A few last thoughts

The Last Word

 

Thought I’d say a few last words, knowing me there’s always room for a bit more waffle  🙂

But running out of energy to do any more. We are starting to say goodbye to folks- aware that the old body is not performing as it should. Eyes are failing, Sleep is taking over.

So what would you say?

I just wanted to emphasise how beautiful the people are whom I’ve worked with.

I suppose partly against the grain of the modern tribal culture, I want to say it is beautiful Muslims who I’ve shared a meal and chamomile tea with, and talked about Allah and Isa. People who’ve let me into their home over and over again. A Muslim chaplain, who pulled out all the stops to get me into one of Britain’s highest security prisons, because he was so keen for me to talk about Jesus being available to prisoners on all sorts of levels.

I want to talk about the boys who I got to know who’s reputation would have put them high on this so called gang culture, yet I found great beauty and belief and affirmation for me and them, they’ve just written a card to me in the last couple of days. I’m quite sure if many of us had lived their lives, we would also find ourselves somewhat just as lost.

Yet believing in them, and them discovering the faith and learning to believe in themselves. My strongest hope is that they will be released from prison early and make a massive difference in their culture.

And the Iranians- we knocked on one door, meeting a man whose leg had been shot off in half during persecution. So we prayed for him, hoping he’d find a new way. Many years later, over 100 of his colleagues have been baptized into a new way, of love and peace.

Then there was the amazing Alice, a child parent who raised her own children from the age of 11 because all her family had been killed in the Rwandan genocide. We had the immense privilege of sponsoring her child, Mugisha through school; put more importantly something happened when I met Alice.

Alice was in a slum environment, at the bottom of a steep hill. As soon as I met her, it became apparent she was a leader of this community that needed direction and hope. She had learnt about that hope and knew how to bring it. I spent 2/3 days with her, talking through what that might mean, and she was up for it. By the time we left we had gathered around her community of over 100 people who were ready to walk with her to transform their community into one flavoured with the beautiful message of Jesus Christ. 6 months later that community continued to thrive.

Or Billy Moore in Northern Ireland. A man who rose up from the ranks of the estate in which his first house was, a known character among the paramilitaries, who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Then when a close friend was machetied down, leaving a widow and 3 young children, the man Billy rose up, determined to lead his community in the power of the spirit, and he became a bright light. Now there are projects in these estates to free young men from the tyranny of oppression and no hope. He’s involved the local men (once toting guns in Northern Ireland), who are now filling in forms to get grants. He has the women singing in choirs over their communities, and Christmas carol services to lift up the elderly, and back in Belfast long standing estate workers are asking him, ‘what are you doing to get in these communities? Something’s changed, please help us.’

All of these are small examples of what it means to use these pillars,* (being written out separately) to say what looks impossible may indeed be be difficult, but with perseverance and the right attitude, it will be done, and the world can be changed.

Despite mush frustration.  There is is so much hope