From St. Andrew's Church to Houghall College and then Beamish Museum last year, the night skies have been kind to us till now as we joined about 80 others participating in the Centrepoint Sleepout at the Aircraft Museum in Washington on November 6th, writes John Pattinson.
It was a time to meet up with fellow "sufferers" and meet up with some from previous years as we gathered under heavy skies once again to show our solidarity with those who have so little, those for whom life has been dealt cruel blows of misfortune and reflect during a cold wet night on the "pint of life" that positively overflows, the good fortune that my life has been. Not a time to let the discomfort of a restless night take away from the positive and wonderful work that God is doing through the work of Centrepoint, the charity focussed on the homeless and disadvantaged young people in society, not least in Sunderland and the North East.
Lights around the aircraft
hangar greeted us as Dick, Ralph and myself arrived to be greeted by laughter
and happy faces bustling around to build shelters for the night out of
cardboard boxes, string and tape. A competition for the best shelter though our
efforts under an aircraft wing, held together by string did not withstand the
rigours of a windy night. But food and hot drinks and a trip around the
aircraft museum filled in the time as well as listening to the performance of a
live band, their musical extravaganza booming and echoing around the hangar for
all to hear.
Time to bed down for the
night, a chilling thought as we gazed at our ruined cardboard shelter and
headed down in the pitch black to sleep underneath the wings of the vulcan
bomber. Dick and Ralph bedded down well under the wing on the hard ground while
I moved nearer the edge, the ground seemed a bit softer, kinder on the back, so
I thought. So there we were wrapped up in sleeping bags and inside the
Centrepoint's own paper bags, hoping morning would not be too far away.
It was not too cold a night as
one reflected upon the "mad" things one does in life. I was reminded
in the night hour of Mendelssohn's famous prayer, "O for the wings of a
dove." Words that seemed appropriate to the situation one found oneself
in. "Far away would I rove! In the wilderness build me a nest, And remain
there forever at rest." Our nest was a sleeping bag, our rest a few hours
of fitful sleep till the light of the new day dawned. Under the wings of an
aircraft, the wings of the dove of God's love surrounded us and kept us safe as
if under the shadow of his wing.
Yet the image of the dove
soaring high, for me is a symbol of the transformative and life changing work
that happens on our doorstep, in Dundas Street in our parish, as the work of
Centrepoint continues day by day. It was time to reflect on how these young
people and the Centrepoint staff have enriched our lives through the last 12
months. From their involvement in the crib service last Christmas to the North
East Passion televised event last Good Friday. The "Centrepoint's Got
Talent" night in the Priestman hall and many areas of parish life through
which we are truly blessed.
I woke at 5.30 a.m.to be
greeted by the noise of the wind howling through the trees, not the rector
snoring as I first thought, and the drip, drip, drip of the rain cascading off
the wing on to my sleeping bag. Time to move further under the wing and a bit
more shelter and then to leave after another hour of fitful sleep.
I enjoyed and appreciated my
cosy bed the next night though thoughts went out to the homeless enduring what
I had endured but for them every night. May I thank everyone in the parish who
has contributed financially to this sponsored Centrepoint event. It is much
appreciated. Thankyou.
To donate to Centrepoint's Christmas Appeal, visit http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/news-events/our-appeals/christmas-appeal
