(c) 2008 martin thorne

Increased Charitable Giving

Grass Roots who run the Living Room in Las Americas did a walk around Tenerife visiting various communities
and churches and praying with and for them This was taken in Los G.

My dear friends in Christ Jesus,

We have a deadly fascination when it comes to the pain and suffering of others and a peculiar way of doing nothing significant about it, a peculiarway of complaining about it, of blaming God for it, while ignoring thesimple actions that we can take to remedy it. The gospel my friends is not found in watching suffering, nor is it found in complaining about how it is with us, rather it is found in doing what we can to alleviate it.

In the AGM of 2003 it was decided to increase our charitable giving to a more Biblical 10% of our unallocated income. All of us have contributed to this in one way or another, so I would like to share with you how we have shared this fund.

At last month’s Council Meeting we discussed the distribution of 2005’s Charitable Giving total of 4,714 Euros. As we are part of a world-wide church, it is only right that our giving reflects this whilst not forgetting the needs of local people and organizations within this Chaplaincy.

Locally we gave to The Nuns of Arona, the Asociación San Juan and The Living Room.

We have supported the Nuns for many years in their work with local children and the hundreds of illegal immigrants in the area. We are now aware of their needs and are able to support them throughout the year with donations of blankets, toys and clothes etc.

This year, however, is the first time we have supported the Living Room in Las Americas’ notorious Veronica’s district. It offers a quiet space amidst the clubland chaos and away from the temptations of drugs and alcohol. There are always people there for those in need of counselling and the helpers at the Living Room regularly visit the clubs to offer a hand of Christian help and love.

The Asociación San Juan in Adeje is a day care centre for the physically and mentally handicapped of the area. This year saw the opening of their new casa hogar for 6 people in Armeñime. Everyone who visits their Adeje centre comes away with a sense of peace and love. They look after up to 30 people and are always looking for new ways to challenge them. At this year’s Archdiaconal Synod we were given a presentation by Christian Aid which impressed our delegation. Because of the many people in our community connected with nursing, the council decided to donate money towards one of their "Present Aid" schemes - the training of two midwives in Burkina Faso.

And finally, as last year and because of my close links with the country and the people we are supporting Veniños – Venezuelan Children in need. So many children, mostly boys live on the streets in gangs, sniffing glue, begging and stealing. Veniños was founded three years ago by a group of volunteers who, with me, had lived the reality of these children and their world. They are slowly making a difference and I am still in touch with both the children and the volunteers.

God commanded us to love each other and he has shown us how. We have, in our own small way committed ourselves to do what love commands us to do, to help care for our brothers and sisters.

Love leads to involvement, to the attempt to heal and help, and wipe away the tears - to the attempt to be like Jesus, who upon seeing the suffering of the world, walked among us as a servant, a teacher, and a healer, that we might know what it is that we should do and know that he is with us to help us to do it.

May God Bless you all,

Your Chaplain and friend,

Father Keith

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