Prayer Letter - October 2004
We are pleased to report an exciting first month of our new Thursday operations!
Each Thursday since mid September we have had a van run to collect things offered and/or deliver items to homes in need. We start the day with prayer followed by activities such as electrical testing, sorting clothes and curtains, and organising the weekend decorating and gardening projects. Recent weekends have seen three different Saturday projects - undertaken by home groups from Guildford Baptist Church, URC Westborough and St Peters Farnborough.
We are thankful that all this has been possible. Our prayer is that the Lord will be at the centre of our on-going activities and that it is His blessings that are being received.
There have been several delightful stories:
- At a decorating project we were able to give an extra three sets of curtains - the mother said ‘she had never had nice curtains like this before’.
- At a gardening project Simon noticed that the 5 person family only had a small old sofa - remarkably there was a recently given sofa still in our van much more suitable and Simon was able to leave it, departing with the sight of all 3 children sitting on the new sofa together watching Aladdin!
- St Saviour’s church has had some homeless men visiting – Besom were asked if we had any blankets (which we hadn’t), until two days later amongst some donated bedding and crockery was a bag of many blankets – the timing was amazing!
It is also heartening to report that there has been opportunity to witness as to why we are doing these activities. In a home where we have returned several times a visitor embarked on a conversation about faith for a half hour, with the recipient (who has recently started going to church) also joining in with her testimony.
We pray for sustained operations as the term develops. We hope for van drivers or van assistants to come forwards on Thursdays or Saturdays and for people who can give time on a Thursday to help sort the garage, pray together and prepare for these trips. We also pray for more groups to come forward as the needs identified by our community workers are many!
At the heart of Besom’s activity we believe is to pray that God will call people to giving – whether this be time, skills, things or money. Please pray with us and encourage your friends and church colleagues to contact us.
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We hold monthly prayer meetings, contact us for forthcoming dates on 07929 037101 or email at info@guildfordbesom.com.
The Guildford Besom Steering Group are:
David Sigsworth, Heather Packwood, Simon Chedgey
(854461) (857011) (534248)
September 2004
Hi Everyone,
As many of you know, over the past few months the Besom has been given the
amazing gift of a van and the use of a garage at Westborough Church.
- We have already had about 6 van runs and have helped 6 homes by giving beds,
cookers, kitchen items, washing machines, microwaves, wardrobes, carpets and
toys.
- It has also been exciting to see how items have matched.
- One lady had asked specifically for a blue two seater sofa and we had
already been offered one which was virtually new. It also matched the other
blue schemes in her room perfectly and was a sofa bed too (which she had
been hoping for). She was delighted.
- A single mum with 3 children was recently rehoused and had asked for pine
bunk beds and a pine single bed for her children. We were offered a pine
bunk bed the week before she moved and a pine single bed, two weeks before
that.
So again, many thanks for all those who have helped out on the van or have
given items.
From September, we would like to start having a Besom Day on Thursday of
each week, based out of Westborough Church. Each Thursday we will start at 10:00 with prayer and worship. The day will consist of
- Van trips in the Besom Van, to collect and deliver furniture and household
items
- Car trips to collect and deliver clothes, toys and household items
- Sorting and ironing clothes at Westborough Church
- Electrical Testing at the garage (you don't need to be an electrician!).
If you would like to give time on a Thursday, e.g. on the vans or sorting
and ironing clothes, or simply would like to join us for prayer at 10:00,
please give us a call on the new Guildford Besom phone line
07929 037101 or email at the new email address info@guildfordbesom.com
Thanks again,
Best wishes,
Simon Chedgey (...and David). | 