Some testimonies from our community (names are not given)

Monday, we run a Stay and Play group. F (from Pakistan) came to the group with her two sons and reminded me of what this place (The Olive Tree Church) means to her.

I had first met her at our original Stay and Play on Thursdays before Covid. She told me how God had given her a dream and told her to come to this church as they would help her. Her husband didn’t want to come but she insisted the dream was from God.

She was struggling financially with two little ones and a husband who couldn’t find work. She was well educated with a Masters in computers. I needed a computer teacher for a project I was to start in the community. I had funding set aside to pay someone.

We praised God together as I offered her the job and she was fabulous. Due to her doing this for me, I wrote her a reference. She was able to get another job with this reference and had come back to say how much this place means to her and the well-being of her family.

M (from Albania) had a terrible story and was now an asylum seeker.

I met her through my husband from Red Cross as she wanted to learn English. She was staying in the lounge of a friend with her one year-old and lined up every week for food at the food bank.

By the time she was called up for her bag of food, a lot of it had run out. She would never let me visit her. I decided to invite her to our regular food bank drop offs and get food to put in the bottom of her pram, plus whenever she came to any group activities besides English class, like Messy Church, I would load up the pram from the cupboard from a small supply in the office.

During Covid she had another child to someone who left her once she was pregnant. Now a mother of two under 5, she came back to us for help. We have been helping her with clothing, food, and toys ever since.

We for God’s protection and provision. We praise God that He has brought these people to us.