Harrys Travels

this week next week

I'm trying to pack my bag and getting distracted! Its one of those strange happy-sad evenings. I'm going to miss my beautiful wife and children more than usual (if thats possible), we've only just 'landed' in Macedonia and already I'm leaving for a week. On the up side I know the Round Table talks I'm heading to will be fantastic, Alpin and I are heading to Poland for a meeting of underground church leaders from around the world. But to be honest I wish I could just stay at home (Skopje feels like home) and enjoy our new paddling pool and barbecue with my family. 

When we get back we've got just a few days and then we all head down to Ohrid for the summer mission team stuff. I'm going to keep hold of that and let the thoughts of playing on the beach with my family talking about community dreams with Glasnost and hopefully chatting about Jesus with people I don't yet know. 

But for now I'm packing a bag and getting an early night in advance of the 20hour or so drive to Wroclaw.

Shutka Thoughts

Each day for the past 3 weeks I’ve ‘helped out’ at the church run pre-school in Shutka the largest Roma settlement in the world. Lets be clear though, by helping out I mean playing, laughing and being laughed at, singing (occasionally dancing,) praying, and loving the 4 & 5 year old kids who have quickly become some of my favorite children in the world.

I’ve walked the dirt tracks of Shutka with my grown up friends Nebosha, Ivana and Dejanna, smiling at the stern faces of the gypsies who usually quickly return my smile and ‘stravo’. The streets of Shutka are some of the very poorest in Europe and yet I’ve been invited in to sit and drink coffee and to allow these gracious people to welcome me into their homes to share the little they have. I’ve prayed simple prayers with some of these people, that God would care for their children and that He would provide for them. Its a tough place, life is hard here and spiritually its super crazy and yet I always leave with a smile on my face. I see Jesus at work in dirty streets and smiling faces.

Jesus is here; he’s walking the streets, kicking a football around, drinking coffee with aging men, helping the women as they scrub the filthy clothes of their offspring. He sits with families and talks about their lovely children, teaching parents by example how to show that love. And then rebukes quietly but firmly men who beat their wives because thats what they saw their fathers do. He sits with families who call themselves Muslim and explains simply that there is one God and then demonstrates His love and power by healing the eldest son (this miracle was one that was wrought over 2 years through the love and prayers of Jemo’s pre-school teachers). He plays, He smiles, He turns up day in day out to teach at a small pre-school on the edge of this town whose name means ‘garbage’ He gets frustrated when landlords extort money and when the roof continues to leak after He’s paid to have it fixed, He copes without complaint when the water is turned off on the hottest day of the year and instead carries bottled water from the city centre on a crowded bus, when the electricity fails for the umpteenth time that month He simply changes his plan and carries on regardless. Jesus loves Shutka.

Last Friday we said goodbye to 6 children who will be going to school next year (schooled children are something of a rarity in this town) we gathered them together and the rest of the children extended their hands and we began to pray for them. These six, Leonardo, Sara, Riamonda, Armando, Leonora and Saradin stood proudly but with heads bowed. As we finished Nebosha leant towards me and whispered in my ear pointing to his 6 six graduates “this is the army of God in Shutka”. And he’s right for these children have spent 3 years together learning about who they are in the face of God, learning to love each other, worshipping and praying each day being valued and loved by those who care and pray for them. They have been trained and now they must be released into the world of Shutka. They aren’t abandoned though; Nebosha visits each family once a week to check how they are doing and once a month brings some kind of provision, cleaning products, basic food or school supplies all of which help the family to keep the child in school rather than forcing them to go back to the street and somehow contribute to the families meagre income.

And in Shutka I’m dreaming of a boiler room, a community of disciples that will support and encourage the existing work (there is also a Saturday kids church and weekday lunches for 100 children) and to love the men, women and children in that place. To truly be the hands and feet of Jesus, dirty hands from helping men build houses and women scrub clothes and dirty feet from playing soccer in the dusty streets with laughing children.

Balkan Gathering - JP

Download Balkan Gathering - JP

A few people have been asking for a copy of Jon Peterson's talk from the Balkan gathering. As always wise words from a wise man ;) 

click on the link to download the file as an mp3.

I can't guarantee the quality of the recording though I'm afraid!

Balkan gathering

 

The hall is dark save for a few artistically placed lamps on the edge of a small stage. The hope is that the darkness will disguise the drab communist interior, it works to some extent and that which it fails to hide comes across as retro-urbano so it all looks cool enough. Alpin, one of the leaders of the Glasnost Boiler Room has wasted a can  of air freshener again hoping to temporarily disguise the smell of ancient tobacco and stale air. 

