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Outreach
St Catherine’s magazine to the communities of Mile Cross and Catton Grove
Proclaiming Jesus Christ
The Way, The Truth and The Life
February/March 2020 50p
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Extra Hands around the home
Small building works, Building repairs, Gutters cleaned
Decorating or Garden services,
Small electrical: light bulbs changed, extension leads made up.
Small plumbing: tap washers fitted.
Need some help . . . Call Chris at Extra Hands on 07766 356134
Pop into the World of Nostalgia
Inside OUR Shopping Centre you will find an amazing range of shops
Enjoy a Drink and snack in our Café
before DISCOVERING almost anything you might be looking for.
We have a Shoe Shop, Engravers, Dry Cleaners, Jewellers, Florist
Pet Store, Household Goods and Gift Shop, Art and Craft + Stationery
Carpets, Shoe Repairs, Frame Room, Toys and Collectables,
Toy Shop, Hairdressers, Fabric Shop, Clothing Alterations,
Combat Games, Dog Grooming , T Shirt Printer, Secondhand Books
SO MANY REASONS TO VISIT OUR CENTRE
157.159 Reepham Road Hellesdon
Norwich NR6 5PA Tel ; 01603 429186
www.dixoncentre.co.uk
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N. Ramsey Formerly of Zipfels EST 1855
Clock and Watch Repairs - Free Estimates
Good selection of used clocks, watches & pocket
watches
Always buying good timepieces
01603 624520 17 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1LE
3
LES BEDFORD ESTABLISHED OVER 30 YEARS
VEHICLE REPAIR SPECIALISTS IN MOTOR ACCIDENT DAMAGE AND BODY REPAIR
NO JOB TOO SMALL
PERFECT COLOUR MATCHING
NORWICH (01603) 425763 2A REEPHAM ROAD, HELLESDON, NORWICH
H.C.P.C. Registered
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We are pleased to say the Outlook magazine will remain 50p for the
coming year or £2.50 if you pay for the year. This will be payable in
February, please.
NR3 SUNDAY SOCIAL
At St Catherine’s Church Hall,
298 Aylsham Road, NR3 2RJ
First Sunday of every month 12 noon to 2 pm
Come and have a meal, free or give a donation.
The Sunday Social reduces food waste!
Food which would have been thrown out by supermarkets
is used to create delicious free meals for the community.
“Everyone welcome”
Contact Chrissie Rumsby - [email protected]
or Revd Ruth Lambert - phone 01603 410565
Free Home Made
Food, Drink and
Desserts
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There is a collection point for the FOOD BANK based at Mile Cross
Methodist Church. Please help local people in crisis by buying items from
the list below and leaving them in the Norwich Foodbank collection point at
Mile Cross Methodist Church or in the box at St Catherine’s Church.
Shopping List
Milk – (500g)UHT or powdered Sugar
Fruit Juice (Long Life carton) Soup
Pasta Sauces Baby food
Sponge pudding (tinned) Rice / Pasta
Tomatoes (tinned) Tinned Fruit
Instant mash potato Baked beans
Tinned Meat / Fish Tea Bags
Instant Coffee
Biscuits or snack bars
They are in need of tinned vegetables, i.e. carrots, sweetcorn, peas, tinned
meat, long-life Sponge puddings and Shower Gel.
Foodbank has a Gift Aid No XT22368 : Reg Ltd Company No 7051996 :
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2020
On Friday 6th March the World Day of Prayer service takes place at the
Salvation Army, Boundary Road at 1.30 pm.
The service has been written by the women of Zimbabwe, the title being
’Rise! Take Your Mat and Walk’.
This service is open to men as well as women - why
not come along?
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ST CATHERINE’S MILE CROSS www.stcatherinesmilecross.org.uk
VICAR: Revd. Captain Martin Hartley The Vicarage, Aylsham Road, Norwich NR3 2RJ
Norwich 426767
(day off Friday))
email: [email protected]
ASSOCIATE PRIEST: Revd. Ruth Lambert Norwich 410565
e-mail: [email protected]
SERVICES EVERY SUNDAY at 10.30am and 6.00pm
Holy communion 10.30am 2nd and 4th Sundays
6.00pm 1st and 3rd Sundays
Along with our Sunday services there is
Teaching for Young People at 10.30 am.
