Be like ‘Hopeful’ to your friends in despair

Suicide is a serious problem. According to recently released figures 5,583 people ended their life in 2021. About 20% of the population have entertained thoughts of suicide at some time in their life, so how can we be prepared to help?

John Bunyan explores this in his spiritual Pilgrim’s classic, Progress. Christian is imprisoned with his friend Hopeful in the castle of Giant Despair. The giant beats them senseless and throws them into a dark, stinking cell.

Bunyan spent 12 years in Bedford gaol for his refusal to conform to ‘official’ Christian forms of worship. He lived on the edge of poverty much of his life and his daughter was completely blind. This is writing from experience: