Kat and Pete

There have been a number of times over the last year where we have caught ourselves pausing and wondering, somewhat bewilderedly, how we have ended up in this home.

Having felt a strong call to love, serve, and minister in a specific geographic location and having had to move eleven times in fifteen years, we were growing weary of trying to embed ourselves deeply into the community only to be continually uprooted. For a number of years we carried a promise from God about the provision of a home but holding onto this hope wasn't easy when we were surrounded by circumstances and situations that stood in defiant contradiction to what we felt God had spoken. For even though the community that we feel called to serve is said to be a relatively deprived one, it is still in the South East of England and the possibility of buying a home where we could really settle felt beyond the realm of possibility.

However, one providential moment with another local church leader who was working with Mission Housing led to our own engagement with the team and to some dizzying and miraculous events. For in the space of four days we had some outrageous provision of finances, discovered a perfect home, viewed it, put an offer in, and had it accepted. We now find ourselves literally living within the fulfilment of God's promise to us and in a home that is perfect for what we want to do and in the perfect location. From my study window I can look out and see our local community hub where the church that we help lead sits as a founding member alongside other great initiatives like the Foodbank, Community Fridge, Cafe, Preschool, and a creative space called The Hive. Having the extra space has also meant that we have been able to become foster parents to a wonderful young lad who has been with us since September 2022.

We are only a small church and there are a number of ongoing challenges and struggles but having somewhere we can call home and knowing that we will not have to leave again unless God call us away is a source of great comfort and peace to us. We are acutely aware that none of this would have been possible without the support of Mission Housing and I just wish that there were many more organisations doing what they do all over the UK. Their professionalism and experience when coupled with prayer and faith is a potent combination and we have loved hearing other people's stories of God's faithfulness that have been facilitated by the team there.

We hope our small story might encourage anybody else out there who is believing God for the impossible, especially in the realm of housing, to continue to hold on, keep persevering, and cling to the hope that all things are possible with God.