A Pilgrimage to help end modern day slavery

August 21, 2023 by Penelope Swithinbank

Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey

200 miles of a solo pilgrimage to celebrate my 70th birthday and raise sponsorships money for the work of IJM

We shouldn’t need a World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in 2023.
Yet right now, children, women and men are being trafficked across international borders. Children like 12-year-old Ny* and 16-year-old Lalin*, who were trafficked from Cambodia into domestic servitude in Malaysia.

Do you remember your first trip abroad? The excitement of experiencing a different country and culture? Ny and Lalin will never forget the first time they travelled to a different country.Unable to afford an education, the young friends were tricked and trafficked abroad into domestic servitude:
“My employer’s children hit me, pulled my hair and spat in my food. I felt hurt and worthless,” Lalin told us.

Imagine being trapped in a foreign country. Abused. Forced to work long hours with little food. Ny was also sexually assaulted: “I was very scared... I thought of ending my life.” Trafficking knows no borders and can happen to anyone. Last year, Sir Mo Farah shared that he was trafficked as a child from East Africa into domestic servitude here in the UK.

Trafficking is an international crime that demands an international response.

WHO or WHAT IS IJM?

“ IJM (International Justice Mission) is the largest international anti-slavery organization. We work in almost 20 communities around the world to fight for justice on behalf of those who are being oppressed. Because of IJM supporters, families have been freed from slavery, girls from brothels and children from cybersex trafficking. ”

The work that Bath Abbey is doing in regard to the Monuments and Memorials and the issues being raised about slavery have got me thinking! We can’t personally do anything to change history; but we CAN do something positive to try to end the slavery and human trafficking that is still happening today. So I decided that I’d celebrate my 70th birthday by walking a long distance Pilgrimage and ask people to sponsor the miles by making a donation the International Justice Mission: a non-profit anti-slavery organisation with the aim: to end slavery, trafficking and violence.

I‘m walking about 200 hundred miles in September 2023 from Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey, aiming to raise £10 for every mile I walk. You can sponsor me here.

Thank you in advance for whatever you're able to donate. I'll be posting on my website at the end of each day's walk, so you can follow my progress there!

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

- Pray. Pray, pray, pray for the work of IJM. Pray for the walk, for safety, for strength and for determination to finish and walk every single step from Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey.

- Provide a bed or a meal along the way. Do you live near the route? Could you pick me up from the path, drive me to your home and give me DBnB for a night? (and take me back the next morning!)

- Promenade. Join me for a day to walk. Ask others to sponsor you too for IJM for the miles you walk.

- Pledge Sponsor the miles I do by making a donation to my IJM fundraising page on JUSTGIVING: www.justgiving.com/page/coventry-bath-pilgrimage

It's World Day Against Trafficking ......

July 30, 2023 by Penelope Swithinbank

We shouldn’t need a World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in 2023.

Yet right now, children, women and men are being trafficked across international borders. Children like 12-year-old Ny* and 16-year-old Lalin*, who were trafficked from Cambodia into domestic servitude in Malaysia.

Do you remember your first trip abroad? The excitement of experiencing a different country and culture?

Ny and Lalin will never forget the first time they travelled to a different country.Unable to afford an education, the young friends were tricked and trafficked abroad into domestic servitude:

“My employer’s children hit me, pulled my hair and spat in my food. I felt hurt and worthless,” Lalin told us.

Imagine being trapped in a foreign country. Abused. Forced to work long hours with little food. Ny was also sexually assaulted: “I was very scared... I thought of ending my life.”

Trafficking knows no borders and can happen to anyone. Last year, Sir Mo Farah shared that he was trafficked as a child from East Africa into domestic servitude here in the UK.

Trafficking is an international crime that demands an international response. This World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, will you do something powerful?

Will you help me help IJM in their work to help end human trafficking?

There are still 40 million people who are waiting for rescue, restoration and justice. And that depends on IJM supporters—people like you & me.

So I‘m walking about 200 hundred miles in September 2023, from Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey, aiming to raise funds through sponsorship to help the mission of IJM – to help end slavery in our lifetime.

I'd love to raise £10 for every mile I walk.

Would you help me do this with a small contribution towards my goal?

Sponsor my walk for IJM here Thank you.

My route is a (fairly flat!) canal and river walk, starting from Coventry Cathedral, along the Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction, then south on the Oxford Canal via Rugby and Banbury to Oxford Cathedral; the Thames Path will take me from Oxford through Abingdon and Pangbourne, on to Reading, where I turn west along the Kennet and Avon Canal past Hungerford, Newbury and Pewsey to Bath Abbey. Some 200 miles.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

- Pray. Pray, pray, pray for the work of IJM. Pray for the walk, for safety, for strength and for determination to finish and walk every single step from Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey.

- Provide a bed or a meal along the way. Do you live near the route? Could you pick me up from the path, drive me to your home and give me DBnB for a night? (and take me back the next morning!)

- Promenade. Join me for a day to walk. Ask others to sponsor you too for IJM for the miles you walk.

- Pledge Sponsor the miles I do by making a donation to my IJM fundraising page on JUSTGIVING: www.justgiving.com/page/coventry-bath-pilgrimage

Here’s the (almost) final itinerary:

Would you help me do this with a small contribution towards my goal?

And then together we can support IJM and their valuable work around the globe to help those who need it most and end slavery, trafficking and violence.

Thank you in advance for whatever you're able to donate. I'll be posting on my website at the end of each day's walk, so you can follow my progress there!

