Seeing Red

This afternoon I walked around three local roads that formed a conveniently circular route, pushing Christian Aid envelopes through letterboxes in white, blue, black and grey doors. I do not recall any red doors...

When I was a child we would get several envelope collections over the year. Having grown up on the coast my father was always keen to support the work of the Seaman's Mission, as he had a far greater understanding of the work they did than the average inhabitant of a landlocked Midlands town - where the only river is a glorified stream, which even a raft would struggle to navigate.

These days Christian Aid is the only charity I can recall that still does door to door collections.

Over the years I have noticed that most of the people who give are mature in age, as door to door collections are just not on the radar of younger people. They are far more likely to text a donation to a charity, based on an appeal they have seen - such as Children in Need, or Comic relief, than put cash in an envelope and complete the accompanying gift aid slip.
Mind you, not all the older residents support the collections. One of the local residents tells me that he won't give because he is so offended by the salaries paid to the directors of charities. Stories of sexual abuse have hardened his resolve. Both of these are salient points. I remind him that we can't stop doing helping others, just because of a few bad apples.

When I was younger I used to be very reluctant to help collect, until someone reminded me that I was taking part in something much bigger. During Christian Aid many homes in this country will be visited by collectors, many of whom are members of the local church. What a great evangelism project! During the course of the week we have the opportunity to chat with many people in our local communities, and invite them to donate. Some feel defensive about not wanting to give, either because they are not Christians and feel uncomfortable giving to a faith-based charity, or because they think helping folks nearer to home is more important. People should give because they want to, not because they feel coerced. I am just there to offer them the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of others. There are many alternatives available to them, Christian Aid is just one of many options they could consider.

We are also in a period of time when we are praying for our local communities under the 'Thy Kingdom Come' initiative, launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury, so as I carefully push folded envelopes through letterboxes, I pray for the families for their health and worries, hopes and fears.

Meanwhile, I would encourage you to help others when the opportunity arises, through putting a donation in a red envelope, or in many other ways.
Then together, we can make a difference!