Hope in a Crisis

Words Jess Bee

For over 130 years Lifewords has been helping the lost, vulnerable, heartbroken and despairing connect with the Bible, and in a year of immense change, turmoil and uncertainty, it has been able to respond to the need for hope and a solid rock to stand on.

“The idea behind the revamp was to off er a resource, which could be accepted and well-used globally, across cultures”

In the early part of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the world, Lifewords brought forward a planned redesign of Finding Hope for the global range. The resource, which was originally written for people working with refugees and displaced people, is now shared with anyone in crisis or experiencing trauma. It is used in many pastoral situations all over the world: in hospitals, prisons, social work, and with women working in prostitution alongside the Consider the Wildfl owers booklet. In June, a revised version of the booklet was printed in Polish, English, French, and Portuguese. “It’s a slightly abbreviated and simplifi ed version, also including simple and globally understood graphics,” says Jarek Jankowski, Lifewords Europe Director. “The idea behind the revamp was to off er a resource, which could be accepted and well-used globally, across cultures. We wanted to

make it easier to read, for the elderly, by the semi-literate, by those who struggle to focus for too long (e.g. patients and those who are terminally ill), by those reading in poor lighting conditions such as on the streets or in shelters. We wanted to make the design compatible with the message of hope and peace, hence the simple, muted and calming images.”

A TIMELY RESOURCE

The response to the resource has been very positive. “Some perceive the title as a message for the current time of pandemic,” says Jarek. In the UK, where the original version of the resource is still available and used extensively, Reg, a UK chaplain working in the NHS and with those suff ering from Covid-19, said: “The Finding Hope booklet has been the one I have used most. It is such an attractive booklet, with simple, biblical messages, and thoughts which are an antidote to the hopelessness, anxiety and helplessness in the media. Every person who has received one of these from me has clutched it, and said that they need hope, and it has given us a chance to talk about what and who we put our trust in. Who knows what the long-term fruit of these conversations and Scriptures will be.”

GOING DIGITAL

The pandemic also caused problems with the global postal systems, meaning that some orders were delayed or temporarily unfulfi lled. Part of the response to this was to create an animated version of the booklet that could be shared digitally. Over the summer it was launched in English, Hindi, Polish, Portuguese and Swahili on YouTube and Facebook, with a version in Spanish planned for later in the year. “During the current crisis a signifi cant part of life has moved to the internet,” says Jarek, “so we have followed the pattern and off ered our important resources online.” One of the comments posted in response to the animation on Facebook was from Wladyslawa in Poland, she said: “This works 100 percent. I have experienced it in my life. It is God’s Word that is my strength and my safe refuge. Sometimes even trained professionals cannot help, because they are not omniscient, but God has always been like that … always ready to help when someone asks for help.”

“Who knows what the long-term fruit of these conversations and Scriptures will be”

PRAY

Praise God for all those involved in creating and producing Lifewords resources.

Give thanks for the speedy and timely redesign of Finding Hope.

Pray that Finding Hope would bring comfort and a new perspective for those in crisis.