4 January 2017
Thank you to everyone who donated to the Bishop’s Advent Justice Appeal in the lead-up to Christmas. Over £3,000 has been raised do far – thank you! The appeal remains open and so it is still possible to give to help support Winter Shelters in Kent and work with Refugees. If you set aside one of your service collections during Advent, please don’t forget to send it in.
You can give online at www.justgiving.com/adventjustice2016 or by cheque, made payable to Canterbury DBF, with “2016 Justice Appeal” on the back and sent to Advent Justice Appeal, Diocesan House, Lady Wootton’s Green, Canterbury, CT1 1NQ. If you’re able, please Gift Aid your donations, allowing us to claim an extra 25p for every pound donated. If you're giving online, please visit www.canterburydiocese.org/donations to Gift Aid your donation.
It is also possible to see all the daily posts that went up throughout Advent which shared prayers, information and stories relating to the two issues the Appeal is supporting.
Stories like this one shared by Domenica Pecoraro, the Diocese of Canterbury’s Refugee Officer, who highlighted the experience of one young man who has come to her attention because of the close relationships she has been able to develop with the local assessment centres:
‘D is a 17 year old Eritrea boy currently in Kent. He fled Eritrea after his father was imprisoned, and then killed, because of his faith. His mother has passed away and he has lost contact with his uncle. He has no family and is extremely distressed. He has started at times to tip into psychosis. Yet since he has been able to attend a Pentecostal church once a week, he has been able to self-care and attend college. It is really important for him to connect with spiritual leaders, and a community who speak his language and can support his full recovery. The church is not in Kent, and the local service provider is struggling to get the additional £28 a week that would allow him to attend the church and visit the community a further two times a week. To be able to assist with situations like this is why the Bishop’s Advent Justice Appeal is so important.’
If you would like to know more about Domenica’s work, or how you can get involved, please contact her on: dpecoraro@diocant.org or visit https://www.canterburydiocese.org/refugees/