Volun­t­a­ry Commitment

Acti­vi­ties of volun­teers-asso­cia­ti­on members and other support­ers of LIFEGATE from 13. July 2024

Many volun­teers – asso­cia­ti­on members and other support­ers of LIFEGATE – are commit­ted to the peop­le of LIFEGATE and thus contri­bu­te in many ways to a sustainable deve­lo­p­ment of the work in Beit Jala. We report spora­di­cal­ly on this important volun­t­a­ry work, which takes place in many places in Germa­ny, Austria and Switz­er­land. With these reports, we offer insights into the long-stan­ding commit­ment of our support­ers. It is possi­ble that the reports will moti­va­te others to carry out simi­lar acti­vi­ties locally.

In Ebern in Lower Fran­co­nia, in the Evan­ge­lic-Protes­tant deanery of Rügheim with the parish of Rent­weins­dorf, other paris­hes and far beyond, Rena­te and Alfred Becker have been acti­ve for LIFEGATE for many years. Toge­ther with other friends of LIFEGATE, they take advan­ta­ge of many oppor­tu­ni­ties to offer goods from the shel­te­red work­shops and other LIFEGATE items for sale. Such oppor­tu­ni­ties include seve­ral recur­ring Christ­mas markets, hobby artists’ markets and various church events, such as deanery church days, „women’s break­fasts” or seni­or citi­zens’ after­noons. Rena­te and Alfred Becker regu­lar­ly sell goods and artic­les from LIFEGATE in a rehabilitation clinic and in a “One World store”, but also at special events such as the anni­ver­sa­ry of the old town of Bamberg or at congresses.

These acti­vi­ties are not just about selling goods, but also about making the peop­le and the work of LIFEGATE known to other peop­le. It often happens that Rena­te Becker first gives a talk about LIFEGATE at an event and later talks about it with parti­ci­pan­ts. As a result, peop­le are inte­res­ted in LIFEGATE and later dona­te direct­ly to the work or coll­ec­tions are coll­ec­ted for LIFEGATE in church congre­ga­ti­ons. And some­ti­mes many hard- working hands help to support LIFEGATE finan­ci­al­ly with special campaigns. Friends of Mr. and Mrs. Beckers coll­ect nuts, crack them and sell them for the bene­fit of LIFEGATE; they cook jams or knit socks that are sold toge­ther with the LIFEGATE goods.

Rena­te and Alfred Becker’s commit­ment and wealth of ideas are impres­si­ve. We wish them much strength and ener­gy for their lives and acti­vi­ties. Perhaps other support­ers of LIFEGATE will be inspi­red to start simi­lar acti­vi­ties accor­ding to their possibilities.