We also have provision for under-5’s
(Emmaus Room, Church Hall)
Xplorers (5-11 years) Church Hall
Except 1st and 2nd Sundays of the month which are All Age Services
WEEKDAY MEETINGS CHURCH HALL
MONDAY
10.30 am - 12.30pm ‘Messy Church’ Baby and Toddler Group (0-4 years)
(school term times)
TUESDAY
5.45pm Brownies (7-10 years)
7.30 pm Guides (11-14 years)
WEDNESDAY
5.30 - 6.30pm Beavers (6 - 8 years)
6.30 pm Cubs (8 -10½ years)
8 pm Scouts (10½ -14 years)
11.00 am & 7.30 pm - Fellowship Groups
THURSDAY
5 - 6.30 pm Rainbows (5 - 7 years)
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Who’s Who at St Catherine’s?
Vicar: Revd. Captain Martin Hartley 426767
Associate Priest: Revd. Ruth Lambert 410565
Assistant Priest: Revd. Gill Bridges 789634
Assistant Priest: Revd. Charles Read
Assistant Priest: Revd. Laurie Janicker
Baptism, wedding or funeral enquiries please contact
Revd. Captain Martin Hartley or Revd Ruth Lambert
For church hall bookings please contact Sue Coward on 01603 403158
or email [email protected]
Organisations Messy Church Pat McDermott 409293
Rainbows Michelle [email protected]
Brownies Maureen Hamis [email protected]
Guides Sarah 07732400901
Beavers Gary Wicks 951418
Cubs Paula Wicks 951418
Scouts Gavin Wicks 403365
Extend Tracey Thompson 07711 123739
Outreach Magazine Editor Pat McDermott, 2 Brightwell Road 409293
e-mail: [email protected]
Advertising Richard Proudfoot
e-mail: [email protected]
Distribution Annette Knowles
e-mail: [email protected]
Your magazine distributor is:
Cover picture: Snowdrops at Walsingham
If you have enjoyed this magazine, please pass it on.
Don’t forget our hall is available to hire for groups or
private functions for the very reasonable rate of
£15 per hour which is extremely good value.
Contact Sue Coward to book the Hall on 01603 403158
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January 2020
‘New Beginnings’!
Well here we are, January once more! Christmas is already feeling a bit like a
distant memory! Personally I have been banned, already, from singing, or
even humming, the tune to Deck The Halls………………….!!
However, here we are not only in a New Year but also a new decade, 2020!
So time to think about ‘New Beginnings’! This is something that we
thought about, here at St Catherine’s, at our very first morning service ‘this
year’!
People often try to get the New Year off to a good start by making
resolutions. You know the sort………. I am going to give up ????? OR join a
gym, or many other things. I am sure that for some they are more
determined and dedicated than perhaps I am but from conversations with the
people that I know I don’t hear many success stories with ‘New Year’s
Resolutions’! We spent a bit of time looking back at 2019 before we looked
to what might be our ‘New Beginnings’!
Following the service on the 5th January 2020 I was thinking about this quite a
lot and found a bit of information that I also shared with the children at Mile
Cross Primary during assembly. This was the bit of ‘trivia’ that I found and
quite liked:-
The Roman god, Janus, was depicted with not just eyes, but a full face in the
back of his head! Janus was known as the god of doors and doorways, and it
was thought that because he had two faces, he could see forwards and
backwards at the same time. In fact, January - the first month of the year -
is named after him. In January, we often take the time to look backwards at
the previous year and forwards towards the future.
As this New Year begins perhaps we could all do with some looking both
back to 2019 and think about what we maybe regret! But more importantly
look forward and think about what we can do to make 2020 a happy new
year, not just for ourselves, but for those around us. So something to
consider for this new year………………..
‘What would the world be like if everyone thought about the effect that their
words and actions might have on other people?’
Happy 2020!
Revd Ruth
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CHRISTMAS 2019 AT ST.CATHERINE’S
Well before you know it we are post-Christmas and beginning to plan for
Easter! We hope that you managed to get along to one of our Christmas
services, but if you didn't, and before Christmas becomes too much of a fading
memory, here is a recap of Christmas at St Catherine’s this year.
