Here's a great article from this summer's mag.
Being Jesus in Dupont Close
IT WAS the words of a Chief Constable that started Nigel and Elaine Waterfield on their new adventure with God.
They had been at the Trumpet Call to Prayer at the NEC in 2006 where the Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, Matt Baggott, launched Redeeming our Communities – an initiative that had been making an impact on council estates in Manchester. It proved to be a turning point for them
"We were so inspired that we moved to a terribly run-down estate called Braunstone Frith, Leicester, to copy this incentive, but on a smaller scale."
The Waterfields, who've been
married for four years, set up home in Dupont Close and launched the Watering Hole, a name chosen by the charity that helps them with funding. " I asked them to choose a name from a list I had given them deriving from words from Isaiah 41:17- 1 19;'says Nigel.
They started out by engaging with the children from single parent families by taking them on outings to a local park and zoo and on a theatre trip to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Through this, they began to build supportive relationships with the kids' parents, many of whom battled with poverty and often alcohol and drugs. The Waterfields went with them to hospital appointments, court hearings and school meetings. "As we began to engage with them and showed them the love of God they started to come to the Lord.'
Struggling single mum Tammy and her kids were known as "the ASBO family from hell"when the Waterfields first came to Dupont Close. "People wanted me to complain to social services about her children because of their unruly behaviour," says Nigel.
"However, we stood by her. She later gave her life to Christ. She backslid, but we kept praying with her and helped her.
"She came back to the Lord again, only this time she has seen great miracles and victory in her life. She now comes out with us to do outreach and gives her testimony. She talks to people on the street, ministering to them with their many problems!
The Watering Hole also hold their now legendary street parties once or twice a year in Dupont Close. "We have a bouncy castle, a live Christian band, the use of the New Parks Neighbourhood Management Party Pack (ie gazebo, face paints, barbecue, goal-posts).
"But most of all we have testimonies from people whose lives have been radically transformed from a life of crime and addiction through Jesus Christ. People like Steve Cattell, once Britain's most prolific burglar and ex-gangster Davy Falcus.
"These street parties bring together the community and build bridges with the police and the council as well as integrated services that we also try and work alongside.'
What is most remarkable about the Waterfields is that Nigel has Muscular Dystrophy and is in a wheelchair and Elaine is his carer. They are also on benefits themselves. "We have an open house where we share meals and have our own little family of people who have no family," say the couple who are passionate about reaching out to those who have so little.
"The problem today is that the Church has become a holy huddle. We send so many people to Africa and India, yet fail to see we need missionaries here on deprived estates
"Jesus came for the lost and the poor and the needy and this is what we have found here on this estate – the lost, the poor and the needy. There are many
mothers who are struggling with unruly children and poverty, which entails bailiffs, so they turn to drink and drugs.There are also tremendous mental health problems.
"All we Christians need to do is show love to a few families and it makes such a difference.'
The Watering Hole project was nominated by Tammy Candy from Leicester
As told to Sharon Barnard
Enter at www.inspiremagazine.org.uk
They had been at the Trumpet Call to Prayer at the NEC in 2006 where the Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, Matt Baggott, launched Redeeming our Communities – an initiative that had been making an impact on council estates in Manchester. It proved to be a turning point for them
"We were so inspired that we moved to a terribly run-down estate called Braunstone Frith, Leicester, to copy this incentive, but on a smaller scale."
The Waterfields, who've been
married for four years, set up home in Dupont Close and launched the Watering Hole, a name chosen by the charity that helps them with funding. " I asked them to choose a name from a list I had given them deriving from words from Isaiah 41:17- 1 19;'says Nigel.
They started out by engaging with the children from single parent families by taking them on outings to a local park and zoo and on a theatre trip to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Through this, they began to build supportive relationships with the kids' parents, many of whom battled with poverty and often alcohol and drugs. The Waterfields went with them to hospital appointments, court hearings and school meetings. "As we began to engage with them and showed them the love of God they started to come to the Lord.'
Struggling single mum Tammy and her kids were known as "the ASBO family from hell"when the Waterfields first came to Dupont Close. "People wanted me to complain to social services about her children because of their unruly behaviour," says Nigel.
"However, we stood by her. She later gave her life to Christ. She backslid, but we kept praying with her and helped her.
"She came back to the Lord again, only this time she has seen great miracles and victory in her life. She now comes out with us to do outreach and gives her testimony. She talks to people on the street, ministering to them with their many problems!
The Watering Hole also hold their now legendary street parties once or twice a year in Dupont Close. "We have a bouncy castle, a live Christian band, the use of the New Parks Neighbourhood Management Party Pack (ie gazebo, face paints, barbecue, goal-posts).
"But most of all we have testimonies from people whose lives have been radically transformed from a life of crime and addiction through Jesus Christ. People like Steve Cattell, once Britain's most prolific burglar and ex-gangster Davy Falcus.
"These street parties bring together the community and build bridges with the police and the council as well as integrated services that we also try and work alongside.'
What is most remarkable about the Waterfields is that Nigel has Muscular Dystrophy and is in a wheelchair and Elaine is his carer. They are also on benefits themselves. "We have an open house where we share meals and have our own little family of people who have no family," say the couple who are passionate about reaching out to those who have so little.
"The problem today is that the Church has become a holy huddle. We send so many people to Africa and India, yet fail to see we need missionaries here on deprived estates
"Jesus came for the lost and the poor and the needy and this is what we have found here on this estate – the lost, the poor and the needy. There are many
mothers who are struggling with unruly children and poverty, which entails bailiffs, so they turn to drink and drugs.There are also tremendous mental health problems.
"All we Christians need to do is show love to a few families and it makes such a difference.'
The Watering Hole project was nominated by Tammy Candy from Leicester
As told to Sharon Barnard
Enter at www.inspiremagazine.org.uk
******************
19th July Update -I never expected to get contacted by the people in the article. Nigel is now a FB friend.
The Inspire Magazine, Elaine & I are in the article about Dupont Close that you did a blogg about and so I thought I would add you as a friend if thats OK.That was a real amzing story as our friend Tammy was in court as her and her kids got very ill with MRSA and the hospital blamed Tammy. Well I asked God to send me the magzine before the court hearing and it arrived so we coulds show the judge what Tammy has been up to since coing to faith a short while ago, The judge however was adiment she was going to priosn but we prayed and spoke in tongues and Elaine saw a presence over the judge and after rteading our reference and also Tammys daughters he changed his mind and gave her a suspended sentence. When we got hom and I looked at the magazibe it read Liecester asbo family new start....So Tammy saw the hand of God upon hert life amen
God BlessNigel & Elaine
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