And do come and join me for a day of walking along the way if you'd like to - and maybe have your friends sponsor you too to add to the amount we can raise for IJM.

Sponsor my walk for IJM here Thank you.

Oberammergau and Austria - join us in September 2020

October 21, 2018 by Penelope Swithinbank

The Passion Play in Oberammergau - performed only once every ten years. First performed in 1633 as an act of thanksgiving to God, the villagers of Oberammergau fulfil their vow by enacting this enormous event - and we are excited to have this opportunity to attend! Why not come with us for a week’s holiday, staying in the beautiful Austrian Tyrol and taking advantage of all the area had to offer. It’s a trip organised by McCabe travel, and we’d love to have you come with us.

There will be a 2 night visit to Oberammergau for the Passion Play and also 3 days of walks including one on the Jacobsweg, the old pilgrimage route across Europe to Santiago de Compostella, and one by the Achensee (for those who read The Chalet School books, it’s the Tiernsee!) Walks will be moderate - about 8 miles each, and one is walking down from having taken the cable car up! Glorious views, a gorgeous hotel, and excellent seats for the Passion Play on the Sunday, followed by a visit to the historic monastery at Ettal.

For non-walkers, come and relax in the beautiful hotel spa and pool, potter locally, or take a trip to Innsbruck. And we will have devotional times together and take time with the Lord each day.

Bookings are now open and have begun to arrive but there is still plenty of room at the moment.

Please note that for those flying direct from the USA to Munich there is a £200 reduction in the cost.

We very much hope that you will be able to join us on this wonderful and very special holiday. The booking form can be emailed to you to print off and return to me with your deposit, and if you have any queries please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

penelopeswithinbank@mac.com

Win two nights on Retreat at The Vine at Mays Farm

December 08, 2013 by Penelope in RETREATS, PILGRIMAGE

Win two nights on Retreat

at The Vine at Mays Farm

I'll tell you how you can do that in just a minute!

Welcome to our new online home! Ministries by Design has a brand new website and a dot com address - how exciting is that? Well, not very unless you are geeky, perhaps, but even I am excited by this beautifully designed and fresh looking up-to-date site! Designed and managed by Kim Swithinbank, this new site is where you will now find us.

So, while you are here, take a look at next year's calendar (the link to it comes in a moment) There are lots of exciting new retreats planned - including the one that always gets an "Oooooh!!!" when I mention it: Hotel de Chocolat. A two night retreat using Chocolate as an illustration of God's extravagant grace. Lots of treats in store over 48 hours - not least hot chocolate around the fire pit and chocolate tasting ..... book soon, because there are already some bookings and places are limited!

WHY RETREAT?

Because our daily lives are typically filled and busy - things to do, people to see, life to live. And all that is good. But we each need time to BE - and at The Vine at Mays Farm we offer you the much-needed opportunity to step back from the chaos in your life. We offer an oasis, a place of spiritual sanctuary, a safe space to reconnect with God.

There are walking retreats

and Silent Retreats

Retreats for clergy

and retreats for writers

Retreats to help you pray for others

and times for individuals to 'do their own thing.'

What would help you most? Which would suit you best?

Maybe you find it easiest to connect with God when you are out in the countryside...

or when you are reflecting in silence in the Chapel...

Maybe you need others to share thoughts and experiences with....

or maybe you prefer to work through things on your own....

Maybe you like your own room...

or maybe you're happy to share a twin room (and pay a little less) ....

Maybe you'd like breakfast in bed ....

or maybe you prefer to keep the crumbs in the kitchen ...

..... Whatever you prefer, there is probably something to suit you, a time when you can step aside from 'normal' life, be revived and refreshed and renewed; and allow your roots to go deeper and remain in the Vine (John 15:4) You can hop over to the calendar/list of retreats here ... but don't forget to come back to find out how to win 2 free nights on retreat.

Pilgrims walking from San Gimignano to Montalcino , September 2013

AND THERE'S MORE!

As well as retreats at The Vine at Mays Farm, we also lead Pilgrimages. In 2014 there will be two pilgrimages for you to choose. Both are on the Via Francigena, the old pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome. It passes through glorious countryside in Tuscany, and in early June, we will walk from Montalcino to Viterbo, an 8 day holiday, with a walk of 85 miles. In very early September, another 8 day holiday will be a walk from San Gimignano to Montalcino, slightly less strenuous and 68 miles of fabulous countryside. Click here for photos and descriptions and more information.

* * * *

WIN TWO FREE NIGHTS ON RETREAT in 2014

Yes - any two nights at Mays Farm! You might choose Hotel de Chocolat, or the walking retreat or your own individual retreat. But your two nights will be absolutely free, and will include all meals (except lunch on walking retreats).

To enter the free draw you can either:

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE THE BLOG IN YOUR EMAIL

HIT SHARE ON FACE BOOK to share this post with your friends.

RETWEET ON TWITTER including the hashtag @minstriesbydsgn

For every time you do one of those things, your name will be entered into a hat and one name will be chosen by a Board Member who is here on a retreat this week! So the more times you share/retweet, the more opportunities you have to be chosen.

The draw closes on Tuesday December 11th at midnight (GMT) and a name will be chosen the next morning and the winner announced sometime on Wednesday.

* * * *

There are places still available on the ADVENT AWAY DAY on Saturday December 14th (10am - 3.30pm) but otherwise 2013 is now fully booked! Look at the calendar for 2014 and book soon.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Vine at Mays Farm. In the meantime,

GO WELL AND GO WITH GOD