65 and counting!

The Chikankata Appeal is a little over one week old and already 65 brave? foolish? but definitely generous people have joined the cause and donated £10 of their hard-earned cash.

It means only 8 days in we've acquired 25% of our mission's target. Of course it also means we have another 75% to find and vacancies for another 135 willing volunteers eager to 'sign up'! But remember, it's £10 per person and not a penny more!

We're really humbled and grateful for everyone who has already given and for those who are working hard to spread the word - please keep doing so, the quicker we complete our mission, the quicker our friends at Chikankata can get their new Ambulance.

If you don't have the foggiest idea what I'm talking about, please click here
for an explanation or head to www.justgiving.com/notapennymore to get involved.

Boys will be boys!

I spent yesterday on a stag-day for Adam 'the best of men' Bonner, who 'weds' Gemma on the 9th of September. As someone who has always been a source of encouragement, support and inspiration (not to mention friendship!) it was great to have the chance to spend some 'staggish' time with Ads.

And so we spent most of the day racing between Southampton and the Isle of Wight on two 'rib boats' and as my wind-beaten face and tired, gelatanous legs will testify - it was a great day! Certainly something I wouldn't mind doing again - but I seem to be running out of unmarried friends!

In the evening it was back to London, the East End and to Brick Lane for a curry - nice! As we relaxed, chatted, laughed and enjoyed each others company I was really encouraged by the assembled group of 'stags' - a group who didn't have to be plastered to have a good time, a group who genuinely like and respect one another, a group pretty much to a man who are passionate about God, serious about their faith and enthusiastic to flesh out their belief in careers as diverse as catering, telecommunications, youth work and international development. I was chuffed to be part of the group and to call many of the guys friends.

I was also reminded of something Jacques Ellul had said about how those in 'the clergy' should support and encourage those who witness in the workplace. I'm paraphrasing but the guist of it was 'the purpose of an Officer should not be to make the plumber into an Officer, but to make him or her into an effective model of Christian witness and service in the workplace.'

i don;t know about anyone else, but I was encouraged by the mighty stags!

Welcome to our world...

We have a couple of friends we joke with that over the last 4-5 years we hear from them about twice a year - once when they tell us they're expecting a baby and the second when the aforementioned baby has arrived!

Well we heard from them earlier in the year when they told us that they were indeed expecting and yesterday we heard that Esther Louise has arrived. I'm not sure whether or not Ian has finished 'proving' himself, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if early next year we get another phone call!

On this day...

...one year ago our life changed forever - as God gifted us with our awesomely beautiful son, Joshua James.

This day, today, began with me dropping Joshua's 'used' nappy all over the floor and as we attempted to deal with the resulting mess, ...the nappy-less Joshua decided he wanted to wee over his cot! All the wrong side of 7am! Which probably says it all...

...unpredicable, messy, smelly, tiring and costly (in every sense and yet it's been brilliant! The best of years !...
and we've got quite a few more unpredictable, messy, smelly, tiring, and costly years to come! We can't wait!

Happy 1st Birthday Joshua!

Talking of history...

It's my Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary today (now that's what you call a moustie!). They've been married 33 years and they're still going strong! They've both given my brother and I a crackin' example to follow when it comes to marriage. So in appreciation and tribute (probably the kind of things you don't get round to saying/sharing until a funeral! Why are we so bad at telling each other how we feel?!) I want to say thanks for a few things...

THANKS for taking us camping and hiking on the hills. THANKS for all your support and encouragement. THANKS for those wooly jumpers Mum and for that essay on 'Man's Best Friend' Dad. THANKS for taking risks and creating opportunities, for all the places we've lived and people we've met. THANKS for all the time and effort spent supporting Carrick Youth Band! For the 'farm years' and for that go-kart! THANKS for the suits you bought and the 'lessons' taught. THANKS for not pushing the 'church-thing' and for buying that first uniform at such short notice! THANKS for allowing me to go to univesrity and allowing me to come home again. THANKS for the driving lessons, the use of the car, and the 'loan' of the golf clubs! THANKS for the macaroni cheese, home-made soup and the raisin rhapsody! THANKS for the 'voice', health and height! THANKS for teaching me right from wrong, repsect for others and who God is. THANKS for Joshua'a curtains, fitting the carpet, the stair-gate and for babysitting. THANKS for sticking it out and staying together.

