while receiving generous Christmas donations
of seasonal food and gifts from the local community a woman arrived at the door
of A Way Out. This woman was victim to
an unknown substance and had managed to make her way across town entering our Centre
barely conscious. We awaited the arrival
paramedics and placed her in the recovery position in our Reception area. She lay amongst the carefully wrapped gifts,
amidst twinkling Christmas lights, drifting in and out of consciousness. A poignant Christmas image; the juxtaposition
of glittering parcels of generosity, love and functioning traditional family
values, against the plight of desperation, isolation and malicious attack.
This week A Way Out marked International End Violence
Against Sex Workers Day with an event attended by 30 of our partners. In one touching moment a woman, who is now
settled and secure, shared her video diary in which she described the pain and
degradation of her past life and reached out in the hope that others in the
grips of addiction, may also discover the strength to accept support from A Way
Out. In a time of reflection we
remembered those women lost to us and hoped and prayed for recovery for those
women whom we currently support.
As we look towards the day that we celebrate the birth of
Jesus and remember the light of his unconditional love, we give thanks for the
support we have received during this past year and we pray a special prayer for
those who are vulnerable, exploited, homeless, in poverty and suffering from
addiction in the hope that 2019 will be the year that they see the light of
hope.
