Soul in the City

My travels took an unusual turn a couple of weeks ago. I checked flights
on-line whilst in Slovenia and by the end of my 15 minutes' Internet time I
had booked a flight to London so that I could do the "Soul in the City"
mission! So the following day I took a train to Graz in Austria and then the
day after I took a plane to England!
The train from Stansted to Mum and Dad's place in Bromley (one side of
London to the other) cost as much as the international train journey from
Ljubljana to Graz! Anyway, cost of Soul in the City booking, buying a tent,
flights, trains and food over the 11 days I've spent in England still has
come to less than my budget per day (helped in part by Mum and Dad's
generosity, who fed me and let me stay at their place for free)!

The mission was great! The main emphasis of it was to show London that God
loves the people there, by doing practical jobs etc. I was placed on a
project at Swanley in the South-East, with a group of 20 other delegates. I
did litter-picking, gardening, a kid's club and detached youth work. It was
very rewarding. We heard all sorts of stories of how people had been touched
to have these Christians coming in and helping in their communities. For
example, there was one place where a group had been doing a lady's garden;
they went into the kitchen and found her crying because she was so touched
at the love shown her. On my own project I saw a very thankful man whose
garden we had done. Some of my team not only weeded and cleared up a garden,
they also put in new plants that people from the local churches had bought
for this purpose.
Having done litter picking and really clearing up one area in particular,
I've then found it hard to walk past litter on the floor without wanting to
pick it up and throw it away!
Twelve local churches were working together on the project I was on, and on
the Thursday night we had a band playing (Replenish from Lee-on-Solent -
what a coincidence - Ross and Andy hadn't even known I was in the country so
were rather surprised to see me!). On the Friday we took a group of local
children and teenagers to an event and the gospel was preached - when asked
if anyone wanted to become a Christian, several of them went forward;
however they were turned away because I think the stewards had thought they
were just messing around. Undeterred, one of the girls went off by herself
and prayed alone! It was good to see her afterwards and the following day
and she seemed to have changed. I'm also encouraged that the leaders of the
project in Swanley will follow up on her and the others.

I also celebrated my 33rd birthday in London. I had so many people wishing
me happy birthday - at one point a whole train carriage of people was
singing to me! I think it may rate as my best birthday yet!

I'm flying out to Prague this evening. The travels continue...