It's actually something I have used myself, and have certainly seen it too many times to count.
Even on a recent Africa trip I shared some of its wisdom with some precious ladies who were dealing with some challenging situations. I even like to think of myself as someone who can navigate life's challenges in such a way that I would be someone known as a 'dancer in the rain'.
But what if the storm doesn't ever seem to pass?
What if the rain isn't a refreshing burst of much-needed cold when the heat is on?
What if dancing in the rain is all you seem to be doing and you're now tired and wet and miserable?
What if it's been raining so long you've forgotten what it's like to be anywhere else?
What if the prospect of it stopping raining is just as scary and tiring as being in the rain?
What if dancing is all you've ever done - normally to someone else's tune?
Well this is exactly why A Way Out exists.
To bring Hope.
We exist to help the most at-risk women, young people and families in the Stockton area. People who are currently 'in a storm' of poverty, abuse, addiction or exploitation. They could be young people who have disengaged from school and are now isolated - and can't see a way out for the clouds hanging over them. They could be people dancing to the tune of an addiction that keeps them in the darkness, without a chance of light permeating their world. We help families struggling in many areas of life, women being exploited and ensnared in the local sex trade, people who are struggling to pay for the demands of running a home and providing food for their family.
Click here, to become one of our life-changing partners:
http://www.awayout.co.uk/get-involved/donate/
So for us, it's not just about helping people to dance in the rain, but also about providing people with a belief and a hope, that the storm will one day pass. It might take a lot of hard work, tough decisions and discipline. It will mean the pain of 'putting things right', it will mean heartache along the way, but it will also mean that for those people who couldn't see it before, there is a way out.
Hope could be, and can be, and is restored to the people we work with each and every day.
Exploitation trades in the currency of dreams. It lies to people and persuades them that they can get what they want by doing what they would once have never wanted. As a consequence, dreams cease to exist, hope is stolen, life becomes a 'just is' not a 'what if'.
Now look at this image:
Isn't it incredible?
Each colour on the wings represents a previous struggle. As a caterpillar it would have been trapped, bound, suffocated in its own mess and even to the outside world there's a time when it seems absolutely impossible that from the hard shell, and with no escape from the chrysalis that anything good could ever come from it. Even experts have the heart-stopping moment wondering if new life will burst forth.
But it does.
And we believe, for the people we work with, that the same is also possible. Sure, there have been times when even our workers have that fear that the amazingly, beautiful life could remain trapped - but we know, from experience, that life can burst through and begin again.
Today marks the end of our 7daysofHOPE campaign. And all week we have been planting seeds of hope, sharing inspiration and hopefully drawing attention to the fact that hope is not just something we can take or leave, but something that is vital in seeing lives, cities and situations changed.
One way we remain hopeful is that we are underpinned by our Christian values, and have our hope in what we believe is a steadfast, unchanging God. As such, we are committed to remaining faithful and consistent for those people who need us.
With that in mind, another way we can keep hope alive, is to know we have the resource to do so. For those who already partner with our life-changing work, may we use this as an opportunity to say thank you. Each pound is stretched so far - but ultimately it goes to creating an environment where people are offered help, hope and a better life. And you too can join us on this journey.
Could you pray for us, our team and the people we serve?
Could you volunteer with us? http://www.awayout.co.uk/get-involved/volunteer/
Could you become a regular giver? http://www.awayout.co.uk/get-involved/donate/
Whatever your involvement with us, please can you continue to be someone who whispers hope, who believes for more, who fights for justice and who continues to point people to A Way Out.
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