London Life
December 2015
Working with Marginalised Women in East London
Merry Christmas to you!
What's new?
The most outstanding development was starting the Friday craft group in a women's hostel. As I went in, stories of women throwing chairs at each other filled my head and I expected fights and an aggressive atmosphere. We found women keen for relationships, who are having a great time relaxing with us and each other, being creative and many with a hunger to talk about faith or read more from our Christian book table. (Thanks to Lynne for that great idea.)
We were delighted when a couple of months ago, one of the women came in, rather tearful, saying she felt it was time she made a commitment to God. I don't think she has missed a Sunday at church and talks about how peaceful she feels afterwards. I was amazed to see the Spirit at work in her right from the start, as she asked me how she can forgive the people who have hurt her. (She has been badly hurt.) She also knew straight away that she could never have a relationship with an unbeliever. It took me years to learn that!
Truth be told, my highlight of the year is something that may, on the outside, look a lot less spectacular. A has been through some great hardships this year, most significantly losing her beloved mum. I won't go into details, but I'm not sure my faith would be intact after going through everything that she has faced since then. About a month ago she told me to listen to the Whitney Houston song, "I Look to You" as that was the song of her heart to the Lord. Listen to it on YouTube if you have a minute and pray for her. Humanly speaking, things still look very bleak for her, but God continues to be faithful. I'm inspired and humbled by such heroic faith in the face of such horrible adversity. That one moment made my entire year's ministry seem worthwhile, a real diamond.
In Other News...
New home???
Please pray that I'd continue to trust that the Lord is preparing the best place for me.
Please also pray for Carla. I'm hoping she'll move with me but it depends on whether she can afford the rent.
New director
We will also have a new Team Leader next year who will be our line manager and our link between ministry and headquarters. Again, this is a significant role and could have a big impact on our work and ministry, so please do pray about the appointment.
Looking ahead...
Please also pray...
- Pray for D who made a recent commitment to the Lord. Pray that he gives her strength to live out her faith in the challenge of hostel living, that she would grow deep roots into Jesus and the seed sown in her would grow and produce fruit.
- Pray for the Spirit to move through the hostel like a tsunami and that there would be growing, faithful witness of Christian presence in the hostel in both staff and residents.
- Please continue to pray for the Spirit's work in A. I'd love her testimony to be that God lifted her out of the muck and mire and gave her a firm place to stand, but God may have other methods!
- I have grown a lot through the CCEF Biblical Counselling course, in all of my relationships, both ministry, personal and with the Lord. Please pray for my next module on marriage counselling, which could be hard as a single person.
- I feel the main message from the Lord to me this year has been, "Lean on Me". This means in all of who I am, at the centre of my being, I can rest in him. A big part of that is to deeply know who he is. Pray that I would become more like him as I know that he is gentle and humble in heart (Matt 11:29), yet Lord of all Creation.
LONDON CITY MISSION
Please contact London City Mission if you'd like to support my work financially. My missionary support number is 202.
Registered charity 247186
Email: jacquikatze@yahoo.com
Website: lcm.org.uk
Location: 175 Tower Bridge Road, London, SE1 2AH
Phone: 020 7407 7585