Baptism - June 2007

Heidi Handslip's story ....

I was brought up in a family with my mum being my rock and my guide and generally giving me a good start in life towards my journey with God.

My mum had me christened as a baby and from then on took me to a local church in London. Then when I was a little older I started to attend Sunday School every week.

At the age of 14 I went on a pilgrimage holiday to Lourdes in France for a week. There were helpers from the church taking handicapped children and looking after them throughout the week. I remember that part of my life being really special because it was so moving and emotional to see and witness so many people coming to God.

When I left school and began college I started to make new friends who were not Christians and at that time it wasn’t the cool thing to be a Christian. I began to withdraw from God and no longer went to church on Sundays – I followed them and not God.

Then I fell pregnant at the age of 17 and had a miscarriage after 2 months, which left me feeling really hurt and confused.

Then at the age of 23 I fell pregnant with my daughter Vanessa. After she was born I felt that I became a strain on my family and more aware that I needed to move into my own place and become more independent. So I left London and moved to Ipswich in September 2002, to start a new life for me and my daughter Vanessa.

Not long after moving into my flat my mum came to stay with me. One day we were both walking into town when my mum stopped and turned to look at this church (Burlington) and said to me that she had a strong feeling that this church would be the church I would come to in the future. I didn’t believe her at the time because I felt such a long way away from God and it was so long since I had been to church.

Soon after this I met Julie Kite coming out of the church and she came and spoke to me. She invited me to come along with my daughter Vanessa to the Tiddlywinks group on Tuesdays.

I did this, although I was very nervous and a bit apprehensive because only just having moved into the area I did not know many people. Julie Kite was very friendly and kind towards me and Vanessa which helped me an awful lot.

I attended the Tiddlywinks group, and I remember feeling so welcomed and accepted by everyone there. I soon felt at home. Then after a couple of months Margaret Hill came up to me and asked if I would be interested in going on a “Y” Course.

At this point I was really happy to be asked. I felt a longing to get back with God and have that personal relationship with Him again. That was the time I prayed to God and said, “I love you God, and I believe you died on the cross for me to wash away my sins”, and from then on I knew I was a Christian.

I learnt a lot from being on the “Y” Course and felt I needed to start coming to church every Sunday. So I did.

From that moment I started to volunteer to come into Toy Library on Wednesday mornings helping out in any way I could. I still do this. I really feel God is at work within me. I feel very blessed and happy to do this because I know that He died for me and I want to thank Him for all that He has done for me. I know that I’m going to love and serve Him for the rest of my life and never turn my back on Him again.

I’ve made some really good friends here at Burlington Church – who have supported me through my journey so far – Sally Soon, Sheila, Kathryn Shomaly, Margaret Hill, Julie Kite, Sally Sago, Simon Harris, Claire Earl and many more. I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for giving me and Vanessa so much love and support.