The Christmas celebrations started with both Firside and Mile Cross Primary
schools coming to St Catherine’s for their Christmas Services. As usual, the
pupils sang beautifully and certainly helped me to get into the Christmas spirit.
At Messy Church, Father Christmas came bearing gifts at our Messy Church
Christmas party. We then we had our traditional evening Carol Service
followed by refreshments.
The Christmas Eve celebrations started with our Christingle Service. It was
lovely to see so many people in the church and joining in with our Nativity
musical. Ruth and I were in competition with who had the best flashing lights.
There was then time to prepare for the midnight Holy Communion. This is my
favourite service over Christmas and was made even more special this year
when we had a marriage proposal during the service. Congratulations to
Stephen and Sharon as thankfully Sharon said yes! This was followed, of course,
by more celebrating on Christmas Day!
At Christmas, the carols that we sing and the bible readings are familiar to us.
Christians have been celebrating and retelling this story for many years. It is a
story of the best gift that God could give us, Jesus Christ.
Jesus came and taught and showed us God’s heart and revealed to us the good
news that God’s love knows no boundaries. The only boundaries there are, are
the ones we choose to put there. This, of course, is not just a gift for Christmas
it is a gift that we can choose to accept at any time.
Revd Martin
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Important News about The Box, Woodcock Road
A joint statement from Catton Grove Big Local and Future Projects
Big Local is led by local residents, for local residents. For the past 3½ years,
we have offered a range of advice, employment and training services in
response to requests from the local community. These services have been
delivered at The Box on Woodcock Road, in partnership with a voluntary
organisation called Future Projects.
Big Local Partnership members consult regularly with local residents to make
sure that activities and services are meeting local needs and aspirations.
Following our most recent round of consultation in the summer of 2019, we
identified a significant fall in demand for services at The Box. In response to
this, Partnership members in consultation with Future Projects, agreed that
services at The Box would be brought to an end. This would enable funding
to be redirected into new community projects and activities in Catton
Grove.
The Box closed on 20th December 2019. Big Local Partnership members
would like to thank everyone who has accessed services at The Box over the
past few years. If you need support, guidance or training, here are some
suggestions for alternative organisations who may be able to help you…
For debt and money advice, contact Oak Grove Money Advice on 01603
403388 or King’s Money Advice on freephone 0800 970 9875.
For support with a range of housing issues you can book an appointment
with a housing advisor from Norwich City Council by calling 0344 980
3333, alternatively you can contact the Norwich office for Shelter UK on
0344 515 1860.
For advice on how to claim a range of benefits including Universal Credit,
visit the Norwich Citizen’s Advice Bureau at The Forum, Norwich from
9.30am - 4.00pm Monday - Friday or call the National CAB Adviceline on
0344 111 444.
For help to get on-line and using a computer for the first time, go to your
local Digital Hub at Mile Cross Library on Aylsham Road. For more info call
the Library on 01603 425906.
For more information about Catton Grove Big Local call 07761 426381 or
send an e-mail to [email protected].
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25TH NORWICH BROWNIES
The new term has started with the girls thinking about how they can influence
people and change small things to make a difference.
We are looking forward to a sleepover at Legoland this term as well as baking
and making some nice gifts for Mothers Day.
2019 saw us finish in style with a trip to the Maddermarket to see Beauty and
the Beast - it was a super show.