Then as the evening begins and friends from across difficult international borders gather to worship, to pray and listen to stories of Jesus at work in our cities and nations the smell and look of the hall becomes immaterial. 

I’m grinning as Alek launches into some pretty frantic worship, hardcore metal vineyard tunes never sounded so good.

Gathering over this past weekend to pray for and celebrate Jesus in the Balkans were friends from many of the Balkan countries. From Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania stories were told and connections made. As well as the ‘internal’ delegates a good handful of supporters from other European countries who also pray for and love this region turned up to encourage those working in this the difficult south eastern edge of europe. 

It was still hot but the temperature which had been touching 40 (celsius) just a few days previously dropped 5 or 6 degrees to a relatively comfortable 32, in the days leading up to the weekend I had wondered how our friends from Finland and Sweden as well as the UK might fair in this sticky heat. But as we stood side by side in this sweaty hall it didn’t seem to matter, folks who had been traveling since the early hours were encouraged to crash out and tired, hot faces were also happy faces. 

As I sat in my seat wondering about what made my 24-7 family so special, gazing around at my Macedonian friends as well as those from Greece, Albania, Finland, Bulgaria etc that this is where we find ourselves, amongst friends and family. Each of us has thrown ourselves on Jesus, we have accepted the invitation to follow him and are being blown around by the Holy Spirit, we’ve chosen to put aside our will and wants and accept that following Jesus will be an adventure. And once we’ve chosen as individuals to become disciples of Christ we open our eyes and become aware of the others around us who have taken that same path and find ourselves in community, in family. 

This weekend it was wonderful to hear wise words from Jon Peterson, Ian Nicholson and Tommie Naumann, they are much prized wise old(er) sages and we treasure their input. It was also great to hang out together in the grounds of a 13th century monastery on the mountain overlooking Skopje and to drink many coffees and Skopskos at Cafe Anja by the Varda River. It stirred my spirit to hear of church planting movements in Greece and orphanages in Bulgaria and I had fun spying on Ian and Peter as they played movie stars filming one of the fantastic 24-7 prayer casts. But for me the highlight was a simple Friday night in a hot, stuffy, communist era building, looking across at my tired, sweaty friends worshipping this Jesus who has captured our hearts and our lives.
A friend of mine once asked how you join 24-7 prayer, he was told to come along to everything he could and get to know us. 24-7 isn’t an organization you can join, its a movement you become part of... and I love it! 

My new friends

It would be the easiest thing in the world to immerse ourselves in fantastic projects and initiatives. I've had many conversations now where my head starts to buzz and I start thinking about clever ways we can begin to help the church here in Macedonia. However we have to be really careful in our first 6 months not to pick anything up, no responsibilities, no new initiatives, (that doesn't preclude us from serving wherever we can though).

Our priorities for our first 6 months in Macedonia are: Language Learning, Relationship Building and Watching/Listening to God.

I learnt at school that the only calls in cricket, as a batsman, were 'yes' 'no' or 'wait'. At the moment most of the calls we need to make are 'wait!' 

One of the few things I have said yes to over the past couple of weeks is to serving at the church run Roma pre-school. Everyday for the past 2 weeks I've made the hour long journey to Shutka the biggest gypsy settlement in the world to play with my new friends. I'm loving it! They teach me Macedonian, although I have to make sure I don't pick up too much Shutkese, and I make them laugh. To be honest I'm just an extra body and although the kindergarten is short staffed, they can  cope very well without me. I get more out of going than they do having me.

I get to learn Macedonian in a fun way and practise with children who rarely laugh at my mistakes!

I feel like I'm contributing and being useful. Its amazing how much I need a 'purpose'.

I'm listening to Jesus in Shutka and seeing him alive and glorious in the lives of these children. we get to pray and worship together each day.

God is softening my heart. not just for the kids or for Shutka but for Skopje and Macedonia.

And on Friday, the last day before a summer break, we get to go to go on an outing! Misty and Mimi and Evan are joining us and we are all going to the zoo. We've been to the zoo as a family a couple of times before and it will be interesting to see what, if anything, has changed in the last couple of years, but for many of the shutka children this will be the first time not just to go to the zoo but to leave their Roma town. It should be fun!

