A group of people from the church in Great Budworth, Cheshire, joined in our Sleep4 Romania this year. With them was their vicar the Rev Alec Brown who says about the event;
“Having always supported CCM's work in Romania, and having welcomed some of the children from Cluj-Napoca to Great Budworth in 2002, I had no hesitation in taking up the Sponsored Sleep-Out Challenge earlier this year. I was greatly encouraged when five other members of the congregation, including one of the Churchwardens, decided to join me in the challenge - but this feeling of optimism and encouragement began to wane slightly as the allotted day, Saturday 8th March, drew nearer and the weather seemed to get progressively colder!
On a cold, windy but dry night the six of us gathered outside the church at 11.00pm to bed down for the night alongside the north wall of the Tower and out of the worst of the wind - or so we thought! We had a motley collection of blankets, sleeping bags, cardboard sheets and boxes and plastic sheeting and, once a stream of amused well wishers had finally bid us goodnight we tried to settle down to sleep.
As it happened, however, little sleep was to be had for any of us - the night was extremely cold, especially at about 3.00am, and the ground extremely uncomfortable, and as for the noise, from owls hooting, gritting lorries passing through the village, the clock chimes and strikes, the dawn chorus and finally more owls! What a night! After what seemed a very long time the dawn finally arrived, and with it some very welcome trays of hot tea and toast for six rather shattered sleepers!
Quite apart from the pleasure of raising almost £1000, and creating a lot of interest in the Romanian project, the experience certainly made each one of us reflect more keenly on the plight of homeless people, and also made us realise just how much we take for granted our warm, safe and comfortable homes.
Will we do it again? Certainly – but perhaps next time in the spring, for a different, slightly warmer, experience!”
Rev Alec Brown, St Mary’s Church Gt. Budworth
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