These prolonged difficult days have required great creativity from the CFL staff team in supporting vulnerable people. Support could just be in the form of a chat over the phone, or a 3 way call to benefits, GP or housing, it could be a doorstep visit to drop off food, view a letter or pick up forms that need completing. It could be dropping off art packs to complete or plants to care for or organising a zoom group activity. Here are some snap shots of what’s been happening.
Despite the restrictions, one of the Core team ladies has found activities are a good way to help when communication doesn’t come so easily. Last week a board game of Family Fortunes was played with a lady over the phone, with comments of happy memories of playing this in her teenage years with her Mum. Another lady was shown how to make a tuna bake via a face to face call J Others have been able to pick up on a hobby and research and share information to make regular phone calls easier. Although learning Japanese was a step too far when one of our gents said he was doing that during lockdown!
We have done several video calls to help with instructions on doing a home covid test, this is no mean feat, as you will know if you’ve done one yourself!! Lots of steps and instructions on how to complete! One lady needed us to go over it several times and there was lots of laughter during the gathering of the sample!
We have still been able to support people moving house despite the restrictions, whether that is helping someone to bid for a council property or booking viewings for private lets or simply over the phone to change addresses with utility companies or organise a removal van. We have two ladies who are happily in their new homes this year already and 1 gent and 1 lady about to move in. One lady expressed it was a new start for her, the beginning of a new way of living.
Each week we are often asked to pray with people over the phone. Sometimes individuals in difficult circumstances ask us to pray for them even if they had no previous interest in God. Others know and love the Lord and enjoy praying together each week. Either way this is always a great privilege for us.
We are so blessed to be able to keep really good contact with all our beneficiaries despite all the restrictions. We are amazed at how well received our meagre efforts are and how much God can continue to do during this time to draw people to Himself.