Happy New Year to all
Brown Owl
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FROM THE REGISTERS
Baptisms and Thanksgivings Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me”
Victoria Evie Johnson
*If you would like to know more about our Services of Baptism and Thanksgiving
please contact Revd. Captain Martin Hartley
or Revd Ruth Lambert. - See Contacts page)
Weddings
Richard Scott and Samantha Thomas
For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5
Funerals Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the following, whose
funerals we have taken recently:
Pauline Melton
Brian Cubitt
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SERVICES FOR FEBRUARY & MARCH 2020
Sunday 2nd February
10.30 am - Café Church 6.00 pm - Holy Communion
Sunday 9th February
10.30 am - All-Age Holy Communion
6.00 pm - Evening Prayer
Sunday 16th February
10.30 am - Morning Worship
6,00 pm - Holy Communion
Sunday 23rd February
10.30 am - Holy Communion
6.00 pm - Evening Prayer
Sunday 1st March
10.30 am - Café Church
6.00 pm - Holy Communion
Sunday 8th March
10.30 am - All-Age Holy Communion
6.00 pm - Evening Prayer
Sunday 15th March
10.30 am - Morning Worship
6.00 pm - Holy Communion
Sunday 22nd March - Mothering Sunday
10.30 am – Holy Communion
6.00 pm - Evening Prayer
Sunday 29th March
10.30 am - Morning Worship
6.00 pm - Holy Communion
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LINK TO HOPE SHOEBOXES
A great big THANKYOU to both St. Catherine’s and Mile Cross Primary
School for the wonderful, colourful, carefully packed shoeboxes that travelled
on a long journey across Europe to Moldova and Romania. They made Christ-
mas a more exciting and happier time for lots of families and elderly people
who live in real poverty.
You sent fifty-two shoeboxes altogether and they journeyed in an extremely
long lorry along with another 2,550 boxes from all over Norfolk. The individu-
al boxes were packed into bigger boxes to make the transport easier. The lor-
ry arrived in the evening and we had to work really hard to pack it in the dark!
The Driver slept overnight in the lorry on Mile Cross Methodist’s Church
carpark and left very early next morning to begin his journey to Eastern Eu-
rope.
Thank you again for all the care and effort and hard work put in to filling each
shoebox. Don’t forget to keep collecting empty shoeboxes ready for this year!
22
TRAIDCRAFT - Black Friday and Beyond
Can you cast your mind back to November and the hype surrounding Black
Friday … well Traidcraft boycotted the day. They down-tools, closed their
warehouse and addressed some of the injustices in society.
One team headed to Newcastle Cathedral to distribute tea, coffee, biscuits
and bags of donated donated toiletries to the less fortunate in the locality.
The day was a massive success. They gave away over 100 jute bags of
toiletries and everything left over were given to Shelter for them to distribute
into the New Year.
The gratitude from the recipients was heart-warming. Whilst at the Cathedral
the team asked if there was anything else they could do to help them survive
the North East’s bracing winter season . Many of the Traidcraft team have
started to donate to the collection - if anyone else would like to be involved
please send donations to - Traidcraft Black Friday and Beyond, Kingsway
North, Gateshead, NE11 0NE.
FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
This takes place from Sunday 24th February to Sunday 8th March 2020.
Across the country last year Traidcraft campaigned against unfair trade
in the chocolate industry. This year they will continue the campaign to
make sure cocoa farmers receive enough money to lead a dignified life.
They will be continuing to focus on cocoa, the special role women farmers play in the journey to living incomes, and sharing new stories
and tools to get more people choosing Fairtrade chocolate. They have
travelled back to Cote d’Ivorie and Sierra Leone to meet some truly
inspiring women, and their families, who want their stories to be heard
by the UK.
Again this year we will have Fairtrade Easter Eggs for sale - including the
Real Easter Egg which is plastic free and contains the Easter story
activity book. These are £3.99 each and there will be a sheet on the
round table in church if you wish to order one.
There is a wider range of Easter Eggs available this year including Vegan,
White and Organic. Why not try one?
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ASH WEDNESDAY TO EASTER DAY
Wednesday 26th February
7.30 pm - Service of Holy Communion
Lent Course at 11.00 am and 7.30 pm
Wednesdays 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th March,
1st and 8th April
Service for Good Friday - 10th April
Sunday 12th April at 10.30 am
All-Age Holy Communion
Sunday 22nd March at 10.30 am
Holy Communion on Mothering Sunday
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ST CATHERINE’S PEOPLE: Kim and Sandra (Sandi) Rogers
Kim and Sandi are two very familiar faces at St
Catherine’s, especially for their down to earth
warmth and realistic approach to life. But they also
have remarkable and heartwarming faith stories to
tell, which will have to spread over two editions!
Sandi’s story of her faith journey was written by
herself in the early 1980’s which I have copied in
full for u But first a brief summary of her life:
Sandi had a dramatic entry into the world, just as a
bomb dropped in Norwich in September 1942.
