JRS in the United Kingdom invites you to join their Lenten journey this year.

Refugee Hassan-Ali will be leading all participants to places of darkness and light, share in the creativity, and deepen our understanding of God in the world. During the Lenten journey, Mandala images and graphics created by Karim, another refugee supported by JRS, will be shared. In hope they will aid your prayer.

Here is the information about this Lenten Journey. To read more details and subscribe to this Lenten journey please click here

A daily journey with Hassan-Ali

Three years ago, as part of our Lenten journey, we met Hassan-Ali one of the refugee friends JRS UK supports. Unfortunately, like many of those we accompany at JRS, Hassan-Ali remains in a similar position today as he was three years ago.

We caught-up with Hassan-Ali who shares how things have changed for him during the pandemic, and the different lockdowns and restrictions we have faced.

Each day we will reflect on his experiences, drawing on what he shared with us in 2018 and in his most recent conversations this year. We will spend a few days on each account, allowing us to reflect more deeply on the experiences of Hassan-Ali in the light of the scriptures and our own prayer.

About The Mandala images 

One of the refugee friends JRS supports, Karim, has been drawing and colouring mandalas for years. He first started at the JRS Day Centre when one of our volunteers created a ‘Mandala therapy’ corner. Since the Day Centre was forced to close in March 2020, Karim has continued to colour and create Mandala-type art and imagery.

Each week, sometimes even daily, Karim shares pictures of his latest creations to the JRS Creative Arts WhatsApp group. When we asked Karim if he’d be happy for JRS to use some of the mandalas for the JRS Lenten journey resource this year, he was delighted.

Karim has said of his colouring and creating Mandalas:

“Drawing and colouring mandalas takes me away to another place, and helps me to not think about my current situation. When I’m colouring, I don’t like to be disturbed – sometimes I find my tea has even gone cold without me realising! Colouring is the only way to take my mind away from lockdown. After JRS have sent me the mandalas to colour, I have felt like my skills and drawing have improved. If you do your best for sure you will feel inspired. When you do good things, others will always surely appreciate your work”