Excellence inspires others

On 22 July Natalie and I went to play mini-golf (putt-putt) to South Africans, it was a warm day and I had slowly but surely been persuading her that the children needed a pet. We had been looking at dogs but I just didn't think it was going to work within our surroundings, so with a golf tired and heat-exhausted wife we went to the pet shop and purchased 'Nelson' (after the African president who seems to have nine-lives), a sweet 10 week old kitten. He has since gone through some amazing changes and is slowly becoming a member of the family, the girls think he's wonderful although I don't know if the fee-lines mutual.

Nelson

As a family we went on a short break to Deal. We fell in love with the place when we stayed in the London City Mission's Walmer house, which has since been sold. We, as a result, have purchased a tent and camped in Kingsdown International Camp ground, just around the corner from the old house. It was such fun, the girls loved being able to get  up in the morning and run around outside, chase bubbles, and in the evening to cook sausages on the fire and see stars!

Kingsdown Camping

Following Wednesday, for team-day, Alan Black gave an interesting talk on Cain and Abel and how when we fight for a freedom, often more sin comes with it. I also met up with some people from Beeson Divinity School USA who were going to visit us through the week. The following morning they came to the Café and I explained our work and methods and then took them out to the local estate to distribute flyers. It is great to get out and walk about. The area is crammed with people, I know of some two bed units that have nine people living there! The Island grows at a rate of about 2000 people per year. When we got back to the Café some lady arrived from one of the estates and wanted help with nosiy neighbours. Noise is such a difficult thing - should children be allowed to make noise? Should people be able to determine how much noise is acceptable on an estate? What is correct? It is such a difficult question that  cannot just be answered by 'love your neighbour as you love yourself', since there are 2 parties involved, your neighbour and your children.She wanted me to go and be a witness to her neighbour's noise! It is difficult to know how I could help her.

Flyers with Beeson Div School

An accountant has joined us on a voluntary basis and is very helpful, Brian. He came in on Friday morning and joined us for Bible reading - he said that Ben Bell sends his greetings! He has worked and visits CLC were Ben is now working! How interesting. Glad to know Ben is Well. As the day progressed it was very busy again, one couple arrived with some sort of poem to a father who had committed suicide, drug overdose, the daughter of which was tearful and distressed, I offered my sympathy. The evening came and everyone left for home - I did some repair work on some tables, made the café ready for hire the following day and went home.

As far as a team goes, though I have to say we are very blessed. Andrew, Abi, Duncan, Sarah, this is the busiest school holidays we have had - basically selling out all portions of main meals on a daily basis, and a lot of other product. This is a testimony to some really hard work and dedicated team who forge on ahead despite set-backs and slow starts. They encourage me through their stamina! We will miss Abimaro when she moves on to her new job (even though she'll be around for worship services on Sunday). Their excellence inspires others and is honoring God.

So much going on right now!

Last time I posted on this blog I told you about the amazing find of the book in the back room at the café. Well how about this for an unbelievable addition to the story. The following weekend I walked around at a féte. I had £5 in my pocket and walked past some tables trying to persuade my daughter not to spend the money on the first thing she finds. I walked past a table and spotted a watch - it looked good - had a £5 price tag. I looked closer and it was a SEIKO! I purchased it immedeatly - the guy who sold it told me it had a flat battery and needed replacing - so I put it on my wrist and walked off. When I got home I discovered it was ticking away quite happily. I proceeded to clean it and I turned the strap over and the words were written in the strap 'Apollo'.

There have been a number of new visitors to Café Forever, and as a result I have some new friends. One chap came in, he works at Barclays bank, we'll call him P. We talked for a bit and he was looking for a way to de-stress. I asked if he had played golf before and he said no, but he'd like to try, so the following week we went to a driving range. It was great fun, a week later I hooked another new visitor to join us, M, and we played a round of golf at Bromley course. No particularly great scores but lots of fun and a great day for it. The next day P invited me to go and join him to play cricket. I haven't played in years and so I spent a lot of my time on the pitch praying that I wouldn't mess up too badly! I still have bruises on my legs where I was too slow to hit the ball!

A Nigerian lady arrived on Friday, she joined us for church on sunday too! Another new visitor is a lady who was brought here by her daughter for conversation - to get her out of the house - she said that of all the places she could visit she felt most comfortable with us.
We have also had two very enjoyable post-church picnics - one was to Greenwich Park where some children pedalled around in a boat and the other was an annual cycle trip to Thames Barrier Park.

I had also to attend the funeral of my great uncle, Bill Holt, in Bradford-on-Avon. It was a wonderful ceremony and send-off. Before I left I read in my bible that Jesus was talking to various 'officials' in Jerusalem about the resurrection. He told them that God is the God of the living, not the dead. I thought about this as I journeyed there with my cousin. The final song was 'Lord of the dance', which is very fitting, since uncle Bill was the oldest morris dancer in the world - a fact attested to by his dance company. When we exited the church, as his coffin was being put into the hearse his morris company was dancing! What a wonderful life he lived, full of gentleness and love. Bill was always interested in you, family, and Jesus. I will miss him. Granted it is a little unusual to post video of somebody's funeral but I think this occasion it is not disrespectful, rather honoring in fact.

We have all apart from one had our birthday celebrations - Hannah's party was in the theme of 'Alice in Wonderland' and Natalie put considerable effort into the various cakes, decorations etc... And the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival is now underway which provides many wonderful spectacles to observe at no cost to the public!