Due to ‘wartime complications’, she and her
brother Richard were brought up by their
grandparents. Sandi often missed out on school as she had some health
problems.
At 17, she found herself pregnant with her son, a very painful time as the baby
was taken away from her: a hurt that never goes away. But about 5 years ago,
she had a call from Social Services, saying that ‘a Nicholas’ ,wanted contact her.
It was her son. They met and remain in touch. Sandi and son Justin moved in
with a friend and her son. This is where she got into ‘not a good scene’ which
is described in her own words below.
Her brother Richard meanwhile, through Surrey Chapel which the family
attended, had trained at a Belfast College and passed out as a qualified
minister, and had married a Christian girl. When Sandi was in trouble with the
Law and looking at prison due to her activities, her brother was now based at
Surrey Chapel, and this is where her Christian journey began as she describes.
She says ‘’people who witnessed this were totally amazed at the change’. The
neighbours who were praying for her were going to St Catherine’s, at the time
of Revd Stanley Plunkett, and as Sandi still had ‘quite a reputation’, they asked
him to get this troublesome woman sorted out and keep an eye on her.
Doris and Ernie Davie took Sandi under their wings and helped her to sort out
her chaotic lifestyle. They remained good mentors over a number of years and
were a great example of Christian love fostered to this day by the folk at St
Cath’s.
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RECIPE
EASY CHICKEN CURRY
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 large onions, finely chopped
5 cm piece root ginger, peeled and
grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
200ml boiling chicken stock
3 tbsp. tomato puree
200g spinach leaves
100g fat-free natural Greek yogurt Chopped fresh coriander to serve
1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp. curry powder (heat to your taste)
6 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
Instructions:
1. Put the onions, ginger, garlic, chilli and 4 tbsp. stock in a large
non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Cover and cook for
10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase the heat
to high and continue to cook, stirring now and then, until the
excess liquid has gone and the onions are golden and syrupy.
2. Add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, then stir in
the tomato puree and the remaining stock . Reduce the heat
to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover the pan
and simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked
through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
3. Stir in the spinach and cook very gently for 2-3 minutes or
until the spinach has wilted, stirring often. Remove from the
heat and stir in the yogurt (or serve the yogurt on the side
with a sprinkling of curry powder).
4. Scatter over the coriander and serve with rice and your
favourite vegetables.
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CHRISTMAS GIVING
Thank you to everyone who attended special services at St Catherine’s prior to
Christmas.
The collection at the Carol Service on Sunday 22nd December was £123.21
which has been given to the work of the Magdalene Project.. The
Magdalene Project offers a variety of front-line projects aimed at raising
awareness and preventing the sexual exploitation of women and young people
in Norwich.
The Children’s Society was the recipient for the collection totalling £129.71
from the Christingle Service on Christmas Eve. The Christingle Service has
been adopted by the Children’s Society as one of their major fund-raisers and
many churches support them. The Society worked with 9,872 vulnerable
children and young people last year.
=
CHURCH CHRISTMAS CARD
Once again this year the Church had a special Christmas card - it was made of
wood and shaped like a Christmas tree. Church members were invited to put
a small card on the tree and to put a donation into the box in place of what
they would have paid for cards they had given to other members of the church.
The PCC decided the donations this year would support ‘Boost’ a Norwich
Youth for Christ project and the total given was £92.30.
What is ‘Boost’? It’s a project with Sewell Park Academy designed to help
students who need a ‘boost’ due to lack or progress and the potential for
exclusion. The day starts off with a light activity and a catch-up, then dives into
‘My Life’, an accredited life skills course created by Youth for Christ. This is
followed by mentoring sessions to help reflect on where he or she is in life, and
where they wish to be … followed by some English and Maths catch-up work.
This is followed by ‘Tracks’, learning about music and song writing using Youth
for Christ’s mobile recording studio. Norwich Youth for Christ also offers
other activities including Film School and ’Encounter’. A worship service for
young people. how to write a song.
A well worth recipient of our donation. Thank you to everyone who
supported our Church Christmas Card - we’ll do it again next year.
