Day 150: Praying for the Rhyl and Newport homelessness support projects and SATCoL shops and donation centres (2023)

Join with Salvationists of the Wales Division for day 150 of 150 days of prayer.

• 'Praise him with music! Yes! Use trumpets, harps and lyres to praise God! Dance and hit drums to praise him! Make music with harps and flutes to praise him' (Psalm 150:3 and 4, EasyEnglish Bible).

2023

Catherine Docherty (Homeless Services Assistant Regional Manager) writes:

‘In April 2023 The Salvation Army started TEASP (Temporary Emergency Accommodation Supported Project) based at Rhyl Corps, providing intensive floating support for people in temporary accommodation across Denbighshire. 

‘The service offers a holistic approach to support with the aim of empowering people to improve their wellbeing while in temporary accommodation, developing the essential skills needed for future independence.

‘We focus on the following keys areas:

• Community – Support to connect with others in the community, including engaging in a variety of activities, volunteering, employability skills and learning.
• Home – Support with all aspects of sustaining temporary accommodation alongside developing tenancy readiness skills for the future.
• Body – Support to access appropriate community and/or emergency health services where needed and activities focused on being active. We can also offer harm reduction support and guidance, enabling access to drug and alcohol services.
• Mind – Support to engage in appropriate diversionary activities focused on an inclusive approach to mindfulness, emotional regulation and building trust.
• Spirit – Support to access spiritual connection through developing friendships with others, accessing community churches, groups, chaplaincy and corps.
• Future – Support to develop confidence, empowerment and self-belief for the future.

SATCoL Managing Director Trevor Caffull writes: 

‘In 2020, as the first Covid lockdown ended, The Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL) had to make a difficult decision about a small number of their shops, Wrexham being among them. And so, with great sadness, the shop closed its doors for the final time. Or so we thought!

‘A short time later the freehold of the shop unit was sold and the new landlord approached SATCoL, asking if they would reconsider trading in the shop at a reduced rent. SATCoL happily agreed. The staff team were ecstatic, the customers were ecstatic, and the community was ecstatic. The manager, Christina, leads her team with a heart for mission and they respond gladly, caring for the community, for their customers and for each other.

‘Happy teams are usually successful teams, and what followed was extraordinary. Sales increased, profit returned, mission was delivered – and in 2023 Christina received an award on behalf of the shop, citing Wrexham as SATCoL’s shop of the year.’

Catherine Docherty (Homeless Services Assistant Regional Manager) writes:

‘In July 2023, The Salvation Army Homelessness Services had an opportunity to deliver a new outreach support project in Newport, initially supported by Newport Corps. Since moving to our new base at Queens School House, the project reaches out to support homeless people sleeping rough or in temporary accommodation. We also host a drop-in seven days a week and ensure our support is available across multi-agency locations. The service has recently been renamed Drws Agored (Open Door), a wonderful reflection of the welcome The Salvation Army gives to all, especially those who need it most.’

Lieutenant Paul Sass tells his story:

‘A “night of little sleep” in February 2021 was the seminal point of a new calling from the Lord. It is clearer to me now that it was the culmination of several occurrences which were used by the Lord to direct, shape and prepare me for the new direction he had in store for my life. Those occurrences were flooding in the streets around my home corps in Pentre (February 2020), doorstep and telephone ministry in Rhondda – alongside my wife – during the Covid pandemic lockdown (March-July 2020) and work with Wales Divisional Headquarters to return safely to in-person worship (August-September 2020), plus my work as a senior leader in a busy South Wales secondary school. These were some of the more significant experiences which became the basis for this new calling and my subsequent journey into officer training.

‘A frank conversation with Major Steve Wilson following my “night of little sleep” helped me to appreciate that what I had received was indeed a calling from the Lord to move from my vocation as a teacher to one instead of ministry. And so began a new journey of trust and obedience, for myself and my family – a journey which led me into officer training and which has been one of blessing and grace as I have sought to follow the Lord’s leading. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5 and 6)’. 

In July 2024 Paul was commissioned in Wales as a Welsh-speaking officer and appointed to Aberystwyth. A similar event took place more than 130 years ago, with Welsh-speaking officers being commissioned in Wales and appointed to Wales!

Prayer

• Thank God for the development of services that support vulnerable people in Wrexham and Newport. Give thanks for the staff supporting the people they serve.
• Praise God for the helpful way that SATCoL supports The Salvation Army through its many charity shops and donation centres.
• Thank God that after all these years another Welsh officer was commissioned in Wales to serve in Wales. 

2024

The story is yet to be written – and who will write it?