Just Clowning Around

Having a clown along on a mission trip is always a blessing, so the WMU team in London is doubly blessed!  Happy Hearts and Twinkles (aka Cherry Peach and Suzy Wall) are part of the clown ministry at Frio Baptist Church in Hereford, TX. 

Twinkles and Happy Hearts outside High Leigh Conference Center

Suzy got serious about clowning on a mission trip to Honduras in early 2000.  The purpose of the trip was to rebuild churches and clinics after a hurricane, but Suzy has a heart for ministering to children and knew that without Spanish she would be limited in what she could do.  She found a library book on balloon art and taught herself to make a dog, a sword, and a fish.  She associated a Bible story with each of those, and someone would tell the story in Spanish as she made the balloon figure.  By the time she returned home she knew that clowning was how she would serve God.

Cherry has also been clowning around for a number of years, and the two served in the same association where they often entertained at VBS and GA camps.  When her husband was called as the pastor of Frio, Cherry joined the ministry there.  Together, they have served God at the Olympic Games in Athens, Beijing, and Vancouver.

From Twinkles and Happy Hearts, we have learned that a bright costume, crazy wig, and face paint can open many doors.  It enables them to speak boldly without offending, to open conversations with the most unlikely people, and to share God’s love in a way that makes us all smile.

Monday – Royal Docks Team

Today the RD team split into 2 groups.  One group volunteered with the children attending Summer Scheme at the Community Center.  Sixty children kept the activity level high!  Near the entrance a group of boys tested their skills on a video game.  Close by was the crafts table where children were invited to design their own flags.  There were board games in the hallway and action games in the gym, as well as sports on the green.  Our job was to spend time with the children doing whatever activities they chose.   Most of us are grandparents, so we just did what came naturally. Each of the 6 volunteers was rewarded with smiles, hugs, and sometimes a precious piece of art created by a child.

The other group worked along the route traveled by visitors to the games at ExCel.  “The Gift Box” is a freestanding open box that displays promises on the outside (such as might entice vulnerable young people to leave their homes and families), but when visitors step inside they are presented with stories of human trafficking.  This traveling display is one of several created by Stop The Traffik, and used to raise awareness of the human exploitation problem around the world.

Another activity in this area was a quick survey.  Volunteers asked passersby two things:  “What question would you want to ask God?” and “What wish would you make to God?”  From these questions and the responses they elicited, the volunteers were often able to open conversations about God and these conversations sometimes led to prayer.  If the visitor was willing, the volunteer wrote down the first name and prayer request and we will be sharing these with you.

Tuesday is a free day for the RD team, so we will do a little sightseeing and try to soak up some Olympic atmosphere!  Then on Wednesday we will be back at the Royal Docks area to continue our ministries.

Sunday Around London

WMU Group Outside High Leigh



BV Community Center

The Royal Docks team had a wonderful time Sunday with our host ministers at Royal Docks Community Church and their congregation.  Dave and Sally Mann greeted us in their home with a traditional cream tea, and as we enjoyed tea and scones, Sally filled us in on the background of the church.  She and Dave left a thriving church to minister in the area known as Britannia Village.  Dave became director of the community center, and gradually they began to reach out to an population that was almost completely unchurched.

ExCel Center

We took a brief walk around the area, stopping for a view of the ExCel venue where table tennis, boxing, fencing, judo, tae kwon do (and other events) take place.  Then we went on to the community center which is used by the Royal Docks congregation as well as another church or two.  We were warmly welcomed and got to know some of the members, especially the wonderful children.


Worshiping at Royal Docks

Tomorrow we will return to Royal Docks where half of us will work with the Summer Scheme, a children’s program that Dave runs in the community center.  Others will assist the youth with a juice bar they are running near the ExCel venue.  This is a program that the church has started to help some of the kids from impoverished families earn a little money.  We will also be assisting with the “Gift Box” display, which informs about human trafficking.

Stay tuned for more updates from both of our ministry teams.

Prayer Requests: Pray for divine appointments. Pray for guidance as we make decisions about how and where to serve. Pray for the ability to speak the truth in love.

Ready To Shine On London

The weather's been quite lovely, and it's common to talk about the weather here. We've had an occasional shower, but it's been pleasant and mostly sunny overall.