THANK YOU.

'A set of lies agreed upon'

That's how Napoleon defined 'history' - and I guess he should've known!

But for whatever reason I'm into history at the moment. I've got two historical books on the go at the moment. One is taking me through the centuries of British history while the other, undoubtedly influenced by my prediliction for The West Wing, examines the 43 presidents 'who have shaped and led the most powerful nation on Earth.'

While the authors confess to a tendency towards the positive it does seem that the US has had it's fair share of good men, and men who say good things. I'm not sure which category Dwight D. Eisenhower (the 34th President) would find himslef, but here's something he said back in 1953:

'Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies... a theft from those who hunger and are not fed.'

I would've voted for him! I still would.

As Eisenhower predecessor (Mr Truman) once pointed out 'men and women make history and not the other way around'. I don't just want to read about it, I want to be a 'history-maker'.

A 'man who can'? A man who did!

Yes, it would appear it is not only nationality and love of football that I share with Mr Ramsay, it is also 'our' sausage pie! Admittedly it may've benefited from me remembering the sage leaves! But the common consensus seems to have been that it was a decent first stab.

So you know what you can expect if your heading our way anytime soon hoping to eat!

A 'man who can'?

Yesterday, as a family, we did one of my favourite things to do in London - we went for a walk along the South Bank.

On of the many benefits of living in Stratford-on-Thames are the great transport links, which include the Jubliee Line - the only undergroung line that is completely accessible to wheelchair/buggy users (a shocking fact in itself, but we'll take what we can get!).

Anyway, because of the relative ease of getting there we often head into 'town' to meander along the banks of the Thames. With some good book shops, plenty of places to stop off for a coffee (and some banoffee pie etc!) and loads of people (I am a bit of a people watcher!) it's a great way to kill an hour or two.

And yesterday, for me, the vast array of people we shared the walk with served as a reminder of how large, exciting and diverse the world God has created for us to enjoy really is. It got me thinking and prompted me to recognise that there is, and always will be, room for 'my world' to grow.


So as we walked I fashioned a new resolve to 'enlarge my territory'. I don't want to be know for what I don't/can't do.

I don't want to be known as someone who can't cook.

I don't want to be known as someone who can't swim!

I want to be know for what I can do - which means I've got some learning to do!

The swimming will have to wait a while (I mean it's expensive!), but I'm going to learn to cook. Forgetting the basics (I'm not worried about boiled eggs!) I'm starting on Monday with Gordon Ramsay's Sausage pie!

Just how do you 'sweat off the onions'?! Maybe boiled eggs wouldn't be such a bad idea after all!

Jesus, pride & the humility provider

When Jesus was walking about the place he once chatted about the fact that it's really hard to hide a city that sits on a hill and that you'd be daft to light a lamp and then stick it under a bowl (or some similar covering?!). In 'running speak' I'd paraphrase that to mean 'if you run a personal best time, you'd be daft not to blog about it' (in passing you understand!). If I've got this wrong, please forgive me and ignore the following...

It was Lisa'a fault anyway! She was heading into town with Joshua as I was setting off for a 5 mile run. Conscious that she was watching on I probably set off a little quicker than normal(!) and I guess things just carried on from there. Besides, last one back home was on the teas! A race is a race! And I 'won' it in 28:58. Which is, so far, for me, a PB for 5 miles.

Needless to say, on her return, Lisa was suitably underwhelmed!! Don't wives just keep us humble?!

The Chikankata challenge

We recently received this email...

'Two weeks ago our ambulance broke down, resulting in the death of one newly born baby and severe complications in another delivery case. On Friday we were given the news that the Chikankata Hospital Ambulance is in need of an ambulance itself as it is very ill! Basically we need a new ambulance desperately.'

