Hilarity & Hope...

When I was in primary school, some of the most beautiful mornings were when Zephaniah Trust came in for assembly.  You’d know as soon as you heard the sounds of a guitar striking up some catchy and ambitiously fast-paced song coming from the hall, and along the line every child would confirm to every other child that “IT’S MR FROUD!”.  And then we would sing and we would do actions and we would hear stories and we would be happy.  I liked those times.

I did not know that a few years later I would get to befriend these wonderful people and get involved in what they do. It turns out the children’s holiday clubs that they run are equally fun when you’re a “grown up”, and you get to drink tea! I have now spent many a hilarious hour involved in such events, preparing activities for the kids, perfecting actions to “My God shall supply”, praying, eating, and generally enjoying the unique and often slightly odd sense of humour of the other Zephaniah workers and volunteers.

The thing that really makes Zephaniah Trust special isn’t just what they do - it’s the spirit they do it in. Every story, action song, short film featuring a butternut squash or similar or in fact any Zephaniah event is done with a beautiful sense of joy for life, and a passion for spreading light and hope. I have participated in and been introduced to many things through Zephaniah Trust – dramas, building time machine forts, great stories, and the discovery of bizarre Gaelic cartoons – and I think all it points to the happiness and joyful abundance of life at the heart of the Christian message.

Julia Leech is studying theology at York St John University. She combines her own odd sense of humour with a warmth and openness that make her an excellent Zeph volunteer. She is a dab hand with a ukulele and has an extraordinary talent for dancing around dressed as a cyberman. She would probably never forgive us if we ended this blog post without pointing you in the direction of "bizarre Gaelic cartoon" Fraochy Bay, broadcast on BBC Alba...