New Life City Church: Cross Vigil Day 18

Busy day with lots of traffic and a whole lot of hand waving etc. Received a welcome visit from local minister of Shankill Methodist Church, Jim Rea. A taxi driver stopped and out popped two Canadian tourists who crossed the road to have their photo taken with the newest tourist attraction. I pray the Cross is the attraction and that its message will impact their lives and the lives of other tourists or terrorists who pass by; and believe me, I am waving at both tourists and terrorists and getting an appropriate response.

Glyn turned up, but this time minus his non-branded coffee, although he did have a half eaten orange and he did offer us a piece of it; but we declined! Anyway, the muffin man later turned up, and was worth waiting on. Glyn text me later to let me know his wife Debbie was expecting their second child. Congratulations to them.

A man stopped and got out of his car and handed me a cheque for £100. He said he had seen what I was doing on the internet and wanted to support and encourage what we are doing. This will go into our special offering at the United in Hope concert on Saturday 24 October. When I got home there was an envelope from Canada with $100. This also will go into the special offering on Saturday 24 October. Thanks guys, this is much appreciated.

Others came by during the day, including some friends Ward and Marda Stothers whom we had met a few years ago in San Francisco, but are now volunteering in Belfast.

Many of you know that our home was attacked a few years ago, when every window on the front lower level was smashed and when the car was totally destroyed by petrol bombs. When I was driving away at the end of the Cross Vigil today, I was waved down by a young man on a motor bike. He took his helmet off and hunkered down beside the car and then told me he had ridden past several times during the past three weeks and had waved at me. He wanted to stop, but there were always people around. He came by earlier today, but again there were people around, so he drove away and came back when he knew I was finishing.

He told me he was the person who had organised the attack on our home, but that he was under orders. He never wanted to do it as he had attended Sunday School in a church I had pastored for 10 years. He had always wanted to apologise and was glad of the opportunity to do so. I of course forgave him and told him there were no hard feelings on my part. I invited him to New Life and pray he takes me up on the invitation.