Hi Friends!

Those of you who know me have probably never seen me post about a fundraiser before. I usually feel bad asking for people's money, regardless of how good the cause is. This year, I'm trying something a little different.

Some of you may know I've been involved in Just Love, a UK based Christian charity. They love God, and love other people really well, and have been graciously serving the Cambridge community over the past 5 years. Together with practical and missional organisations in Cambridge, JL has been equipping and sending out students to serve in their local communities; we play but a small part in bridging the divide in the UK's most unequal city (as measured by income).

I had the privilege of running into JL Cambridge in 2017 on one of my (admittedly infrequent) trips out to Barnwell, an underprivileged estate just outside of Cambridge City Centre, helping to facilitate an after-school youth group. Through them, students like me get a chance to learn from and connect with those whom society might label as 'left behind'.

Just Love's work doesn't end there though. Over the years, Christian students have been slowly advocating for a fairer and more equitable world: students who started the Cambridge Refugee Scholarship Campaign (now the Rowan Williams Scholarship, a postgraduate scholarship for refugees) and Embrace Cambridge (a homelessness awareness and action project). Across the UK, Just Love has a presence in 25 university towns/cities, and continues to make an impact locally, and in the hearts and minds of students across the UK.

Like all other work, JL requires a certain amount of financial support, usually from generous donors and churches; Like many other charities, the uncertainty caused by COVID is challenging, and any financial support will go a long way in equipping us to serve and live out our calling through the next year and beyond. This is why, along with Joe Allen, Tim Edwards and Tim Lornie, we're taking on a challenge to show how much Just Love means to us, and how much we would love the work of JL to continue in Cambridge and beyond.

Collectively, we'll be running + cycling + swimming + hiking the distance from Aberdeen to Exeter, the cities hosting two JL groups which are furthest from each other! Over the next 2 weeks, I'll be running to get us from Aberdeen to St Andrews (around 100km), but from the relative comfort of East Coast Park in Singapore!

I know there are many good charities to donate to, especially during such trying times. If anything, I hope this post highlights how far we still have to go to create a world which is more equitable, and honours every individual's God-given dignity. Just Love is one of many charities you could choose to donate to, and as a team, we're looking to raise 2,020 pounds this year to help JL carry on their coaching and discipleship work, and to help support full-time staff financially. If any of this has struck a chord, and you feel called to give financially, let me know!

Thanks y'all!

Links to Just Love Cambridge and CRSC:
https://justlovecambridge.wordpress.com/
https://camrefugeecampaign.org/