King's News 26

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Hospitality to strangers

Derek Perry writes on the need to help those struggling on the streets.

For just over one year now, I have been travelling to Plymouth sometimes twice a week to help distribute food and clothes to the homeless people. Since I first started I have noticed an alarming increase in the amount of people in Plymouth who need help. People have asked me in the past if all of the people we help are genuinely homeless or not, as they are not prepared to support our work unless we can assure them that everyone we help are homeless. Well, the honest answer is no - some of the people we meet and help do have somewhere to live, but because of health (mental or physical) or emotional problems they are unable to look after themselves.


Derek & Immaculee taking a break as they prepare food for people on the streets of Plymouth

We cannot as Christians turn away someone because they do not meet the criteria of being a real homeless person. Praise God that there are many, many more people who do feel the same way that my wife and daughter and I feel. We have been blessed by the response to an appeal we sent out earlier this year all over Tavistock, by several small local food shops and companies which donate food which they are unable to use. We also have one lady who donates a dozen eggs every week, and another who bakes us home-made cakes. To see the smiles on the faces of the people we help, because they have a small piece of home-made cake is very humbling. I wish that a few of the big supermarkets would offer their help. But unfortunately they are so afraid of being sued for food poisoning (that is the reason the local managers are given by their head offices) that they have to destroy the food they have left over at the end of each day.

Recently I have read several articles in national and Christian papers about groups and churches which organise soup runs all over the British Isles, such as the team I join in with from Plymouth Christian Community Church. Much of what I have read has been very negative; in one newspaper I read, a politician made the accusation that it’s groups like us that encourage people to remain homeless.

Well, in an ideal world we should have no homeless, no sick, no runaways or refugees, BUT this is not an ideal world. So until the government step in and take their responsibilities seriously, towards solving the homeless problems in Britain, I believe there is still a need for soup runs.

Derek

CAN YOU HELP? We desperately need sleeping bags, blankets, hats, gloves, scarves and warm coats. We need tinned food such as soup and tuna; we need bread and biscuits. And we need more large 2 litre flasks, and boxes for keeping food hot in the winter.

ALSO NEEDED: In the near future one of the minibuses we use is going to need to be replaced. We need to have a vehicle (preferably a minibus style), which can seat at least 4 people, and can be kitted out in the back with lights, and be able to take boxes of food & flasks. Maybe you know of a company who would like to donate or sponsor a much newer one than the one we have been blessed with from Tavistock Community Church.

Please, if you can help, contact Derek or Immaculee Perry on 01822 834465 (mobile 07796 58 00 55), e-mail us at familyperry@hotmail.co.uk, or write to us at The Watering Hole, Morwell, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8JH.

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