from: Outside Light Memorandum of Association:
The Charity's objects (“the Objects”) (acting in accordance with Christian biblical principles, and in particular Christ's teaching to feed the hungry, provide for the thirsty, clothe the poor and look after the sick)
To tell you the honest truth, when I was sat with our wonderful solicitor Mike Tinling of Robbins Olivey drafting our Memorandum, I’d no real concept that there might be young people in Woking actually going hungry. I’d thought of this form of words more as an ‘excuse’, if you like, to entertain and encourage. But last night a couple of things happened that woke me up.
We were visited by another church youth worker who’s set up a youth drop-in similar to ours, in Old Woking. They meet twice a week and attract very much the same group of kids that we do. He mentioned at the beginning of the evening that he was concerned that there were a couple of kids who seem malnourished and who eat ravenously when they’re visiting his group. Volunteers in our group had noticed the same two lads' behaviour and appearance, and there was a question-mark over whether they were getting enough to eat.
My thoughts were that they’re just skinny lads who can ‘get away’ with eating several slices of pizza and drinking milkshake by the bucket and that they keep their weight off by running around. I’m still not sure why they’re so thin but we’ll keep an eye on it. That said, something happened later that made me feel uneasy about my lackadaisical attitude.
The evening went really well – we’ve been operating a yellow and red card system, which seems to have had a positive effect on behaviour. More than that though, we’ve installed a new tv so that the kids can bring along their x-boxes. We’ve had a pool table up since day one, and last night was the first for a new volunteer, Paula, to run her most excellent Street-Dance lessons. This proved really successful - boys and girls, about 15 of them, were strutting their stuff to Paula's leading and were having a great time - but for a spat between a couple of girls who have a problem with one another. But the most excellent development of the evening was that another girl of 16, a kind of alpha-female who has the respect of the other kids, intervened and took one of the girls aside, and explained in a very controlled way, why she should behave when she’s in the Drop-in!
This girl came to our notice a while ago. On the field she’s been keen to encourage us – yes, that’s what I mean – by getting the other kids to fall in line when they’ve stepped well away from it. She’s also helped practically in the Drop-in by volunteering to help clear up. In short, she stands out from the others because of her maturity, integrity and willingness to see things from another’s point of view.
She asked for prayer before leaving - we had no idea why. Bravely, she explained that she wanted prayer for the relationship with her mother who has effectively stopped feeding her. This girl has applied for four jobs, and been rejected, but she says that her mother wants her to pay rent - which she's unable to do!
She explained a lot more about her life that I can’t write about here. But suffice it to say that this girl has been ‘through the wars’ in more ways than one – and yet she faces life with dignity and noble bearing. There wasn’t a volunteer in the room last night whose heart didn’t go out to her after what she poured out to us. And so it seems that the words from our Memorandum of Association shown at the top of the page will take on real meaning now that Outside Light has promised to help her in practical ways, providing food as well as a job-reference that she can take with her to her next job interviews. We'll find other ways to help too - with God's guidance.
There have been times on a Tuesday when others and I have wondered why we take some of the abuse that’s thrown at us – most of it the result of the kids' idea of humour, some of which the more sensitive petals among us find hard to take. But last night we had revealed to us one excellent reason; this young woman who exists within the raw underbelly that we laughingly call society. A "society" that has let her down so badly that I'm ashamed to be a part of it; and yet she survives with dignity - she has grown into someone of whom we should all be proud. With young people like her around, there is hope for us all.
Please pray for her healing, and for her provision.
For help with finding a job - she's been looking for shop work.
and for God to smile on her.
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