So our friends at Charlie Chikankata have given us a mission. Inspired by the Danny Wallace's of the world the mission is to find 200 people willing and daft enough to donate £10 towards a new ambulance. The 'catch' is that donatees (obviously it should be donors, but donatees seems to have more of a ring!) can only donate £10 and not a penny more!

Led by the Guv'ner, the Chikankata Ambulance Appeal has gone global, but time is of the essence. The quicker we can find 200 people to give £10 the quicker we can get the Chikankata Ambulance back on the road!

If you'd like to get involved and give £10 just click here. If you feel that £10 just isn't enough and you want to do more why not encourage someone else - friends, family, complete strangers(!) to donate £10 too.

But remember, £10 per person and not a penny more!

InTouch and knackered!

We've spent much of this week recovering from what we got up to last week!

We had the privilege of being part of Childrens Ministries' SportsWeek (InTouch 2006)and while it was a little tiring it was a phenomenally rewarding and exciting week to be part of. Ostensibly responsible for leading the worship and teaching throughout the week we did get stuck into everything else that was jammed-packed into the week - including a little bit of tennis coaching! The future of British tennis is bright!

As someone who loves his sport it was great to be part of a week that sought to draw connections between faith and sport.

As someone who loves working with kids it was great to be part of a week that acknowledge the central importance of children to Jesus and his Kingdom.

As someone who loves working with other people it was greta to be part of a team of enthusiastic, like-minded people committed to giving the children the best week possible.

As someone who didn't get to work with Roger and Noreen Batt for long enough it was great to spend the week with them.

For anyone with children likely to be aged between 8-12 next year - look out for applications next year. Your kids will come back knackered, but they'll have had a great week!

'A garden that's bursting into life?'

I was recently interviewed by a guy who is conducting some research into the development surrounding London’s 2012 Olympic adventure. Focussing on the much talked about regeneration promised to accompany the mammoth Olympic project Rob’s question was whether or not the games represent ‘an expensive short-term necessity or a long-term sustainable legacy?’

As a 'representative community leader', alledgely with my ear to the ground and my eyes wide open, he thought I might have a view?!

Acknowledging that for us regeneration was about renewal, new life and energy I shared our concerns that it couldn't just be about moving the 'less desirable' members of our communities out (compulsory re-location of Clays Lane Housing Co-operative) to make room for flash new housing and opportunities for the influx of affluent new residents - that's not renewal, it's displacement and it's anything but long-term or sustainable.

Ultimately time will tell how the Olympic dream shapes Stratford and the surrounding area, but Rob hasn't been the only person to get us thinking about regeneration and renewal. I mean even Snow Patrol when they're out 'Chasing Cars' sing about wanting to see 'a garden that's bursting into life'.

We believe we were given a similar biblical picture of the kind of renewal we were to be part of during our time in E15. It centres upon words written by the prophet Isaiah a few years ago...

'Wilderness and desert will sing joyously,
the badlands will celebrate and flower —
Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom,
a symphony of song and color.
Mountain glories of Lebanon—a gift.
Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon—gifts.
God's resplendent glory, fully on display.
God awesome, God majestic.
Energize the limp hands,
strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
"Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He's on his way! He'll save you!"

Blind eyes will be opened,
deaf ears unstopped,
Lame men and women will leap like deer,
the voiceless break into song.
Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,
streams flow in the desert.
Hot sands will become a cool oasis,
thirsty ground a splashing fountain.
Even lowly jackals will have water to drink,
and barren grasslands flourish richly.

There will be a highway
called the Holy Road.
No one rude or rebellious
is permitted on this road.
It's for God's people exclusively—
impossible to get lost on this road.
Not even fools can get lost on it.
No lions on this road,
no dangerous wild animals—
Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
The people God has ransomed
will come back on this road.
They'll sing as they make their way home to Zion,
unfading halos of joy encircling their heads,
Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness
as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.'

Entitled 'The Voiceless Break into Song' this passage (Chapter 35) seems packed full of wonderful imagery of the kind of transformation that communities of loving defiance should be part of. What does this look like locally? For us, it means..

