SUE THATCHER
So many Christian activities go on at churches around the country that the general public often don’t know or hear about. People beaver away behind the scenes doing good works for the benefit of others both here and abroad. One such person is Sue Thatcher, a life-long believer in God who came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ when she was 12.
Says Sue: “I was privileged to belong to a family of Chapel goers (Strict Baptists!). They were lovely, honest and kind people who lived by a strict moral code. It was when I went to University at Sheffield that I fully committed my life to God. I realised that I am special to Him and that He wants to use me to spread the good news that there is a new life in Jesus. Being able to talk to Almighty God is great and He helps me in all aspects of my life. My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life and it keeps me sane!
“One of my favourite church activities is being the organiser for Compassion Outreach. This is a Christian charity which operates world-wide to help children in third-world countries by providing holistic well-being including hygiene education, medical care, provision of basic needs including food, educational supplies and clothing and teaching about God and His love for them. This is done by setting up projects in the poorest neighbourhoods where children in the greatest need are identified and invited to be part of the sponsorship scheme, while continuing to live with their parent(s).
“Having been involved in Compassion Outreach work at St. John’s, Flixton, for 20 years, I estimate over 12 overseas children have been sponsored by the church during that time. Churches, or individuals within them, sign up to sponsor a child or children, usually from the age of 5 or 6 years. They can continue to be sponsored until they are 18 (or 21 in some cases) and sponsors write to their child to encourage them and they receive replies in return. Many of the children go on to achieve good academic qualifications and a career as a result of the sponsorships”.
St. John’s is currently sponsoring two children – a 12-year-old boy from Haiti and a 6-year-old girl from the Dominic Republic. Several other church members are also sponsoring children independently.
Concludes Sue: “I firmly believe in faith in action and I like to help others where I can. Apart from my Compassion Outreach work, I also help run the church’s Sunday School and the Monday evening prayer meetings, as well as fully participating in the whole life of the church, including singing in the choir”.
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