Page 5 - St Barnabas Parish Homerton Summer Magazine 2020

Neema News
Bisola, two more
questions… Ben and Katy Ray write:
PPE Appeal Target Reached!

How are the All Souls/Christchurch “To our dear churches and supporters,
youth doing during lockdown? I feel thank you so much for the incredible
like it has been a rollercoaster of response to our PPE appeal video last
experiences and emotions for us all, month! We have been truly amazed
everybody had to adapt to this new and humbled by the amount of support
way of living and spending extra- we have received for this. We feel we
quality time with our families, whilst now have sufficient to meet the current
keeping the peace for ourselves. I demand for PPE, which we are contin-
regularly keep in touch with our young uing to distribute.”
people and forward service details via
WhatsApp, always remembering not to
apply pressure as you never know
what one is going through. My
favourite approach is to make them
aware that I am here for them
if/whenever they need me.
BLACK LIVES MATTER What has
bdeen the impact of Black Lives
Matter on you, and the young
people you're in touch with? Neema Shop + Cafe Reopened
I think it’s important for the young
people to speak on the personal “…but as suspected business is very
impact of BLM on them and I’m hoping slow, with almost no visitors from out-
once we are back, we will be able to side Iringa. The cafe has fared a bit
discuss and find a form of expression better than the shop with members of
and release to do this together. the local community very pleased that
we are back open,”
For me, it was very painful to begin
with so much, I had to disconnect from Researching new outlets
social media and work completely for a
little while. It brought back very difficult Most artisans and staff are still at
times however, this definitely home, but receiving full wages. Those
encouraged more resilience, faith and who are back at the centre are observ-
hope that I know have within. I always ing social distancing and wearing
try and focus on the positive side of masks. The Project is looking at strat-
things, no matter how small they seem. egies for being less reliant on tourists,
….Thanks, Bis! and reaching more dispersed markets.
Maybe UK? Watch this space!