People experiencing homelessness are all around us. Whether you are waiting at traffic lights, going to your local shops, or walking through the city centre you will have noticed there are a growing number of people who have nowhere to call home. How are we supposed to react to these people? What emotions do you feel? Compassion? Guilt? Helplessness? Maybe even the urge to look away.
It’s easy to think the problem is too big; the people too complex; that there is nothing we can do. But what if we choose to look at them as individuals, beautifully and wonderfully created by God. Does that change our thinking?
That one person experiencing homelessness is 17 times more likely to be a victim of violence and die on average 30 years younger than the average man or woman (47 for men, 43 for women).
And what if that one person is a woman? Just this week, the BBC reported on the issues faced by women experiencing homelessness. Women are more likely to sleep on buses, libraries, fast-food restaurants or hospitals, preferring to walk around at night to avoid violence, including sexual violence.
What if that one person is sleeping on the sofa of a friend whilst trying to keep the rest of their life on track, or perhaps living in unsafe, overcrowded or shared accommodation and not visible, not even a statistic on a local authority’s list.
The housing crisis in this country is real and hundreds of thousands or people live that reality every day. At Central Hall, we work with LifeShare to provide breakfast for nearly 400 people each week (being at LifeShare is one of my favourite times of the week); we are generous through the Re-Boot project, Monday’s Undies and Befrienders; we support the work and Christian outreach of Barnabus, a charity working intensely with a smaller group of those experiencing homelessness and we use our voice in the local, regional and national arenas to raise awareness and create spaces where people from all sectors of the community can gather to share their experiences.
As a connexional church we are exploring how we can use our empty assets (manses/churches) into the mix of a solution to the housing crisis.
There is no quick fix to the housing situation, but as winter approaches, please try to see the individual, the person fearfully and wonderfully made by God and remember what the Lord requires of us: to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with God.
PRAYER
Lord, our God
We hold before you all who are experiencing homelessness today in whatever form that takes. May each person find some kindness, shelter and food in their struggle to survive. Open our hearts to their plight and the varied reasons why they are where they are. Give us generous hearts to understand, to seek justice, and to support organisations which are skilled in engaging with their many needs.
Keep them safe, we pray. Amen
Deacon Jenny Jones
GET INVOLVED
If this is cause that is close to your heart you can make your steps count this winter and join Shelter as hundreds of us are walking the streets of Manchester. You will be raising money for Shelter’s work and playing your part in ending the housing emergency, as part of Walk for Home to Manchester!It’s a 5km walk, starting at 6pm on Tuesday 2nd December at Shelter’s hub in Watson Street.
Find out more information, to sign up and start fundraising today, click here.