In late 2013 and in early 2014, the UK experienced huge storms and rainfall resulting in widespread flooding. Many people had to leave their homes, not knowing if or when their houses would be safe to return to. The television reports have reminded all of us that we cannot take the roof over our heads for granted. So these resources are not just about ‘the’ homeless, but about what home means to us all.
If you want to continue, imagine that you have with you a rucksack containing different items which might help you to explore what ‘home’ means to you. What does your rucksack contain? Perhaps you have photos or keepsakes, an address book, a telephone number, house keys, - or even a laptop or smartphone with a link to Google Earth, a webcam or a video feed which will let you see your property. But what assumptions and ideas do you have about those who do not have homes?
You might like to use a notebook, write in a journal or upload thoughts to a blog to record any ideas about what you expect from your visit and exploration.
Ben
Want to stay and explore?
From here, you can travel a number of pathways through the spaces finding out what home and homelessness means to you.
The yellow journey will take you to spaces which are word and text based and you can interact with what people are saying and discussing about home and homelessness now.
The blue journey will take you into spaces which are focussed on bible study, prayer, worship, song and reflective story telling.
The green spaces will allow you to engage with pictures, external web and book resources, video clips and various activities, including a space for cooking and eating a meal.
The pink spaces offer suggestions for personal commitments, reflection, and following Jesus more closely. The final pink space is the space where you need to decide what is most important to your spiritual journey: to stay at home, to set out into the unknown, to move towards the heavenly home or to spend more time among those who have no homes. You will need to consider what you have learned, been surprised by, challenged by and assess how you might have changed.
You can mix and match your journey through the different spaces depending on what you would most like to explore, study or do.