New Life City Church: Cross Vigil Day 8

DAY 8: Thursday 17 September

Weather is keeping up and people are still coming out. This was another busy day. I had to drive to Bangor for 8.30 am to discuss the building project and got back home for 10.30. I had time to check a few emails and then head out to the site. Thanks to all who stopped by from New Life and from other churches.

Tom, originally from the Shankill, but now living in Carrickfergus, was here before 12 noon and stayed until 2 pm. We had a great chat as we shared some Bible verses and prayers etc. Craig turned up at 12 noon with coffees ad hung around for an hour. Dylan came back and chatted for a while; then Kevin the muffin man came along with stew and coke! The stew was great: potatoes, carrots, onions and beef. Tracey and Rachel dropped by with a bottle of lucozade and a double twirl. Colin came along towards the end and said he has a lump in his throat every time he thinks of his pastor standing with the cross.

One elderly lady was walking from the Shankill through the gates to the Falls. She was pushing a shopping bag on wheels. I have been intrigued to see this happen everyday; people walking back and forward from one side of the gates to the other shop! She stood with cigarette in hand and chatted for a few moments. Thirty minutes later she came back through the gates. As we greeted each other she said to me, "Are you the man who wrote the book The Cross and the Gun?". I said yes and asked if she had read it. She told me she had and that it was in her home. I invited her to the church when it opens.

In one car that stopped were people who work in a community outreach programme across the wall. In another car were two girls from a church across the wall. They came to bring a word of encouragement and said they will be joining us for the Human Peace Wall and in our first event, which is the 'United in Hope' concert. One of the girls stood with me as we remembered Mayam and Marzieh. A guy from the Shankill and a girl from the Falls remembering girls and others in Iran.