My faith is small

I'm probably going to have to put
Mabel on the payroll soon

This week is Christian Aid Week.  It's no surprise to me that I've had a good run cloud-wise as I've been spending most of my working time out giving presentations and meeting supporters for the last few weeks.  I know right, I make this big play of being an introvert and I love to go out speaking in front of people.  Things just aren't that black and white folks!

Anywho, as much as this time of year is a hard slog it's also pretty amazing.  On Sunday I was sent away from three of my engagements with food for the journey and I've lost count of how many cream teas I've had...  and the whole raising money for people in poverty is important too.  Natch.

We hear so much about how much more shallow our pockets are and increasing numbers of people are dependent on aid and food packages.  You would think that special fundraising weeks like this one would be a waste of time in this climate.

I'm not saying it's easy, it is getting harder.  I'm not saying we don't need any more money, we do - it's not going as far as it used to.

But in my seven years at Christian Aid I have seen the people with the least give the most - without fail.

It follows what I'm learning about my own reflection (funny how that happens).  When I feel I have nothing, I become the most effective just in ways I wouldn't normally expect.  It's seem that when we have very little, we are forced to get out of the way and let the good stuff work through us.

It's not easy to keep encouraging those who are tired and sometimes unsupported to keep going, that their efforts are making a real difference.  We all want the wealthy and powerful to listen up and sort all this out once and for all, like we know they could.  With some sensible investment and high up decisions eventually we wouldn't need a Christian Aid Week.

But they will only do it if the rest of us use the little we have to shout.  We will only see communities start to thrive in the meantime if we stand with them.  If we all did as much as we could we would seriously be getting somewhere.

And saving the world with a cream tea.  It's not all bad...