Security in community

St Paul's makes such a difference to those whose security is suddenly destroyed

Security. It's something we really value about living in Australia. We believe people have a right to live securely.

Compare Australia with countries featured in recent media reports from around the world. The threat to democratic security in Zimbabwe appals us. The threat to peaceful security in Palestine, Iraq or Afghanistan frightens and disgusts us. The threat to physical security in Sudan should make us weep.

Security.

We take it for granted. Until we lose it.

A man came to St Paul's for help last week. He was aged about 45, and was dressed in a shirt and tie. He had been employed all his life; married with kids. Secure.

Then his whole life fell apart. He lost his job, his wife left him, the bank is threatening to foreclose on his mortgage ... and it's just so hard to beg from friends. The bills were mounting up, and he needed food to get through the week. He just didn't know where to turn. He had never felt so lost and insecure before. The helping hand St Paul's was able to offer him through your generosity gave him hope. We received a note from him: "This is just a quick note to say 'Thank you' for your kind assistance when I called yesterday regarding a food parcel. Having not been in this situation before, it is difficult to know what one can expect. I would just like to say how grateful I am for your help. Thank you also for your offer of prayer for my situation — it is most welcome. With grateful thanks, and may God bless you as you serve Him..." He could have been any one of us.

Security.

There are other stories — the woman who was overwhelmed with grief after her husband's suicide, who also had to deal with the fact that their joint bank account had been frozen since his death. She desperately needed food, but even more so, security as her whole world had been blown apart. She just didn't know where to turn ... she had never needed to ask for help before. Thankfully she turned to us, and you helped her! Or the broken man who told how his wife was taking advance loans against their next pension cheque, and then using the borrowed money to feed her gambling addiction, rather than buying food to feed their family.

It's hard to imagine these feelings of insecurity — it should make us weep.

The media might not pick up on these stories. Yet the insecurity experienced by these people in our own neighbourhoods can be just as great as that experienced by the individuals from far away places on the news each night.

Your prayers, and your support for St Paul's Care and Justice programs, can make a huge difference in peoples' lives. You can offer them the security of knowing that someone cares, and through your caring, offer them the security of knowing that God cares.

STOP PRESS!

We are currently in discussion with the Migrant Information Centre in Box Hill to see how we can assist migrants and refugees new to our country with food, language or other support — how we can offer them security amongst so much change in their lives. Exciting stuff! Find out how you can make a difference: speak to Dania, Bett Beaton or Ronda Held.

Dania Ahern