief Executive, Compassion Acts