i) we've registered as a company [reason: so that Outside Light could become a resource for any number of churches who think that young people (the outsiders) deserve a break and an opportunity to chat about their spiritual side].
ii) we've formed numerous policies ensuring child-safety, volunteer training, health and safety, food hygiene etc etc etc - which are available to churches to share if and when they're interested in undertaking similar work.
iii) we've defined our Aims and Objects and so on, for the eventual registration of Outside Light with the Charity Commission - we need £5,000 of giving before they will register us.
iv) but all of the above pales in comparison to the privilege we all felt this evening to have arrived on time at The King's House and found 11 young people waiting outside for us. According to Eric, they'd been there almost a quarter of an hour because we'd said last week that they would be welcome to come in and use the church coffee shop and the various games facilities that the Trustees/Chill & Chat (Thursday's group) have built up there. No way did we think there would be this number who would turn up, and there was a great atmosphere that continued as other kids joined us later. We had intended closing up at 9 but they really weren't that keen to go. This was a very successful evening in terms of a) young people being somewhere safe instead of out on the streets, b) Christians being able to demonstrate the love of Jesus in a practical way. They know who we are and Jesus' importance to us but they still turned up :o)
The kids all said they were looking forward to coming back next week - so are we.
Last Tuesday I turned up at Old Woking 20 minutes late. I really don't know how that happened, I was watching something on the box and time flew. Anyway, I arrived and found much the same had happened there. Three 17-year old lads had turned up - and they were making pancakes and kicking a ball around with Nancy, Nick and Phil. The thing is, these are the types of kid who get stereotyped into being thought of as tough, streetwise thugs, when the reality is that they're nothing of the sort. Wouldn't it be great if human beings were capable of looking at each other without making judgements about who we're looking at?
There's a real need now for more volunteer leaders. Taking this evening as an example, ideally there would be at least two of us out on the streets, as well as leaders back at The King's House. Please, if anyone is thinking about joining us, call me on 01483 474737 or drop me an email, jndurrant@gmail.com. You could come out with us and see whether or not its for you. If you're waiting for God to tell you to GO, He's done that already!
Lots of love
John
No comments:
Post a Comment