Street Pastors Witness Attack May 22-23
It was about 3:15 in the morning after having been on the streets and our tired feet since 11:00 PM when we discovered the group of young people we had seen dispersed earlier by the police had reassembled outside a parking garage. We approached and quickly realized something was going on. A large ruffian was kicking the doors and side panels of a mini-cab. It was the same young man we had observed picking fights about an hour earlier when the police had been called.
We were not sure what started the altercation but the mini-cab driver got out of his vehicle and came around the front to confront a man half his age and half again his size. What happened next was a blur. Out of the crowd of onlookers stepped a smaller, younger teenager approaching the cabdriver rapidly from behind. Before anyone could react the driver had been sucker-punched in the nose. Falling to the ground the driver received several swift kicks in the ribs from the first ruffian. Both young men quickly fled the scene.
Street Pastors Spring Into Action
Helpless to prevent what had just happened my team of Street Pastors took control of the situation. Emergency services were summoned and first aid was given to the stunned and bleeding cab driver. Fortunately, one of my new recruits who was out with us for the first time had just recently completed first aid training with another volunteer organization. She was not even planning to be out with us that late into the morning but God put her in the right place at the right time.
Other Slightly Less Dramatic HighlightsFree flip-flops were given away to two very appreciative young ladies who could no longer manage to walk on their HIGH heals.
Over 40 discarded bottles and drinking glasses that might have been used as weapons or other hazards were disposed of.
One young lady was given aid and cleaned up after drinking way too much at the club.
One young man was watched and assisted into a cab after becoming intoxicated to the point of being a nuisance to everyone.
Another young lady sought advice from our group about turning her life around and giving up the drinking culture.
One homeless man was given advice and resources to seek help and accommodation.Prayer Requests
- Please join me in praising God and giving thanks for His faithfulness and providing for our needs.
- Please pray for Zoey as she travels to Clermont for three weeks in June.
Please remember Islington Street Pastors in your prayers. Our
next night out on "patrol" will be Friday, June 12th. On June 26th, we will help our neighboring borough of Camden launch Street Pastors for the first time.
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Please keep praying for our work with the homeless and hungry in North London. After nine months of building relationships a number of these men and women are beginning to open up about their lives and problems, even asking to speak to me. - Please pray for a young homeless Italian man who can't find work and would like to join the US military. Anyone who has information about how a foreign national can become a soldier please let me know.
- Please pray for a young homeless British-Nigerian doctor who can't find work. I met him this Friday sleeping in the park (he usually sleeps on the bus) and took him to lunch.
Please remember to pray for my alcoholic friend named Alex. We've been spending a lot of time together and he has good weeks and bad weeks. He really wants help and is considering letting me have control of his money so he won't spend it on drink.
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