Thursday is prayer day!

It’s taken me far too long to make a decision, partly due to the schedule and partly due to my lack of organisation, but I’ve decided, if it’s possible that Thursday will be prayer day (maybe even fasting day too) To really seek God in this town, to walk the places Jesus would, to see what he sees and to call on Him (to interrupt Heaven) and plead for his kingdom to come.
So I set off, after my Albanian lesson with my pal Shkelsen, on a prayer walk. I headed down the transit road to Gypsy street (ironically maybe this is a sign from God) I got to the top of the road and wasn’t sure whether to go down or not. I love this place, whenever you go down there’s people on the road side, kids in the road, playing with stones or boxes or any other type of amusement they can get their hands on. This is the forgotten part of town. Someone told me when they first got here they were told they shouldn’t walk down that street on their own (or at all) I’m told there could be up to 300 kids in this community maybe 150 families or more. At night its ruff, drugs drink all the essentials for the high society living. So, in for a penny right?
I felt like David Wilkinson following a young lad deeper into the darken corner of the ghetto except it was Jesus leading, and me, reluctantly as always following. It was like every so often he would turn around and say ‘’It’s ok, Follow me’’ which made it all the more important to keep going. Now I paint a bleak picture and to be fair in the unrelenting sunlight of the day it wasn’t too bad, A few kids come and shake your hand in recognition of the stuff the church do there, a few older folks pass a broken ‘’ello’’ and ask where your from. I pass two houses of two of the young guys from the church on the way and feel like there’s real work and opportunity right here, as I follow the footsteps of the one sent before me to pave the way. Here is a mission field in itself. Its tuff coz not knowing the language you can’t accomplish anywhere near what you want to. But you can pray, as if it all depends on God. The church have a building there, its small, 2 room s but it’s right on the street. Imagine if someone were to really take an interest in this place. Open the doors of the house there not just once or twice a week but 24-7! For kids to drop in, to eat together, to help with home work or offer to talk. To pray, and to simply be. I guess they’d have to know the language, maybe they would need help. Maybe it would have to be a full time commitment, at least for a season. Maybe, just maybe God would begin to stir a vision in someone, for the dark side of town, to have a beacon of light lit in the middle, that maybe, could be sustained, in pray and petition to the one who hold all things in his hands.

In the words of Ian Nicolson

‘’Do you want to look for my fullness?
Do you want to partner with me?
Do you want to count for my kingdom?
Do you want to see miracles and stand for justice?
Do you want to see reconciliation and people set free?
Do you want to see nations transformed by the power of prayer?

Then come follow me
And I will show you where to go
It’s not to the platform and the spot-lit speaker
It’s not to the conference, the meeting place or camp

Come with me to the darkest places
Come to the hurting, the howling, hollow faces.
Come with me to the addicted, convicted and caught.
Come with your light
Run with your salt
Come to the sorrow; the suicide tree
Come to the stable
Come.....Follow me

2Pac once questioned ‘’I wonder if Heaven’s got a ghetto? Well, of course not. But when we seek to build Gods Kingdom on earth, I can’t help but wonder if we need to start in the ghetto?????

Who shall I send?

P.s I’m also making a cup of tea while I’m writing this and in my haste, I’ve just used 2 tea bags instead of one. I hope this doesn’t mean I’m gonna run out too soon. Idiot.