13
Sandi settled down at St Cath’s, where she was looked after and supported
practically. She absorbed the teaching, and was baptised by full immersion as
Revd Plunkett ‘borrowed’ the baptistry at Dereham Road Baptist Church.
The complete change in Sandi has inspired others to be converted. She
remembers the early 70’s ware a tremendously uplifting time when people were
looking for the spiritual, and many were 100% converted, inspired by the visit of
Billy Graham.
One day a mutual friend asked Kim to come and look at Sandi’s TV. She invited
him to lunch, gave him a Good News Bible and told him how she had come off
drugs and become a Christian. Kim was so inspired he said ‘if He can help with
drugs perhaps He can help with smoking’. She insisted on praying for him and he
stopped immediately with no withdrawal symptoms. This is still a miracle to
Kim.
They began ‘circulating’ together at St Catherine’s, Silver Road Baptist’s and
Mount Zion. After a while they decided to get married. As no church then
would marry divorced people, they decided to see what the Lord would say
about this, and one of the people at Mount Zion arranged for them to have a
marriage celebration and blessing by Sandi’s brother in their flat after the
legalities at the Registry Office, surrounded by Christian friends who had seen
their conversion.
Kim says ‘we have both learned that the Lord can deal with problems, it’s so
much better when we pray to Him.
Sandi’s verse, among many is ‘Commit your way to the Lord’ Psalm 37v5 and
the hymn:
Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found t'was blind but now I see
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear and Grace, my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed
Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come.
T'was grace that brought us safe thus far and grace will lead us home,
14
Sandi’s testimony, in her own words
I was not brought up in a Christian home and never really thought much about
God. The first time I asked myself what life was all about was when I went to my
mother’s funeral.
As they lowered her coffin unto the ground, I was asking myself, I was asking ‘Is
this life all there is, or is there something after death?’ Although my mother had
become a Christian before she died, I decided there was not anything in it, and that
religion was all a big con. Something that weak-minded people needed because
they could not face life as it was.
Having come to that conclusion I decided to live this life to the full, and get all I
could out of it. This I did, often at the expense of others, but most of the things I
tried left me with a feeling of emptiness. I was always wanting more, and most
things only satisfied for a little while.
Then I got into drugs. .I shared a house with another girl, and her boyfriend
introduced us to marijuana. Drugs became my whole life. I never mixed with what
I called straight people, only people that were into drugs. I soon got on to the hard
stuff, and became a pusher, mainly to make sure I always had a supply myself. But
unknown to me, people were praying for me. My neighbours, who were Christians
were praying for me at House groups, and so was my brother, his wife and friends.
Then one day, nearly four years ago, my brother came to see me. He was leaving
Norwich with his family and going to London to live. The conversation got round
to God, and things he was saying began to make sense.
The next few days I began to do some serious thinking and took a good hard look
at my life and just where I was heading. It became very important to me to find
out who Jesus was. Was He a myth or had He really lived? I began my own
personal search for the truth. I did not know how long it would take me but I had
begun.
My mother had given me a Bible and some books. I decided I would read one of
these books, which was about the life of Jesus. It started with His birth and went
through to His death on the cross, and ended with His ascension. As I read, Jesus
became real to me. I realised what a beautiful person He was and when He said
He was the Son of God, I believed it.
19
While we were in the hospital several men came to beg money from Azariah,
which he gave on this occasion, but only after careful questioning. Sometimes we
knew him to refuse when he did not approve the request. One man was a leper
with the ends of his fingers and toes missing. We did visit Azariah’s leper colony
(at my request – not on his usual itinerary for visitors!) but more of that
another time.
When we arrived back at The Mission House, Kathy and I climbed the stairs
onto the roof, for the view over Khammam city. How many people lived here? –
the city stretched to the horizon in every direction. Nobody knows. Does it
matter? On the roof, we waved across to two shy schoolgirls looking at us
from another, large building (a school).
Everybody stares at us – we are the only white people here, perhaps the first
they have seen. The girls were too shy to wave back and disappeared. Then
another girl appeared and Kathy waved to her, and this time the wave was
returned. Then suddenly hundreds of girls all wearing the same uniform
appeared at all the many windows and waved at us! ‘Twas a joyous moment!
