Work AND PlayWow, it's been almost a month since the last newsletter. If you remember we had a busy week lined up for Easter and I'm happy to report everything went well, that is, except for the rain falling on our walk of witness / outdoor Good Friday service. No surprise there, so we did it anyway.
I was privileged to sing with the praise team - in the rain - but didn't get too close to the microphone for fear of electrocution. I was also privileged to lead the soaked crowd in intercessory prayers (see photo, top left) and added a shameless commercial for Street Pastors while wearing my official rain jacket.
On Saturday we were thrilled to have Brad and Laura Montgomery, from Clermont, join us for a week during their Easter break. Brad was asked to give a testimony on Easter Sunday morning and then we sang together that evening.
The Monday after Easter was a national holiday so the eight of us toured the infamous Tower of London where the Crown Jewels are on display and two of King Henry VIII's wives lost their head. On Tuesday, Brad joined me at the drop-in while Angie took the girls shopping.
For Wednesday's day out we joined two other families for a picnic at Hampstead Heath and took a stroll through Kenwood House where scenes from the movie Notting Hill (Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts) were filmed. The weather was gorgeous that day but rain returned on Thursday when Angie ventured to guide the Montgomerys around central London to see Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. I had to work at the drop-in and managed to stay dry.
We were sad to see them leave on Friday but we're still enjoying a few treats they brought us
from the US: root beer, ranch dressing, maple syrup, chocolate chips... things that are nearly impossible to find in London.
Unfortunately we didn't
get to go out street pastoring in April. Too many team members were
out of pocket so we decided to wait until May. By June we'll
have the new recruits mostly trained so they can go out too, maybe twice to make up for April.Prayer Requests
It's hard to believe we've been living in London over eight months now. God has been so faithful and you have been so faithful to pray and support us as your missionaries to the big city, even during tough financial times.
- Please pray for AJ on his birthday, May 24th. He's just finished another semester of college and still living with his grandmother and working at Panama City Beach.
- Please pray for Ashley, Zach, and Zoey as they make new friends and adjust to inner-city life. I am very proud of them.
Please keep praying for Angie and her Ladies'
Bible Study as they continue to work through the Purpose-Driven Life.
The group is going very well. Please remember Islington Street Pastors in your prayers. Our
next night out on "patrol" will be Friday, May 22nd (which happens to be my father's 87th birthday!). Pray for our safety and effectiveness with encounters on the streets at night. Pray for Carol to find funding to purchase the electric scooter.
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Please keep praying for our work with the homeless and hungry in North London. Many have issues with mental illness and need treatment for alcoholism and/or drug addiction. I'm hoping to meet this week with the director of a Christian rehab center to make some referrals. Pray especially for an alcoholic named Alex and two homeless alcoholics named Paul. On Tuesdays we have a small group that meets for discussion of a spiritual nature. I usually show a DVD and then "debate" a couple of atheists. (Ask Brad about his experience.) - Please include our youth group in your prayers as we struggle to find ways to minister to them. One young lady was attacked recently on the way to school. She's doing fine now.
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Please continue praying for the Baptist pastors in our area: Brian, Nigel, Rudy, Mark and Andrew. Nigel will be on sabbatical this summer.
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