BLOG: HE WHO HINGETH ABOOT - GETTETH HEE HAW

HE WHO HINGETH ABOOT - GETTETH HEE HAW

Those who know me well, know that I am a passionate person who commits 100% of my energy to my work - so you can see why the opportunity to end homelessness in Scotland, working with Green Pastures, stood out to me. I could take the skills I had learnt and use them for something truly important and life changing, not just for those who could benefit, but also for myself and my desire to serve my God.

I believe God to be stirring His church in Scotland - to stand by His teachings, to cling to His promises, to reach the lost people within His nation. I believe God is not only active - but His pace to be constant. John chapter 9 verse 4 - We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

I have lived in both city centres and also very rural and remote areas throughout my life and it has already become evident that the needs of the homeless in these very different environments, which are the fabric of Scotland, are varied and hugely challenging. Homelessness in Scotland's city centres often comes from the visual acknowledgement of seeing people sleeping rough or begging in the streets, whereas homelessness in rural areas is almost an invisible phenomenon, and churches awareness of the issues in their area will likely come from a far different place.

çTHE CHALLENGE

In the Old Testament of the Holy Bible - Isaiah 58 says that we (the church of Jesus Christ) should provide òthe poor wanderer with shelter'.

Should the 21st Century church in Scotland be doing more to help the poor and marginalised?

Green Pastures was established to help the homeless, not only with housing, but also with hearing and receiving the Gospel. Through reading the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10 - the founding members of the team felt the Holy Spirit say úI didn't tell you to go to local government, I told you (the church) to take responsibility for the people yourselfùç

THE NEED IN SCOTLAND

Before the pandemic - 100,000 individuals were living in temporary accommodation in Scotland. Many families, many vulnerable adults and those who have escaped abuse and persecution exist in appalling conditions. 26% of prisoners return to prison every year. 1,200 people consumed by life controlling addiction die each year. Alcoholics, heroin addicts, thousands of asylum seekers, mental health problems, learning difficulties and broken homes. Many of the population in Scotland are in housing difficulty.

QUESTION

Can the Church in Scotland help house these marginalised people and bring about change within their life? I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ holds the solution to this problem. My dear Christian friends, I implore you by the mercies of Christ that in one way or another you as individual Christians, as part of the Body of Christ - join with us to bring about the change in our Nation.

We cannot do this by ourselves, we need the whole Church in Scotland.

Karl Reece
Partnership Manager - Scotland