Across the narrow road from ‘my’ balcony men (and a woman) were working
on the building opposite. We stared at each other. Then I smiled and waved, and
all their faces lit up into broad smiles and enthusiastic waving followed. From
that day on I had to wave to my new workmen-friends every morning. A week
later I made them pose for a photograph, and they each received a copy,
doubtless treasured to this day (I mean that).
A stray dog lived on a pile of the workmen’s sand – frightened of other dogs.
One night when our convoy of cars had returned late from many, many miles
and hours of driving, the dog jumped up wildly barking in excitement to greet us
all safely home. Prabhaker was angry with the dog and hit it to make it quiet and
stop, but I was angry with Prabhaker for striking the poor beast who was trying
to show his love and joy.
So, I shouted with anger, “PRABHAKER!!” and Prabhaker immediately stopped
and looked crestfallen and ashamed at my rebuke in front of so many, Azariah
included. Then I said, “His name is Laurie.” Prabhaker’s face immediately broke
out in smiles and the others all laughed.
Later, Azariah said to me, “I gave the dog food, but you gave him a name.” The
end of the day, and we all went to bed.
Laurie Janicker
18
6 WEEKS IN INDIA Part 4
In the previous Magazine I wrote you Part 3 to my time in India in 2003. Here
followeth What Happened Next:
Thursday 6 February 2003. We had only arrived in Khammam to stay with
Azariah for 3 weeks the day before, and yet already he had stopped off at two
places on the way home from collecting us at the railway station (in Vijayawada
70 miles away) to make some visits while he was in the area) and to show us
some of his work – an orphanage, a widows’ and orphans’ home, and village well
-drilling project. The next morning we had breakfast – western-style for us
visitors of cornflakes, milk, toast, butter and jam, boiled eggs, coffee and tea,
apples, bananas and oranges. There was a washbasin near the table as Indians eat
with their hand – right hand only (the left is for other purposes).
After breakfast Azariah drove us (at least, one of his drivers did – he has several,
thus providing more local employment) to ST MARY’S MISSION HOSPITAL.
The drive must have lasted all of three (3) minutes from The Mission House.
Azariah never walked anywhere – I later suspected this was to protect him from
the multitudes who would badger him if they could, but I also learned over many
long hours of being driven he could and would use the time to sleep). We were
not allowed to walk anywhere either – but we did manage to escape on one or
two occasions after a week or so.
St Mary’s Hospital is not one of Azariah’s ‘works’ – it was founded by
missionaries before his time – but he does support it financially. The hospital
grounds are like a green oasis in Khammam, but some local people criticise the
‘waste’ of water to grow the grass. Azariah however insists the beautiful gardens
are part of the healing process – and anybody in the city can walk through and
enjoy them. We met the three permanent medical team – a doctor, a surgeon
and an anaesthetist, and were taken all over the hospital and saw the operating
theatre, the delivery room, the offices, and the wards where we met and talked
to staff and patients.
The man in charge – the chief M.O. – was called Solomon, so colloquially known
as King Solomon. The hospital chaplain, a happy, smiling man with no legs, who
did his pastoral work by wheelchair, had his legs sliced off when he fell under a
train after attending the dedication of the new cathedral at Dornakal. Another
worker in the hospital – John Wesley – works in the offices and is also
wheelchair-bound, having the only motorised chair in all Khammam.
It was paid for by a German medical missionary lady from Stuttgart.
15
Such a man could not lie. As I read on to His going to the cross, the tears
began to flow, and I realised my sins had nailed Him to that cross. By the end
of the Book I just loved Jesus with all my heart and wanted to surrender my
life to Him.
I went to see my brother, he had not yet left for London. I told him I fully
understood what he had been trying to tell me, and what must I do? That day,
which was May 10th 1976, I confessed my sins to Jesus and asked Him to come
into my life. He came in, and made me all brand new, I was born again, and I
knew it.
Up until that time, for nine years I had been taking drugs. During the last six
years they were hard drugs such as cocaine, speed and LSD. But that day Jesus
took it all away, I had no withdrawal symptoms. I was not depressed like many
people when the drugs they have relied on are taken away,
I was on top of the world. Jesus has never let me down. Things may get better
all the time. Ask anyone who has become a Christian.
