I thought my first post-Easter blog should be a quick evaluation of the Lent challenge to learn some of Psalm 22 every day. Did you manage to learn some? I found it very tricky, especially those middle sections. There were some lines which I knew very well, and they flowed easily, but remembering where they came was more of a problem.
As we were fundraising for Tearfund, me and Mum decided to make short videos each day. To be honest, this wasn’t my idea, but Son-who’s-in-marketing assured me that no one would sponsor an agency, they would be sponsoring us and therefore we had to ‘put ourselves out there.’ I posted the videos on my Facebook page, and if you have seen them, you will know that we were not very professional! Sometimes we dissolved into giggles, or were distracted by what was happening around us. Once we nearly got run over. We had people come and try to start a conversation mid-recitation (that started us giggling) and sometimes someone would walk right between us, while we were filming (more giggles) or one of us would completely forget what we were trying to say. Even though we stopped the camera and tried to compose ourselves before re-filming, sometimes the giggles bubbled back up to the surface. I don’t think the BBC are going to be phoning any time soon.
However, some media did show an interest. A press secretary from Tearfund contacted me, and interviewed me via zoom. She then wrote a press release, saying what we were doing. Following this, various journals and magazines asked for interviews or articles. It was all very exciting!
The press secretary offered to ghost write the articles for me, but as I am an author I preferred to write them myself (not the one above, that was formed from the press release). Tearfund then edited them and sent them out, which was rather nice. I decided I would quite enjoy having a press secretary. (You have to dream about being famous sometimes, it makes life more fun!) I don’t think we had any extra donations from the media coverage—I learnt that with my books: media attention doesn’t necessarily result in more sales. But hopefully it will have helped people to recognise Tearfund, and next time they see an appeal they will be more inclined to donate.
Making the videos was fun too. We went to a coffee shop, and people heard what we were doing and made donations. We also filmed in various shops (masks firmly in place in the Waitrose check-out queue!) and managed to find a field of lambs to be in the background for one film.
When we started, we weren’t sure how much money to have as our target. Most people seemed to aim for £500, but we weren’t actually sure if anyone would sponsor us. By the end, we had increased our target to £1,000, and managed to raise even more. People were very kind; both the encouraging comments on social media and the donations to our JustGiving page were hugely motivating. If you donated, thank you.
It’s not too late to donate, all you need is a credit card. The link is below.
My attempt to recite Psalm 22 in Hebrew. Not perfect, but I am happy!
Wow! Well done, we made it. Forty days is such a long time! Today, you should be able to recite (or at least read perfectly) the whole Psalm. Thank you for sharing this adventure with me, I hope you have enjoyed it and if you managed to learn it, then feel very pleased with yourself. Let me know how you got on.
It isn’t too late to sponsor me. I am raising money for Tearfund, so they can help people who are living in poverty. Please see my Just Giving page:
A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
It has been a mental marathon, with preparation to know the Psalm, and recognise the vocab, starting months ago, well before we started to actually learn the poem. I have posted an extract of the poem every day, and now we are nearly finished.
Tearfund is an aid agency, helping people in poverty around the world. I trust them to spend the money wisely.
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
Ooh, we are so close now. Well done to everyone who has been learning this.
Day 38, Thursday 14th April
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
It’s Palm Sunday, how appropriate to be reading Psalm 22, giving depth to the palm-waving of today’s memories.
Sunday 10th April
Recap Day (We are so close now, well done!)
Hello,
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
If you would like to sponsor me, please see my Just Giving page:
If you are new to my blog, then for the next few days of Lent things will be a little different. We are learning Psalm 22, a poem about Easter, to raise money for Tearfund. I am attempting to learn the poem in Hebrew, others are learning it in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
Do sign up to follow my blog if you want to join our mental marathon. I will post an extract of the poem every day. Learn as much as you can…
Anne E Thompson 