I have decided to take up the Challenge - this means that between Monday 22nd and Sunday 28th March I will be living on a budget of £35.13 for the week - which is the amount that asylum seekers in the UK have to live on. I'm going to have to think about all sorts of things - how much and what kind of food I buy, if I use my car, where I'm going to access the internet, how much I use my phone, how much heating can I afford? I can imagine it's going to be tough - but I think it's important for me to do this. As most of you know, I am a Christian, and as a Christian I feel it's important for me to reflect the Christ I follow in the way I live. I know that God is a God who cares for the oppressed, the marginalised and the poor - and that he is a God of justice. So I think this would be a good way for me to develop some understanding and care for the marginalised and poor in my society - and to stand against any injustices I discover along the way. I'm also doing this in the run up to Easter...I think making some small sacrifices for a week will help me in some way to become more in tune and aware of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on Good Friday.
I also want to do this so that I can truly put myself in the shoes of those who have to do this for months and even years on end - and understand how the policies of the government are effecting them.
I'll be blogging about how things are going throughout the week - check back here or become a follower of this blog for regular updates. I also would like to raise some money for asylum seekers from doing this - so if you would like to sponsor me during the Challenge I will be giving any donations to Refugee Action (http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/) - I'll try and set up a justgiving page before the end of the week.
Thanks for reading :)