I'll probably blog about this at some point but the pre-school exists on scarce funding and the zoo trip is possible thanks to Glasnost who all have little jam jars and donate their spare change. its amazing what impact such little gestures can have. Just the odd 2 and 5 denar (5 cents) can mount up and in this case is taking 20 deprived kids to the zoo.

 I'll post more photos on my facebook soon

Status Updates

Scot is enjoying a final bacon and egg sarnie courtesy of John and Linda mmm

Scot is frustrated at having to repack everything and go get the trailer they had tried to avoid taking but also very grateful to Hum for meeting us half way.

Scot is a day late

Scot is concerned about a leaky rear diff

Scot is getting up way to early 

Scot is on a very choppy English Channel

Scot is enjoying the french food and wine

Scot is taking some time out to chat with Jesus

Scot is listening

Scot is heading south

Scot doesn’t like the French weather

Scot is putting up the tent in the rain

Scot is enjoying the Juno soundtrack

Scot is playing badminton, he thinks he’s winning but isn’t sure

Scot is watching Mimi and Evan play on the swings

Scot is watching grumpy old men play play boule

Scot is enjoying Phils birthday present!

Scot is approaching the alps with trepidation and awe

Scot is in awe of the creator

Scot is in a very long tunnel

Scot is whizzing past Turin and sheesh its warm

Scot is enjoying the windy Italian coastal roads

Scot is in the pool at the end of a long day on the road

Scot is trying to stop Evan sinking!

Scot is very proud of Mimis swimming

Scot is in a tunnel, on a bridge or in roadworks, such is the Italian motorway system

Scot is a little too hot, he wondered when he’d begin complaining about the heat!

Scot is making new friends in Tuscany

Scot is playing with a 10 week old retriever

Scot is swimming in the med

Scot thinks Pilates and Prayer maybe the way forward

Scot is sad to say goodbye to the Tuscan hills

Scot is heading to Assisi

Scot is up at 5:30am for early morning mass in the Francis Basilica in Assisi, great experience but he’s not entirely sure whats going on.

Scot is enjoying the early morning Assisi streets devoid of tourists and pilgrims

Scot is after a cowboy hat!

Scot is not wearing a swimming hat... but Phil is!

Scot is drinking his second Italian espresso of the morning

Scot is back on the road

Scot is in Ancona waiting for hours in the blazing sun for a ferry

Scot is speeding back to the port to book the trailer on the ferry. 30 mins before we sail!!

Scot is safely on board

Scot is playing with Mimi and Evan in the on board pool and Jaccuzi

Scot is watching the sunset over the Adriatic sea

Scot is even hotter in Greece

Scot is amused by the Greek driving

Scot is walking the ancient paths in Corinth

Scot is wearing a straw cowboy hat

Scot is disturbed by the number of Germans who are wearing socks and sandals and the same cowboy hat as him!

Scot is thinking about Pauls time in Corinth

Scot is concerned that his lights don’t seem to work anymore

Scot is racing the sunset to Delphi

Scot thinks the sunset may beat them

Scot is driving without lights on the mountain roads in the dark!

Scot is very glad to have reached the campsite at Delphi

Scot is enjoying a well deserved Mythos

Scot is collapsing by the campsite pool

Scot is watching the football with Phil and 2 old German men, come on Barca!

Scot is heading up the coast to Mt Olympus

Scot is swimming in the sea

Scot is reading a book and watching the storm over the sea

Scot is back on the road and heading to Thessaloniki

Scot is worshipping with some great Greek friends

Scot thinks Gyros may be the best take away fast food in the world

Scot could stay at Costas and Evas for ever but wants to get to Skopje!!

Scot is closing in on Macedonia

Scot is at the border

Scot is in the country!! Zdravo Makedonija!!

Scot is having Shopska and Skopsko for lunch

Scot is heading for Skopje

Scot is driving through the waterlogged streets of Skopje

Scot is 2,352 miles further away than when he started

Scot is loving the new apartment, thank you Jesus!

Scot is ready to start again.

The Big Church Day Out

You might have already heard about this, but 24-7prayer are joining up with Delirious? and a huge list of other friends for a one-day festival on Sunday 24th May - called the Big Church Day Out - on the incredibly beautiful Wiston House Estate, West Sussex.

From 2.30pm in the afternoon until 10pm late that night, there will be a whole variety of experiences for all the family... with worship bands and speakers, fun stuff for children and activities for young people, an acoustic cafe and other food venues, and our very own 24-7prayer chapel.

