Cross Vigil
DAY 27: Friday 9 October
Today was the first day we got wet! Ah well. This is
day 27 and we have done ok until now. Did you know that 2 + 7 = 9 and
that 9 in the Bible is the number for judgement! Well just in case someone
wants to make something of this let me remind you that it did not rain
on day 9 and it did not rain on day 18!
Anyway, apart from getting soaked (hot dog in hand)
it was an opportunity to prove that we at New Life are not a fair weather
Christians (although I don't think I have anything to prove). I was
glad to see one of our pastors from Castlebar, John Fitzsimmons and
his wife Joanne. Although they had a very long drive ahead of them they
stopped off for a chat and to provide some encouragement. Thanks guys!
Some of those in the Peace Pole project came to finalise
a few things about its location and its secure positioning etc. This
promises to be a major project that will lead to other things, not only
for us, but for other parts of Belfast and of Northern Ireland. More
on this site in a moment.
Colin & Doreen Sturgeon came along again with Kyle.
They stood for a while during the rain as I was speaking with our visitors
about the Peace Pole. Les came along with a couple of Hot Dogs. One
was claimed by Tommy Latimer while I had the other in the rain. The
Muffin man had long since gone; so was the muffin!
Anyway, more about the site behind me. This belongs
to a government department (thanks to me, but long story). We wanted
them to sell it to us almost three years ago, but they were looking
a fortune for it. We were unable to buy it from them. They reduced their
asking price to £30,000 (about $50,000) which was a fair price for it,
but we were still unable to buy it. During the 1st week of the Cross
Vigil one of their representatives came out to talk with me at the site.
With "Cross in hand" I made it clear that we were still keen
to acquire the land, but were unable to pay what they asking for it
and requested that he and his superiors would look at it again and come
back with a more favourable price. Well, today they did. They have agreed
to sell it to us for a total of £800 ($1,200). The only stipulation
is that it is used as an outside play area for our pre-school playgroup
and for the development of the Peace Pole site. These are the very purposes
we wanted to acquire the site. So even at this, the Cross Vigil has
paid off. But I still got wet!
Les with the Hot Dogs
