Hub is still working, of course, and packing in odd moments, between the calls on his time. And life continues to throw up the unexpected.
We decided to have a Blessing service for our Community Garden this week, with a few invited people and gardeners. Hub had put together a few Bible readings and prayers and we did it outside, walking from one corner of the garden to the next, all 4 corners. Then the diocesan stewardship bod, Jayne, had organised a competition for the churches, and the winner had donated his prize to us: an apple tree with apple blossom and a basket full of seeds.
It was a simple and lovely occasion and it didn’t even rain!
I then went home to cook supper as it was getting late, but Hub did not appear. I rang his mobile only to find it shrilling at me from the lounge :??:
In the end when it was cooked I sat down and ate mine and put his in the oven to keep warm.
When he came in, he said that he’d seen an ambulance in the road outside the church. He’d gone to see if he could do anything, and discovered that some very drunken Latvian lads were at fisticuffs with each other.
This was after one of their number had gone upstairs to the bathroom. Next thing they heard was a thud.
They went up to see what had happened: he had injected himself with heroin and his heart had stopped.
One of them was not so drunk that he didn’t know what to do: he called an ambulance and started resuscitation. By the time the ambulance came the heart was beating again.
It’s upsetting, and worrying too, and raises a great many questions, most of which don’t have easy answers.
Godschool's Blog 
Very sad for these people. Trouble is that even when they want to give it up it is very hard to do. It actually means giving up more than the drug. Each individual has their own story, such a shame about the damage drugs use causes becasue many do need compassion.
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Addiction is such a difficult and challenging thing, and the problem is that people must want to get better, or they won’t invest in their own treatment.
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This is one of the worst aspects of city life, I think… but who will have compassion for them, if not the clergy.
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Compassion is good, but it’s not sufficient. I only wish it were.
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Gordon Bennet there are always two sides to a coin aren’t there! From the sublime to the soul-destroying or something :no:
Should think you’ll be a tiny bit relieved to leave this era of your lives behind???
I hope Devon is less eventful…… or something. Hope the man is ok… maybe it will prove to be his wake-up call? Well done to your hub for being there… strange for you though wondering what on earth he was doing…..
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Yes, it was odd becoz Hub always lets me know roughly what time he’ll be in and I couldn’t think where he had got to becoz the community garden is only in our own back garden. Anyway, there’s a story … and yes, I shall be deeply thankful to have a quieter way of life – although what’s sustained us all the way through is a really strong sense that this is where God has wanted us :yes: Dunno why but there we are!
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I suspect you and Hub have deeply touched the hearts and souls of many and though won’t know all the good you’ve done, done it has been…:yes:
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We just never know … it doesn’t feel like we’ve done much … :no: but in a way that doesn’t matter.
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…you can only do yer best and leave the rest… our homily today was about not needing to be successful but fruitful…. I’m sure you have sown lots of seeds and they will bear much fruit one day :yes:
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You just never know :no:
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The drug scene is destroying what were fit and healthy young men and women. Its a crying shame. Pot usage is bad enough, but what we call P in NZ, or methamphetamine – crustal meth and ice, are just a crying shame. Abusing alcohol is bad enough, but the hard drugs are – just develish!
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It’s worrying that the UK’s law allows people from the EU to come here with no checks. I think the same rules should be extended to them as to the rest of the world: they must have a job to come to, and people who can sponsor them financially. There is far too much of this sort of behaviour especially from E Europeans – and I’m not being racist, I lived for 5 years in Romania and loved it – but they have exported their gangs of thieves!
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The EU is really an artificial entity. As close as Australia and New Zealand are, and the interchange of people between the two countries is massive, a passport is needed to travel between each country. No visas are needed but there is obviously control over people. The EU should have some form of EU passport because the countries are not states like in the USA or Australia. What do you think?
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I think that’s an excellent idea – my experience of the Borders Agency is that they are very tough – but they miss far more people than they catch and of course EU members don’t come within their remit.
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I think that’s an excellent idea – my experience of the Borders Agency is that they are very tough – but they miss far more people than they catch and of course EU members don’t come within their remit.
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So intensely sad.
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And such a waste!
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Such a waste of young lives 😦
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Terrible, isn’t it – I used to note, when I was volunteering with the city mission in their resources centre, that the Latvians would turn up at 11am smelling of drink. I think the same rule should apply to EU members as to the rest of the world – you don’t come unless you have a job and a financial sponsor!
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Oh Dear! Very apt Post Title…..Glad all isd well….;)xx
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Not sure it is for them …:roll:
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