Walk West Dorset Highlights

"During the first week in Dorchester the teams worked particularly hard but much of it was door to door, street work, and working with the homeless. However, there were around 30 responses and another 15 in the prison so that was good. Both ladies’ nights were well organised with a good response at each. I had the privilege of sharing with people on the streets and led a few to Christ and prayed with many more – some from Dorchester and others from various parts of the UK.  A couple of interesting stories:-

 

I was doing a faith survey with a couple who showed an interest and after a long discussion they were keen to know more about the Alpha course, and just at that point the organiser of the course was walking by so I was able to call him over and make the connection. They were impressed!

 

I was walking along the road when two young teenage girls around 18/19 stopped me and asked me what the footprints on my back were. I explained what we were all about and said that there was a ladies’ pamper night coming up at a nearby church. They asked if they could come and I said they could. They both turned up early and were the first two to respond to the Gospel afterwards and sign up for the Alpha course – no church connection whatsoever.  Isn’t God good!

 

During the second week in Weymouth there were not many speaking engagements. However, at the men’s skittles night, there were five invited guests, all of whom responded to Christ. At a ladies’ lunch, one of the younger carers for a lady responded to Christ as she had only brought along a lady in a wheelchair to listen to the events. The lady in the wheelchair did not say anything after the ladies’ dinner but the next day I saw her being pushed along by someone else from the home along the esplanade. I stopped just to say hello and she looked up at me and said ‘I have been thinking all the time about what you said yesterday and I am really thinking about God in a real way. Can I have one of your booklets?’

 

On the Saturday one of the churches put on a men’s breakfast whilst we watched the England v Scotland Rugby World Cup match. There were around 40 men there of varying ages with some invited guests. Among the responses afterwards was a man from the streets and a young teenage lad. I did a lot of one to one work on the esplanade which was very busy and had some remarkable encounters with people and was able to pray with many and lead a few to the Lord.

 

We have had some encouraging feedback that there has been a good number of people outside the church attending the Alpha groups."

"My two weeks on Walk West Dorset were completely different like chalk and cheese, with a week in Dorchester working with a large town centre church where the highlight were visits to 3 Old Peoples' Homes with the opportunity to chat to both staff and inmates, sing some old favourite hymns, pray the old version of the Lord's prayer and talk very briefly about how much God loves them.    My second week was in Charmouth working with the Anglicans and the URC churches where there were two highlights - the opportunity to talk twice on the Hot Potato of Suffering - "Where is God when it hurts?" and five mornings manning a Prayer Table in the centre of the village inviting folk to ask for a prayer - "Say one for me".    After a few days I was really noticed and lots of conversations, and prayer, took place.    The Minister of the Anglican church is very keen to continue this idea during the good weather."