You will have your ups and downs, but Jesus has promised never to leave you
or forsake you. He will fill you with His Holy Spirit to give you power to live
your life for Him.
Next time: Kim’s story
REVD. GILL BRIDGES
16
OPEN DOORS - serving the persecuted church worldwide
“My parents couldn’t share any Christian stories with my siblings and me. It’s too
dangerous. A child may accidentally betray his or her parents’ faith.”
For Sang-Hwa, a twelve-year girl in North Korea, discovering a Bible hidden by
her parents presented a huge dilemma. Having been indoctrinated through the
North Korean education system to report anyone, including parents, who was
Christian, Sang-Hwa faced a decision about whether to inform on her parents and
see them sent into forced labour or to ask them about their faith and risk her
own life.
Sang-Hwa put the Bible back where she found it and came to share her parent’s
faith. Along with an estimated two to four hundred thousand secret believers in
North Korea she faces the risk of discovery and severe punishment for her new
found faith. It is estimated that there are tens of thousands of North Korean
Christians in captivity for believing in Jesus.
Through its association with Open Doors, St Catherine’s is helping support
Christians facing persecution in North Korea and around the world, through our
tithe and prayers. The ministry began in 1955 when a young Dutchman who
became known as God’s Smuggler, Brother Andrew visited Warsaw, then behind
the Iron Curtain, and discovered persecuted believers.
From that time on, until the end of the Cold War, Brother Andrew visited
countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union smuggling in Bibles,
resources and support for Christians denied them by the communist authorities.
He was joined by many supporters who wanted to express solidarity and support
for brothers and sisters facing persecution for holding on to their faith.
In the decades that have followed, persecution of Christians has grown and the
ministry has extended to those believers facing persecution across the world.
Open Doors raises awareness among the churches and world governments of the
suffering of believers worldwide. The organisation provides Bibles, training
materials, livelihood skills, medical help, support and comfort to the suffering
church wherever it is found.
Each year Open Doors publishes the World Watch List of countries where
persecution of Christians is most extensive. Since 2002, North Korea has topped
the list but in recent years ultra-nationalism in countries such as India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Myanmar and Turkey depicting Christians as ‘alien’ or ‘western’ has led to
increased persecution.
17
CHURCH TITHE
The tithe is a tenth of the Church’s giving over the past year and this year the
PCC decided to support the work of Hope into Action, Revelation Café
(Christian Resource Centre) and Open Doors. Each organisation will benefit by
£366 each. Organisations represent one local organisation, Revelation, one
national, Hope into Action and one international being Open Doors.
Revelation Café at the Christian Resource Centre has been fund-raising to
refurbish their kitchen. The Café is well used and a good place to visit when in
the city. It also has some excellent Christian books, greeting cards, gift ideas and
other Christian resources. There is also a second-hand bookshop.
Hope into Action provides supported accommodation for vulnerable people
including those in Norwich. There is a support group at St Catherine’s who
have a special interest concern for the residents of Joy House.
Open Doors , this organisation supports Christians around the world who are
persecuted for their beliefs. There is an article on their work in this magazine.
Authoritarian countries including China and Vietnam have targeted Christians
through religious legislation to restrict the freedom to worship. Islamists in
Nigeria continue to abduct and kill Christians and the penalty for leaving Islam
to convert to Christianity for many in Pakistan and other parts of the world
carries with it a death sentence.
Standing with fellow believers enables us to be inspired by their example of
steadfastness in the face of persecution and encourages them that they are not
alone, and forgotten by the wider body of Christ.
What can we in St Catherine’s do to help?
We can pray, we can write to those suffering for their faith, financially support
the work of Open Doors, contact our Members of Parliament, and let people
know about the persecution of Christians, which has largely been ignored by the
media.
And we can thank God for the freedom to worship here in Norwich.
If you would like to hear more about the persecuted church you may like to go
to the Auditorium at The Forum, Norwich Millennial Library on Monday 16th
March at 7 pm when Henrietta Blyth CEO Open Doors is being interviewed by
Lee Marsden.
