It was cold and rainy when I left the Paris region in the TGV this morning. Three and a half hours later, and I’m sat outside, with my coat next to me, enjoying the warmth of the Mediterranean sun on the south staircase of the Marseille train station. It’s wonderful!
The brief oasis of peace, warmth and solitude is broken by a voice behind me, which I don’t quite hear. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that?”
“You want some weed?”
I politely decline the drugs, and decide to head for a café. That’s probably enough sun anyway. There’s a strange feeling of déjà vu as I remember the article I wrote about this time last year (featuring a very similar episode), encouraging people to consider joining our summer outreach, and bring the hope of the Gospel to this famous and desperate city. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I glance to the right at two people manning a stand with the slogan “What does the Bible really teach?” Jehovah’s Witnesses. To the left, refugees. Directly opposite, café tables filled with people, some laughing, some alone. The common denominator in all of the above: an uncertain destiny.
When we open our eyes and look around, it really doesn’t take long to perceive the deep spiritual need around us. And Marseille is no different in this regard to any other city in the world. But what is exciting is to think about the upcoming outreach this summer, the follow-up to 2015, when 100 people from around the world worked alongside 7 churches, each team member shelving their differences and working hand-in-hand for the glory of God.
This year the Marseille outreach falls during the final week of the Euro 2016 football cup, so activities will take on a football theme as we make the most of the Euro-hype to tell people about Jesus: thousands of fans will be gathering here for the semi-finals, and so many needing to shift their focus of worship from 22 sweaty blokes chasing a ball of air to something of far greater importance!
Are you prepared to give your time, your finances, your energy and your ball-skills (or lack of!) to contribute to changing lives? Come and join us! Hopefully it will still be sunny too…
The brief oasis of peace, warmth and solitude is broken by a voice behind me, which I don’t quite hear. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that?”
“You want some weed?”
I politely decline the drugs, and decide to head for a café. That’s probably enough sun anyway. There’s a strange feeling of déjà vu as I remember the article I wrote about this time last year (featuring a very similar episode), encouraging people to consider joining our summer outreach, and bring the hope of the Gospel to this famous and desperate city. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I glance to the right at two people manning a stand with the slogan “What does the Bible really teach?” Jehovah’s Witnesses. To the left, refugees. Directly opposite, café tables filled with people, some laughing, some alone. The common denominator in all of the above: an uncertain destiny.
When we open our eyes and look around, it really doesn’t take long to perceive the deep spiritual need around us. And Marseille is no different in this regard to any other city in the world. But what is exciting is to think about the upcoming outreach this summer, the follow-up to 2015, when 100 people from around the world worked alongside 7 churches, each team member shelving their differences and working hand-in-hand for the glory of God.
This year the Marseille outreach falls during the final week of the Euro 2016 football cup, so activities will take on a football theme as we make the most of the Euro-hype to tell people about Jesus: thousands of fans will be gathering here for the semi-finals, and so many needing to shift their focus of worship from 22 sweaty blokes chasing a ball of air to something of far greater importance!
Are you prepared to give your time, your finances, your energy and your ball-skills (or lack of!) to contribute to changing lives? Come and join us! Hopefully it will still be sunny too…