Why "Hiraeth Community"?

Hiraeth Community Prayers

Why “Hiraeth Community”?

A couple of people have asked me why the name ‘Hiraeth Community.’ To answer that, let me take you back … back to the dark old days we used to call the global covid pandemic.

Because, it seemed to me, in the midst of all the madness and uncertainty, that people were searching. Genuinely searching while experiencing all sorts of new struggles. Whether it was people I encountered online or ‘facemask to facemask’ People were longing for something more than, facetime, furlough and pharmaceuticals.

I was also well aware already of this word, this concept we have in Wales of “Hiraeth” - I knew that it fitted pretty well with that longing, nagging, yearning that I sensed in others and experienced myself. On my Instagram a definition of Hiraeth popped up on my timeline. This is what it said:

"a deep sense of longing for home - perhaps a home we've never visited - a yearning for place or person that goes beyond this existence."

And I was like, “Yep, that’s it - that’s what we’re feeling.” Those who believe AND those who don’t yet believe.

So out of that, I thought “Hiraeth Community.”

A way of sharing the hope we have because of what Jesus did for us.

Sometimes Christianity can be presented as a cure for all our common problems - but I was learning that it’s important to acknowledge that we live in this awkward space, where we know there is something more, there is something better. We’re certain of it because of what Jesus has done and promised and yet we still pray “Your Kingdom Come.”

No one was satisfied with the way things were in 2020 - no one is ever truly satisfied with the world, or themselves. Something deep within us knows there’s more than all this. And for believers, we know who the king is, we know what he’s like, and that just intensifies the desperate hunger that we have for the fullness of his reign to be our daily reality.

So the tagline of this small digital endeavour became:

“helping those who long for home to find their way and finish strong.”

It’s funny isn’t it so many people spend thousands of pounds and years of their lives - travelling the world to find themselves … but do we ever try and answer the question “Why are we all so lost???”

Each of us are longing to find ourselves, our place, and our purpose - we have a Hiraeth for real identity, real home and real meaning.

If I could channel my inner Dai Woolridge for a moment - we’ve all got the longing for belonging

I’M CONVINCED THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN REALLY SATISFY THAT LONGING, THAT HIRAETH - IS JESUS.

A song that spoke to me in those dark days of Global shutdown was Graves into Gardens - with these opening words:

I searched the world

But it couldn't fill me

Man's empty praise

And treasures that fade

Are never enough

Then You came along

And put me back together

And every desire

Is now satisfied

Here in Your love

So that’s what it’s all about - Hiraeth Community - for those longing for home, wanting to help people to find their way and finish strong.