Today I have been at The Salvation Army in Poplar where we are in an exciting partnership with Tower Hamlets Food Bank. It is a wonderful time of Ministry yet totally heartbreaking with the stories that are told. Today I met a woman whom I will call Leanne. Leanne was classed as 'homeless' but sleeping on her brother's sofa whilst her 8 year old daughter sleeps on a put up bed. Leanne's heart was breaking today. I met her when she was racked with sobs and tears rolling down her face. She was stressed, worried and could not see any light or hope out of her situation. She had been 'randomly' picked to sign on every day at the job centre for 3 weeks at varying times of the day - regardless of school pick up times, school drop off times or child care generally.
Leanne lives just over a 30 minute walk from our centre. She will have further to walk to sign on. Leanne cannot afford an oyster card (£5 upfront cost) and she cannot afford to put on the price of the bus fare (£1.40 per journey) - Leanne has to walk everywhere. So to be told that she has to 'sign on' every day at the time that they give her adds a further pressure particularly if she has to rush off to walk another 20 minutes to pick up her daughter from school before having to walk 30 minutes home.
Leanne shared with me how the Job Centre makes her feel worthless. The people that she talks to there intimidate her and treat her as though she is a waste of their time. She is trying to do everything that they ask of her but she feels sick at the thought of attending and can't understand what is being achieved by making her sign on every day.
Leanne has very little money. I asked Leanne when she last ate, she couldn't tell me. My suspicion is that any food she can get hold of goes to her daughter so that she can concentrate at school.
Through the sobs and through the tears I was able to tell Leanne that she "was fearfully and wonderfully made". I told her that this meant that the God who made her wanted her to realise how special she is. How beautiful she is. Not only on the outside but on the inside.
This stunningly beautiful woman who came in with no hope, no light at the end of the tunnel, began to smile and the smile lit the whole room. When I told her that her daughter would see her as the most precious woman on earth and meant the world to her, she laughed, not quite believing that one. I kept reminding her over and over that she was fearfully and wonderfully made. I'm not sure she has ever heard this.
God's words spoken over her, brought light into her situation. I watched her become physically stronger and stand taller when God's words were spoken over her again and again. I watched her become emotionally stable as the dawning of the truth sunk into her heart that she was precious and honoured in God's sight and that He loved her. I watched the spiritual revelation hit her heart when I said "When you don't know what to pray, just say the Lord's Prayer. That will cover everything you need to pray. 'Give us this day our daily bread,' - what is food bank giving you today?!!" She laughed and spoken openly about not realising that it was a prayer that she could pray.
I watched Leanne physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually grow! Light returned to her eyes. The Hope of Christ helping her sort out her situation. She repeated after me "I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" She repeated this three times and was practically giggling like a little girl but realising that this was the strength that she needed!
We talked about the fact that returning to the job centre was not going to be easy. But with helpful coping mechanisms she would be strong enough to deal with them. With words to say and hold on to she could challenge the difficulties that were being presented before her. We prayed. Leanne left with a full belly! Leanne left with a weeks worth of food for herself and her daughter. Food bank are not sure if they will see her next week but people commented on the difference in her when she left.
What rang through my mind when she left were the words of William Booth. "While women weep as they do now, I'll Fight!" That was just one woman that I was able to fight for today. The following words also came to mind - "Little by little we're moving forward, step by step we're taking ground. Every prayer a powerful weapon, strongholds come tumbling down and down and down and down!"
"While children go hungry, I'll Fight". Leanne and her daughter struggle to afford food. But we fought today to feed empty bellies. We fought to feed them for the week ahead. I was comforted knowing that Leanne can prepare a dinner for her child tonight just as I would prepare mine.
My ministry is about being a Messenger of Hope. That is why theses words are so precious to me:
"And for those times when words has failed and I must be the message Lord I need it's meaning burned in me...."
"Messenger, I'll be your Messenger, where hope has died and left a blank despair, I'll take the words of grace you've given me to share."
The Fight does go on. Praying and speaking God's Words over and into people's lives to build them up, make them strong, so that they can go on to fight another day.
