20 years of loving, listening and learning!!
The Oasis Centre is 20 years old! Woohoo! It all started with 3 ladies, a kettle, a toaster, and a whole lot of prayer...20 years on we have 13 staff, 30 volunteers and a holistic daily support programme helping our community flourish. We provide emergency food-packs, free meals, structured support, advice, wellbeing activities, education, volunteering opportunities, and a work club through 5 programmes of support. But most of all we offer love, hope and a place to call home!
Since 2001 Oasis has supported over 10,000 individuals and 5,000 families from the hardest to reach sector of our East Manchester communities. Our vision is to see transformation in the lives of the most marginalised and disadvantaged, enabling them to move from chaos, isolation and hopelessness to stability, integration, and fullness of life.
As we prepare to celebrate 20 years of Oasis, I have been asked the question ‘what makes Oasis work?’ I believe it is simply our desire to love, listen and learn from God and our community.
Love - Oasis is unashamedly ‘learning to love like Jesus’. We recognise for a community to really change unconditional love must be its foundation. Without love everything we do loses its purpose, direction and meaning. When we put God first and treat our neighbour as we would like to be treated, we begin to see our community flourish!
Listen - One of the ways we feel most valued is when we are listened too and understood. So many people struggle for years on their own, not having family or friends to help them navigate through difficult times. We need a listening ear, tender heart, and a desire to always respect the person in front of us. Learn - The danger after 20 years is to stop learning, from God and eash other. We are fully aware that Oasis still has an awful lot to learn! We need to keep a check on how our community is growing and changing. We need to remind ourselves daily to walk in love and humility.
So, here we are, 20 years old and feeling excited and committed to the next 20 years!! From 20th-23rd September we will be hosting a week-long celebration including a tour of our new centre and a showcase of the work we do.
If you have not yet been invited or haven’t got round to your RSVP, please get in touch with Angela who will be delighted to hear from you! angela.crowe@oasisgorton.org