Lorraine Smedley

"I had wanted to work with (and for) The Matthew Project from the moment an ex manager of mine told me about the Project. He had recently taken on a management role in the Youth Team at The Matthew Project and what he told me about the Project’s “Genesis”, as well as its work in progress with young people, both excited and awed me. The more I heard from him, the more I wanted to know.

To cut a long story short, I was amazed to find myself attending an interview with Peter Farley and Julian Bryant on a blisteringly hot afternoon at the Pottergate Office. Peter and Julian were kindness itself to this hopeful 52 year old applicant, who was (probably) visibly melting before their eyes and feeling very much “out of the Flow”…. However, astonishingly, I was offered the job and began to wind up my old job and prepare for the new one! All was well: dates for me to begin my employment were arranged for the week following our “booked” holiday in Greece.

However, this was the time for one of “life’s little mud slides” to make its annoying appearance….

I was contacted by the secretary of a consultant at the James Paget Hospital. The results of a recent investigation were indicating cancer. The consultant required me to (immediately) cancel our holiday in Greece, to attend his clinic within the next couple of days and to prepare for surgery. As it was planned that I would begin my employment at The Matthew Project the day after my return from Greece, it was obvious that I would now, be certainly unavailable. I phoned the Matthew Project and spoke to Peter Galpin, (The Project’s Secretary at that time) telling him my news and apologizing that I would need to withdraw my hope of working for the Project. Peter told me that the management team would pray for me to be healed and enabled to take up my proposed position with the Matthew Project.

As I am writing this, 23 years later, you probably have realised that the prayers of those dear people (who I was privileged to get to know well) swiftly came to fruition. I worked with the Matthew project for 13 years, privileged and blessed to be part of this wonderful Gift of God. I have had some really interesting employment in the past: however, my time with the Matthew Project and all those amazing people, (both staff and clients) has been the overarching joy of my working life. It would not be possible to impart the honour of being a part of this astonishing work, or the joy of being a part of God’s special plan, given to Peter Farley. He and Margaret will always be especially important to me and so many dear folk whose lives have been touched by their faith in action."