It is 4am under the flyover, the lorry pulls up quietly to
avoid detection as the shipping container is unloaded and its goods quickly
dumped without a second thought. Unwanted furniture? Out of date food? No. The
goods in this container are children. Children that have been willingly handed
over by parents in other countries in the knowledge they will have a better
life if picked up by the Police or Social Services than they would by growing
up with their own families at home. As the children stand there crying, cold
& confused, the race is on. The Police and Social workers are not the only ‘services’
on the look-out, the human traffickers await the opportunity to kidnap these
children and force them into many forms of slavery.
avoid detection as the shipping container is unloaded and its goods quickly
dumped without a second thought. Unwanted furniture? Out of date food? No. The
goods in this container are children. Children that have been willingly handed
over by parents in other countries in the knowledge they will have a better
life if picked up by the Police or Social Services than they would by growing
up with their own families at home. As the children stand there crying, cold
& confused, the race is on. The Police and Social workers are not the only ‘services’
on the look-out, the human traffickers await the opportunity to kidnap these
children and force them into many forms of slavery.
The chilling reality of this true story is that although it
sounds like it should be a film starring Liam Neeson, it’s actually a lot
closer to home, happening regularly in Croydon, South London. I was dumbfounded
and heartbroken to hear about this directly from a fostering social worker in
Croydon – it’s the horrific reality for too many children.
sounds like it should be a film starring Liam Neeson, it’s actually a lot
closer to home, happening regularly in Croydon, South London. I was dumbfounded
and heartbroken to hear about this directly from a fostering social worker in
Croydon – it’s the horrific reality for too many children.
With our borough having more than 3 times the amount of
children in care than the majority of other London boroughs, Solomon’s latest
teaching on loving children in our preaching series ‘life works God’s way’ goes well beyond the four walls of a Sunday
afternoon service at Everyday Church Croydon. Since responding to God’s call to
launch a new venue in Croydon we have not been able to escape the brutal
statistics that expose the need to join the many of other agencies and churches
that are working with vulnerable children across the borough.
children in care than the majority of other London boroughs, Solomon’s latest
teaching on loving children in our preaching series ‘life works God’s way’ goes well beyond the four walls of a Sunday
afternoon service at Everyday Church Croydon. Since responding to God’s call to
launch a new venue in Croydon we have not been able to escape the brutal
statistics that expose the need to join the many of other agencies and churches
that are working with vulnerable children across the borough.
There are currently just over 800 children in care (or in
need of) in Croydon, half of which are not even born in England. What the exact
future looks like for Everyday Church Croydon and our impact on kids in the
borough we do not know – but our prayer is that it makes a life changing
difference to the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children.
need of) in Croydon, half of which are not even born in England. What the exact
future looks like for Everyday Church Croydon and our impact on kids in the
borough we do not know – but our prayer is that it makes a life changing
difference to the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children.
Michael, Rhiana and the team at Everyday Croydon have been praying for their church family to massively impact the lives of children in the borough from well before the venue launched in September this year. If you have a heart to pray with them or to help out in any practical way, please contact Michael to let him know.