..ensuring that commitments are kept and Ethel gets the much promised wheelchair that will liberate her from her house-bound captivity.

...supporting a young family facing the spectre of AIDS.

...listening to those hurt by an uncaring and impersonal form of institutional church while hopefully offering and modelling an alternative.

...writing letters, providing references, and going to court to stand 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with Paul as he desperately struggles to keep his life back on track post-prison.

...sharing a grace-filled rather than a hate-fuelled, message of hope with homosexual friends.

...offering an alternative community for Greg who for most of his life only found acceptance and affirmation amidst the drug-fuelled and violent world of biker gangs.

Is this this kind of regeneration that Isaiah was writing about? Will this prove to be part of a 'short-term necessity or a long-term legacy'?

I guess ultimately, only time will tell, but we're happy trying to do our bit.

A wake-up call?

We're generally fans of internet shopping - the promised convenience married with the cash you can potentially save is a sure fire winner in a household with a Scotsman who hates plodding around shops!

But things don't always so smoothly and when they don't I invariably find myself wishing that I'd just gone into a shop a paid a little extra. When something goes wrong it doesn't seem all that convenient to put it right!

Recently we've had a 'mare. Over the last month or so we've experienced a less than satisfactory 'service' (we've arranged and re-arranged numerous times to be around to take delivery while nothing turned up, we've had stuff turn up that we haven't ordered, and when stuff has arrived it hasn't fitted as the catalogue promised!) from a certain company purporting to be 'experts in parenting and babycare'. A company that rather sexistly (that can't be a word but you get what I saying) purports to 'care' for 'mothers' - and it isn't Babies R Us or KiddiCare!

Anyway, I guess these things happen,, but what doesn't help (really doesn't help!) is when the 'customer services' assistant is a stroppy person seemingly without the slightest interest in your predicament!! (it's perhaps worth pointing out that one of my bugbears is 'customer service' that is anything but!!) So you can imagine how we often felt coming off the phone having struggled to explain our frustration and to find a satisfactory solution.

However shockingly bad and infuriating these conversations were, as I put the phone down from one such call, the phone immediately rang - this time with a 'wake-up' call.

It was Social Services who wanted to know if we could do anything to help an elderly wheelchair-bound man who for whatever reason had no money and no access to food. Unable to do anything themselves, Social Services were turning to the Salvation Army.

Details taken we got on the case. Suitably distracted from our Mothercare woes (doh! I wasn't going to mention the shoddy company!!) we were sobered by (and grateful for) the reminder that however appaling and annoying there are defintely more important things to worry about that slack customer services. And there are many, many people living around us who have far more taxing concerns!

The paradox of perspective: so important to keep a healthy perspective, but so easy to lose.

Those pesky 'Rats'

A couple of weeks ago I went to see 'The Rat Pack' in the West End. It was my first Father's Day present(!) and if Joshua manages to maintain the standard of gift-giving, I'll be a happy dad! It was a crackin' night out, obviously you've got to be into the music, I am and it was great.

But it reminded me of a peculiar incident I'd heard a while back relating to the bloke who plays Frank Sinatra in the musical. Apparently, to his shame(!), he was recently banned from driving for 18 months for drink-driving - perhaps he was getting into the character just a little too much?! But bizarrely he was caught and arrested by P.C. Dean Martin!

Not a lot of people know that. Perhaps even fewer want to!

Mission:Incredible completed

Where have the last three weeks gone?!

For a start, our first kids club in Stratford has come and gone and despite some intital worries of saying 'yes' to a few too many things (Under-promise, over-deliver; under-promise, over-deliver!) we managed to keep the balls in the air!
It was great to spend time with a very diverse bunch of kids and to see them drop the fromt and open up over the course of the week.

It was great to play, sing, dance, create and pray with these new young friends.

It was great to strengthen existing relationships with children from our ongoing schools and community work.

It was great to meet the parents and to understand the children some more.

It was great to spend time working with other local Christians.

It's great to think that there may be the possibility of an ongoing kids club come Spetember.

It's great to think we've got a a couple of weeks (now that Sportsweek is out of the way!) to get set and to recharge!