Her broken English has a strong quality.
Deep.
Resonant.
Anya is Polish.
I sat opposite her today over a cup of tea.
Her eyes are deep set and glint a vibrant rich green.
Yet.
They reflect something sad, something terrible even.
Anya lives in a broken lift (Elevator) in a disused office block here in London.
She wanted to show me her arms which she said were extremely sore. They were livid with needle marks.
She is addicted to some of the most deathly drugs known to man.
She shared with me a desolate story of hopelessness starting with her journey from Poland to England, and then the desperate story of the relationships she made with the wrong kind of people ending with an addiction that is slowly leading her down the steep road to oblivion.
I gently prayed over every needle wound and saw her tears drip rhythmically on to the table.
This week at sanctuary the fruit of the hard work of prayer has began to roll out.
We've seen it before.
So expect it.
But.
This week?
God has drawn people like Anya into our beautifully developing community at Sanctuary West London.
Like Tom.
Just this morning.
Tom sleeps in the park and was so desperately hungry that he could hardly stand up.
I watched as our amazing developing volunteer team lovingly took care of him giving Tom food, clothes and let him wash in our toilets.
Like Karl, who has been coming in every day since we opened, homeless, penniless, locked in a seemingly hopeless position.
Like Elvis, yes Elvis! Although Im not sure it's his real name. spaced out by some drug that has hit his nervous system like a bullet made of evil.
Like Elaine who just came in and asked if we would pray with her. She feels devoid of any direction in her life whatsoever.
Like the lady who came in and asked Myself and Ian one of our great volunteers if she could talk to us in the cafe, and shared how her marriage is falling apart.
All day we have been opening Jesus arms to people.
Its like a trickle of need is now turning into a steady flow and it feels like we are gearing up for a tidal wave.
And
I watched the developing little community at Sanctuary today.
I was privately moved to tears myself.
How willing people are to reach out to help these people who are in desperate need of a saviour.
I thought how God is at the heart of community.
And.
I saw how today the world so desperately needs communities with a heart.
There is so much work.
The harvest is massive.
I prayed with so many people today that my brain hurts tonight.
But my heart is alive.
And this newly born community is alive.
And as the leader of the West London development project I truly know that God is at work. He is building this community, this church, this prayer centre. He is changing the face of the Salvation Army in Ealing.
And I guess this is a bit of a weird update, and it in no way covers all the amazing stuff that is happening right now as newness envelopes the direction we are taking through Gods leading.
But.
I wanted you guys to catch a little of the heart of what God is doing through prayer, mission and Justice.
And.
I continue to speak out that prayer is vital.
It will bring healing to the nations.
Sanctuary West London came in for some real criticism lately on a Facebook site ran by Salvationists.
One guy had wrote about prayer communities declaring "where is the mission in them?"
I'm not mad at these guys.
I really bless them.
But today?
As I ministered amongst the sometimes devastating brokeness that lies in our cities and communities I can firmly proclaim that prayer not only fuels mission but is mission!
God is at work in the mess of peoples lives and unless we are talking and listening to him then I guess we should call ourselves the headless chicken church.
Seriously.
Psalm 127:1 says it all.
I leave it with you.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain."
Thank you guys for all your encouragement which comes from all four corners of the Earth. Thank you so much.
Blessings
Deep.
Resonant.
Anya is Polish.
I sat opposite her today over a cup of tea.
Her eyes are deep set and glint a vibrant rich green.
Yet.
They reflect something sad, something terrible even.
Anya lives in a broken lift (Elevator) in a disused office block here in London.
She wanted to show me her arms which she said were extremely sore. They were livid with needle marks.
She is addicted to some of the most deathly drugs known to man.
She shared with me a desolate story of hopelessness starting with her journey from Poland to England, and then the desperate story of the relationships she made with the wrong kind of people ending with an addiction that is slowly leading her down the steep road to oblivion.
I gently prayed over every needle wound and saw her tears drip rhythmically on to the table.
This week at sanctuary the fruit of the hard work of prayer has began to roll out.
We've seen it before.
So expect it.
But.
This week?
God has drawn people like Anya into our beautifully developing community at Sanctuary West London.
Like Tom.
Just this morning.
Tom sleeps in the park and was so desperately hungry that he could hardly stand up.
I watched as our amazing developing volunteer team lovingly took care of him giving Tom food, clothes and let him wash in our toilets.
Like Karl, who has been coming in every day since we opened, homeless, penniless, locked in a seemingly hopeless position.
Like Elvis, yes Elvis! Although Im not sure it's his real name. spaced out by some drug that has hit his nervous system like a bullet made of evil.
Like Elaine who just came in and asked if we would pray with her. She feels devoid of any direction in her life whatsoever.
Like the lady who came in and asked Myself and Ian one of our great volunteers if she could talk to us in the cafe, and shared how her marriage is falling apart.
All day we have been opening Jesus arms to people.
Its like a trickle of need is now turning into a steady flow and it feels like we are gearing up for a tidal wave.
And
I watched the developing little community at Sanctuary today.
I was privately moved to tears myself.
How willing people are to reach out to help these people who are in desperate need of a saviour.
I thought how God is at the heart of community.
And.
I saw how today the world so desperately needs communities with a heart.
There is so much work.
The harvest is massive.
I prayed with so many people today that my brain hurts tonight.
But my heart is alive.
And this newly born community is alive.
And as the leader of the West London development project I truly know that God is at work. He is building this community, this church, this prayer centre. He is changing the face of the Salvation Army in Ealing.
And I guess this is a bit of a weird update, and it in no way covers all the amazing stuff that is happening right now as newness envelopes the direction we are taking through Gods leading.
But.
I wanted you guys to catch a little of the heart of what God is doing through prayer, mission and Justice.
And.
I continue to speak out that prayer is vital.
It will bring healing to the nations.
Sanctuary West London came in for some real criticism lately on a Facebook site ran by Salvationists.
One guy had wrote about prayer communities declaring "where is the mission in them?"
I'm not mad at these guys.
I really bless them.
But today?
As I ministered amongst the sometimes devastating brokeness that lies in our cities and communities I can firmly proclaim that prayer not only fuels mission but is mission!
God is at work in the mess of peoples lives and unless we are talking and listening to him then I guess we should call ourselves the headless chicken church.
Seriously.
Psalm 127:1 says it all.
I leave it with you.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain."
Thank you guys for all your encouragement which comes from all four corners of the Earth. Thank you so much.
Blessings
