I am watching a miracle unfold.
I first met Graham, an unemployed labourer when he was optimistic. Funny, grounded, determined, and full of faith. He'd lost his job in the recession, but was certain he'd find another soon.
Three years passed. Despite attending all the courses available from the Job Centre, and applying for forty or more jobs a week, he was still unemployed. Rumours began to circulate about Graham having, "anger issues" he became cold, bitter, resentful, and yes, bloody angry. I daren't enquire about his faith...
Today he bounced into the Salvation Army lunch club full of excitement. The new Aldi store that employed him last month is opening next Thursday. Graham is laughing and joking, he is calm and present and alive once more.
I see so much depression, sadness and misery amongst the unemployed. When I hear the rich, the powerful, the ignorant rant about ' welfare scroungers', I want to weep. Yes, I really do.
But then there is a miracle ... Not the getting of a job, but the anazing transformation when belief and self-respect are gained once more.
We're dealing with unemployment right now, so while the part about it being 3 years made me gulp, the fact that the story has an ending -- ultimately a happy ending -- made me smile.
ReplyDeleteWe are also dealing with this. It's not fun, and the idea of three years is scary. It's been over a year for me, but my husband is picking up a bit of work here and there, enough to keep the wolves from the door.
DeleteAt Gloucester City Mission we tell stories to the City Councillors and Members of Parliament. They get under the armour in a way that statistics never do. Last year 16 vulnerable people that came to our drop-in centre or who we met on the streets, died. If they'd died of 'flu. It would have been classified as an epidemic and millions of pounds would have been spent on prevention and cure. The very poor are voiceless, so sometimes those of us who are grateful, need to speak up for them. In my experience, those in power listen to the churches and do act for individuals. Thankfully, Graham's story has a good ending!
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