While in training today, Ish (the Methodist liaison for More Than Gold) told us that when the churches here in the UK were preparing through prayer before the cross-country Torch Run, their prayer came from Isaiah 60. "Arise and Shine" became the heart of these churches, not knowing that the theme of the theme of the Torch Run would be "Moment to Shine." This has brought great motivation and encouragement to all those (including us) who are shining their lights here.

Tomorrow is our first day out in the city to do ministry, and our group has been split up into 2 smaller teams: the Royal Docks team and the Westminster team. The RD crew will attend a training time in the afternoon tomorrow and will then join in the Royal Docks evening worship service. Royal Docks is a Baptist church plant near the docks. Throughout the week, the RD team will assist the outreach efforts of the church.

The Westminster team will spend some time close to Westminster Abbey and surrounding areas, ministering to and having conversations with people. Half of the W team will also participate in some training tomorrow for the More Than Gold Communications Center, with the primary purpose of fielding phone calls and directing the media and other outlets to the right people for answers to their questions.

Prayer Requests

We spent a substantial amount of our time today in prayer.  Here are specific areas we prayed about, and we ask you to add your prayers to ours.

Churches:  Pray that we will be a blessing and encouragement to the local churches, and that these churches will see fruit from our joint labors as souls come to know Christ.

Protection:   Pray that any evil plans for violence or other disruptions will be exposed and halted.  Pray that these coming days will be peaceful, not only for the sake of all the people here in the city, but also for the sake of the gospel.

Divine Appointments:  Pray that God will provide opportunities for conversation with those needing an introduction to the Kingdom of God, and that we will meet those appointments with thanksgiving, expectation, and faith.

While the Games' Torch Run mantra is not necessarily God-centered, it's a great call for us all to Shine On London!

Greetings from London!

Hello from London! All 24 team members arrived safe and sound in spite of a few obstacles. There were some delays; three members arrived late for their Atlanta connection, but made it on the flight (albeit without their luggage).

There were other challenges today as well. Navigating the London rail system (officially the London Underground, but locally called the Tube) required climbing numerous flights of stairs with luggage. We helped each other, of course, but there were also many Good Samaritans who pitched in. Three of our teammates suffered falls on an escalator, and two of them received first aid from the London Transit Team. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, and all were able to continue their journey.

Our lodging is at the High Leigh Conference Center, located in Hoddesdon, a small town north of London. The center provides several levels of accommodations, including hotel, dorm, and "bronze" level, which evidently involves sleeping bags. We are fortunate to all have beds.



High Leigh Conference Center

The WMU group is only a small component of More Than Gold's efforts to bring Christianity to the Olympics. Approximately 250 missionaries representing several countries are housed here at High Leigh. There are 3 additional locations hosting More Than Gold volunteers in London.

Tomorrow's orientation topics include safety, understanding London's cultural diversity, ministering to other faith groups, and pin trading as an evangelism tool. The day will conclude with prayer time and a commissioning service.

Prayer Requests: Pray that we will overcome the fatigue of a long day of travel. Pray too that we will find unity as we work together.

Kim Wilson is collaborating with me on this blog for the duration of the mission trip. She's a campus minister at California University of Pennsylvania and will provide both blog content and photos.

On Our Way

Later today, 24 Baptist volunteers from around the country will board planes and begin the journey to London for a ten day mission trip that centers on the Olympic Games.  Tomorrow morning, when we meet at Heathrow Airport, it will be the first face-to-face meeting for most of us.  We’ve had conference calls, email, and a few personal phone calls, but there is still much for us to learn about each other. 

Here are a few things we do know:

·         Each of us has a heart for missions, and this trip will be dedicated to Kingdom work!

·         We each have been given different personalities, abilities, and spiritual gifts, and God will show us the way to use them to His glory.

·         We have prepared.  Through the leadership of WMU, we were challenged to both spiritual and physical fitness, so we’ve prayed and studied and laced up our walking shoes to get ready.

·         We all need and desire the prayers of everyone back home as we begin this journey.  Each day this blog will provide photos and updates on our activities, and we will include specific prayer requests.  For now, just pray for the team to follow God’s will in all things.

As we head out, we still don’t know our actual assignments, but whether we are giving someone a bottle of cold water, distributing literature, befriending a fellow traveler, or simply trading Olympic pins, we will be in the mission field spreading God’s love.