Michael has just celebrated seventeen years of living at Tindall House. Michael always remembers when this date comes round and loves to remind us that he has lived with us and been our friend for many years now.

At CFL this Christmas, Michael will be surrounded by a loving family of friends. He will receive lots of presents and cards; he will enjoy a superb Christmas dinner; he will be warm, safe and loved. No doubt at the CFL Christmas party he will be performing his famous rendition of George Gershwin!

Michael has no family with whom he can spend Christmas Day and it is hard to imagine what his Christmas would be like without his CFL family.

But Michael is just one of those supported by Caring For Life, just one of those with whom we share the love of Jesus day by day. So few have any family to be with at Christmas time. For at least 70 of those we support, the presents and cards we give really will be the only ones they receive. This is one reason why it is so special when CFL supporters send cards to those in our care.

If you live alone in a bed sit or a small flat and if you find it very difficult to make friends, if perhaps you have a learning difficulty or a mental health problem or if childhood experiences have left you deeply damaged, Christmas can be the loneliest time of all. Television programmes and films with scenes of family celebrations simply heighten that sense of loneliness and exclusion.

… Which is why we at Caring For Life try to make Christmas a time when laughter rings out around the farm, and we succeed! Our Christmas party is a riot! People are totally helpless with laughter!!

Our Christmas meals are superb .. not a token turkey dinner, but a beautifully cooked meal, with very special desserts and as much food as people can possibly eat!

Generous food parcels are given out by our floating support team, all dressed up in their Christmas hats and busily delivering 100 hampers. This year we will be giving out an extra 100 hampers and all those boxes are being donated then wrapped and packed by teams of volunteers from local companies. We are so thankful for this help.

Gifts are now being gathered and every person in our care will receive presents. No one will be missed out.

In Christmas week, we are having a special meal for those who would find it very difficult to be in the company of others on Christmas Day. They will be enjoying a lunch together and all will go home with gifts and a food hamper.

Later that week, a group of older people and single parents who the floating support team visit and help will be joining the wider CFL family for a big Christmas dinner and a party.

Then on Christmas Day there will be huge celebrations at Tindall House and Wendy Margaret Home, whilst another group will gather in the CFL centre, those who would otherwise be alone at Christmas. There will be a beautiful meal with presents for everyone and more food hampers to take home. Staff and volunteers will be working hard to ensure that no one feels left out and that the day is a genuinely happy time of celebration for everyone who is there.

Many of those in our care will still feel sad at Christmas and each person will need a member of staff to just listen, just sit with them and just be there. We can also share the amazing news of what Christmas is really all about and tell them of the wonderful Saviour who became one of us that first Christmas .. Emmanuel, God with us.

We have an awesome task to undertake at Christmas and it is such a busy time of year, but we thank God that we can make a difference in so many lonely lives. We need your prayers very much at this time of year and we thank our supporters, our volunteers and those from companies who all donate time and money to make a difference that actually makes all the difference!

Michael can’t imagine a world without Caring For Life. Can you?