Page 22 - Contact Summer 2020
P. 22
For you have been a stronghold to the poor, Andy though, realising Lorraine was still going to
a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a be working and part of her responsibility was to
shelter from the storm and a shade from the continue operating Bob’s Store from High Kirk,
heat. Isaiah 25:4 which is in eect a small foodbank, texted asking
if help was needed there and was told yes.
At the outset of lockdown, people within the Isn’t it true that very often when you pray for
wider church were being asked to take this as a something you can become part of a solution!
time of pause and to reect on their relationship The Lord’s people are called to witness to a lost
with the Lord, seeking His face for the times we world and what better opportunity than this
are in. Whilst we believe it is always good to take pandemic to do so. The Internet and airwaves
stock of our lives and remember that the Lord have been ooded with messages of hope to
values our heart more than our works, it is in those living in fear and uncertainty for months
times of crisis that we believe the Church should now but nothing beats the hands and face of
step up and seize the moment to demonstrate Jesus being presented through someone who
the love and compassion of Jesus. It was through cares, turning up on your doorstep with
a merging of these two things that Andy and I provisions that will see you through the next
came to be serving in Bob’s Store. few days. Love in action!
Through Transformations Ireland we had re- From Easter we have gone down to Bob’s three
ceived A Call to Pray Ireland - a united call for days per week:-
every corner of Ireland to engage in prayer for
our island (initially for three Sundays, 3-4 pm but Saturday - people drop off donations at High
was extended throughout April and May). Kirk and along with Lorraine, Maurice and
So in response we sat down together at home Nikki we stack these on tables in the
to pray and take the short time of personal McCaughey Hall.
repentance as suggested. Much of the prayer
centred on the needs of the coronavirus Tuesday - under Joan’s guiding hand we
pandemic and on the second Sunday of prayer, pack the Bags of Blessings with Saturday’s
having received an email from the Ballymena donations.
House of Prayer, one of the things we covered
was the fact that the foodbank in Ballymena was Friday – along with Paula and Trevor Magee,
low in stock due to the current emergency and Lorraine and Maurice we deliver the bags to
more people than ever being dependent on help. those in need.
Following that second prayer time we felt we had
to do a shop for the foodbank and felt a desire to In addition to this Andy has shopped regularly
volunteer in some capacity. for Bob’s with some of the monies donated.
Over the course of the pandemic we have seen
how the kindness of God’s people has continued
to ow in the sustained giving of food, toiletries
and money.
