Every May, the Christian Aid banner flutters outside Kendal Town Hall. If you look up at it this year, you might see that it has some stains. They are the result of storing it in a cellar which was flooded last December. As so many people will now, it’s not the water but the muck that is so distressing about a flood. By coincidence this year’s Christian Aid Week tells the story of desperately poor Bangladeshi families living on islands in a huge delta. Every year when the mighty river floods, communities on the river islands are left devastated. Over there, its not just the water, nor the muck but also disease and swimming snakes.

Christian Aid’s local partners show these families ways to rebuild their homes out of harm’s away and help them to grow food and animals to trade their way out of poverty. Christian Aid Week is the week when we show that we can love our neighbours just as Jesus told us. When asked who our neighbours were, he answered that its the unexpected people. Whilst Jesus talked about Samaritans, Christian Aid talks about Bangladeshis for they are our global neighbours. The stains on Kendal’s banner remind us that we share a planet with many other people who are also prey to stormy vile weather with all the trouble that it brings. Can we help our neighbours this week by putting something in the familiar red envelopes?

The Rev Martin Jayne

Kentdale Christian Aid Week Committee