The Shunem Trust was formed in 1978 to provide affordable temporary accommodation for mission workers and their families when they are back on home leave, relocating at the end of their overseas service or forced to return due to circumstances such as evacuation, visa problems or ill health.
Taking as its inspiration the woman of Shunem, who provided ‘a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp’ in her guest room for the travelling prophet, Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-10), the Shunem Trust was launched with just £10 and faith in a God who provides.
Today, the Trust has two furnished homes in Thame, Oxfordshire providing family accommodation for periods of two to six months.
What makes Shunem Trust special?
- Affordable: We offer accommodation to mission workers at below market rent, aiming simply to cover our running costs which we strive to keep as low as possible.
- Flexible: We don’t require deposits or charge when external factors force mission workers to change their plans resulting in alterations to their bookings.
- Pastoral: We aim to offer more than just a home, with our local volunteers on hand willing to assist our guests as needed.
Why is this service necessary?
- Most mission workers either don’t have homes in the UK to return to or have rented them out and don’t want to evict long-term tenants in order to have somewhere to stay for a matter of a few weeks or months.
- Few friends or family have sufficient spare space to comfortably accommodate mission worker families for more than a few nights.
- Having their own home to stay in makes their home leave far more relaxing and can enable mission workers to host their friends and families. Relaxing family time together is of special value for those families whose children are usually away at boarding school.
- Renting holiday accommodation is often prohibitively expensive for mission workers and generally does not allow sufficient flexibility when mission workers are forced to change their plans for unforeseen reasons.
- Most mission agencies are not able to provide accommodation for the home leave of their mission workers.
Contact us
If you wish to enquire about booking one of our homes,
please use the appropriate Booking Enquiry Form.
For all other enquiries or to join our mailing list, please use the form below.