A Time for Investing...

Dear Friends, 

Nearly 11 years ago, 8 months into living in London, Noah and I visited a flat share on the Samuda estate as a possible place to live- I firmly declined the option- I saw it as unsafe, and ‘below me’. As of today, we have been living here for our over three years, with our 4 children. How things change! How God changes us!

Our journey to London began with a prayer that God would open or shut doors as He would, and trusted Him in what is best for our lives. After being offered a job as a social worker, we came to the UK for adventure and cultural exchange. We have gotten far more than our narrow and self-serving plans could have ever offered. 

Together, with our church family at Tower Hamlets Community Church we are part of a team working in partnership with London City Mission to plant a church near the Samuda Estate, sharing in the vision to reach the ‘least reached’ with the Good News of Peace with God through Jesus Christ.
Since we have begun this church plant, we have in addition to Sunday worship services, been part of delivering Christianity Explored (in person and online), hosting a stay and play with Bible stories smiles and songs to share God’s glory, and helping facilitate community days in order to build relationships. 

As with all the world, best-laid plans have been altered in light of Covid-19 pandemic. Suddenly, instead of looking to programs and formal church services as the means to focus time and energy to sow gospel seeds, we have had our gaze focused to our immediate neighbours and those we meet as we carried on our day to day tasks. We sought meaningful ways to connect- and it has been meaningful indeed. Over the past 10 months, we have been sharing moments and burdens with people struggling with addiction, battling cancer, managing the upheaval of broken routines whilst raising their child with disabilities, and praying for neighbours caught up in lifestyles of drug dealing, violence and anger. Equally, we have opened our kitchen window and laughed at the visiting children’s jokes as we did the washing up, talked with them about why we are Christian and not Muslim, celebrated the engagement of our next-door neighbour, and exchanged gifts and treats over the holidays. 

Planning for the future is not so easily done in these uncertain times, but we are keeping faith in God and His faithfulness! Whilst we may not see all ends, we trust in the One who has authored it all. Our desire is to continue to meet people as God connects us with them in our neighbourhood. We would like to purchase a home in or near the Samuda Estate, to continue to invest in relationships here. Owning a home in partnership with Mission Housing would allow us to be able to afford to visit our family in Canada every few years. If you would like to know more about Mission Housing, please see www.missionhousing.org.uk.  If you would like to know how else you may support us, you can contact us here or by email

If you want to know more, we have a newsletter, just let us know if you would like to receive it! 

Ever grateful!
Danielle, Noah and Kids. 

The Samuda is covered by a rainbow and illuminated by the setting sun.