Charlotte Terris and her small team have been dreaming up all kinds of creative ideas to turn the 700 year-old Wiston chapel into a beautiful prayer room, based around the Lord's Prayer. It's all very exciting. Tim Jupp, from Delirious, said that the prayer room should become the focus as the day progresses... prayer for the area, and for our nation. I haven't got the time/space here to talk about the 24-7 community taking shape at Wiston, guided by Justin and Ele Blake... but it's all very exciting.

So... we'd love you to be there, if you can come. Already churches have been buying blocks of tickets and booking coaches for the day... up to 10,000 people are expected. For more information, and for tickets, you can click across to the website; http://www.thebigchurchdayout.com

Pimp Our Landy

Harriet had a new set of wheels last year and Mario and I rebuilt the roof rack to make it a little more sturdy but, aside from the odd apple or globe sticker, thats pretty much the extent of the modifications made since we bought her. It may be time for a bit of a facelift!

We would really like to make her look a little less UN before we leave, nothing drastic, something tasteful (!) and 24-7ish (see the lovely new site at http://www.24-7prayer.com).

Let us know if you have any ideas

A Few Springboard Memories

 

1. Shaun of The Dead. Way back in the mists of time the group had a free evening so we decided to watch a movie. It took forever to agree, nobody was expressing a preference and so I foolishly took responsibility and we set up Eric’s laptop to watch one of my favourite films: ‘Shaun of The Dead’

I hadn’t noticed the language being quite so bad when I’d watched the film previously... with the opening line ‘Can I get any of you C**** a drink' I Began to regret my choice and with each and every subsequent F word that followed I sunk lower into my arm chair. It took all of 15 minutes before the room had cleared except for Eric, James and I. 

In my defence I must say that even looking back I think I made the right choice... the other options being ‘Death Race’ and ‘Constantine’!

2. Jumping on the sand dunes and trying to reconcile the differences between the English game of Rounders and Baseball... and exploding tennis rackets!

3. London trips: Hanging out with Vicki and Jo in the park; getting a tour of the Palace of Westminster with David and Phil; Brick lane curries that look like a real bargain until they explain that the poppadums are £1 each! That huge TV screen at A-Souls church, oh and Eric's racist T-shirt! Angry men at Speakers Corner and sending teams off blindfolded to various tube stations.

4. Orthodox Monks proving they can use the big beards and black robes to disguise a cheekily rude and irreverent heart. We loved those guys and the worship time we had in their chapel was one of the most spiritually moving experiences of the 10 weeks.

5. Robin and Celia Talbot. what can I say? Their stories challenged and stretched us, the dedication, sacrifice and joy of their 50 year journey together encouraged us beyond belief. Their afternoon session complete with stories of supernatural transportation and a doctrine of invisibility was amazing and had me wondering for a while whether I wasnt in a class at Hogwarts!

6. Morning Prayers. ‘Christ beside me to my left and to my right’, realising that each day we were to act as Christ for each person in our little community. 

Speaking the blessing over each other and meeting their gaze as we did so on that last day was an incredibly touching moment, knowing that we were being scattered throughout the world but we took the blessing of our friends with us to help us along our way.

Week 10

We have just returned from the final week residential for the Springboard course, this means its very nearly the end of a wonderful and manic 10 weeks. We spent the last few days at the YWAM base in Harpenden, the sun shone and we had a great time, it made me regret that whilst we have spent nearly everyday of the past 10 weeks with this lovely bunch we haven't 'hung out' enough. 

Tomorrow is Thursday which means we have just 3 days left, including Saturday when we will gather together for our final Sabbath meal. That means that on Friday morning at about 9.15 we will pray our morning prayers together for the final time at least for a while. As part of our morning liturgy we pray a blessing over each other. Most of the prayer time is done eyes closed head down but at the end we open our eyes and pray this blessing looking up at each other, meeting one anothers gaze and speaking these words (from the Northumbrian Celtic Daily Prayer book) into our lives:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you

wherever he may send you

may he guide you through the wilderness 

protect you through the storm

may he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you

may he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors

in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

Amen.

Its going to be hard to meet the gaze of my dear friends on Friday and pray this over them without shedding a tear or two :(

  

Tomorrow though I'm taking the afternoon off and heading into London with my lovely mother, who I don't get to see as often as I would like. Mum is just back from her travels through Asia and I'm sure has lots of stories to share, we intend to wander around the south bank then at some point head to the RA to catch the Byzantium exhibition which I've been wanting to see for ages.