Glad Turnaround: The Tale of a Syrian Refugee: Life at Coventry Jesus Centre

Something beautiful happened the other day ...  In my busy life, I don't always have time to recount these stories as they happen but now, I have a quiet afternoon ....

 I was running late, yes, I should have left for home an hour ago and, suddenly, one of our former students burst into the room. Yes, I remembered her, a tortured soul, a Syrian refugee: two of her four children were missing, somewhere in Syria, and she had no food (I had met her in the food bank); anguish was written on her tired, worn features.

I wonder what she wants? I thought .. but her face was beaming.

She didn’t want anything - only the opportunity to say 'thank you' to me. “This is the third time I have come looking for you!" she said. "You prayed to 'the God' from your heart and your prayer is answered. I can stay in the country, I have found my daughter. I have come to say 'thank you'.”

We prayed again, this time to say 'thank you' to God and pray for her missing son in Syria. It was a loaded moment, a timeless, never-to-be-forgotten moment; who felt more moved? Her?  Me?

It reminded me of that acount in Luke's Gospel, relating how Jesus healed ten lepers - and one returned, thankful, thankful, thankful.

And I, in my turn, say, 'Thank You, thank You, thank You, God, for the turning of this women’s fortunes, thank You for answering our prayers – and thank You for the blessing this grateful woman's words brought to me!

 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19)

Mediterranean Migrants: A Harrowing Journey

We’ve got an influx of students from East Africa at the Coventry Jesus Centre – particularly from Sudan and Eritrea. When they arrive in class with their smiling faces and eagerness to learn, I wonder just what they have been through on the way here.

If we want to travel to East Africa, we go by plane, no doubt:Nairobi or Khatoum International airport. These guys (mainly guys) have come by desert and sea – making a hazardous journey across the Sahara and the Mediterranean. Many of their fellow countrymen set out on the long journey too but never make it to the shores of southern Europe. The recent tragedy of April 27 when 800 died in a single disaster is a grim reminder of that. Indeed, an estimated 1,750 people have died in the Mediterranean since the start of the year - 30 times more than the previous year, reports the International Organisation for Migration.

Don’t be deceived into thinking these are all poor, low-skilled migrants, merely looking for a better life and wages in Europe. They have left all and carry the pain of that; one of our students is a qualified doctor; another is an engineering student.

The chances of dying on the way to Europe are 50-50. Worth the risk? Well then, perhaps you can understand now just how desperate these people are.

The UK government is intent on slowing down migration from the Horn of Africa and destroying the smugglers' vessels of transport.  It is also increasing a limited search-and-rescue programme.Much more can be done to save and better lives.

Two of our students agreed to tell me their story.  You may like to read this and sign a  petition calling on the government to stop the increasing death toll in the Mediterranean and to strengthen search and rescue operations. 

Ordinary People ... Extraordinary Hearts

Last week my friend Abdul (not his real name) had an appointment at the Solihull Home Office; he is an asylum seeker and and this was a particularly important one. He left well on time but unfortunately got on the wrong train.

Clearly Abdul wasn’t going to make it for the appointment. He felt upset and stressed when he found out his mistake. Sitting near him in the train was a middle-aged couple who noticed his angst as he relayed his problem to another person in the carriage. They were getting off the train shortly and, leaning over to Abdul, said, “No worries! We’ll get you to the Home Office on time!”

True to their word, at their station, the couple disembarked with Abdul, walked to the adjacent carpark and drove him all the way to Solihull and dropped his off outside the Home Office buildings - on time!

My friend, Abdul, was amazed by their generosity. “You are so kind!” he said.

The wife turned to him and said kindly, “But I would have done it for my son and I’ll do it for you!”

When Abdul came home he was euphoric. It was a miracle!” he told us.

It reminded me of another story told a long time ago: a man was walking to Jericho and fell into the hands of thieves and someone stopped ... and that made all the difference.

God often does His miracles through very ordinary people ... with quite extraordinary hearts.

UK: a Mix of Cultures: Imports, Immigrants and Refugees

The tragic events in Paris and subsequent surge of unity, alas, may give rise to further social fragmentation, a polarisation of views, a further division between East and West, the sense of ‘them and us.’

Freedom of expression is one of the foundation stones of our society but so also is tolerance and respect for others’ viewpoints.

It’s not a time to antagonise; it’s a time to concentrate on fostering friendships across the cultures; indeed we are indebted in the UK to other cultures: imports, immigrants and refugees have added huge richness to our language, our culture, our way of life.

I’ve just started running a new course at Coventry Jesus Centre: ‘UK: a Mix of Cultures: Imports, Immigrants and Refugees'. As a teacher (I’m an ESOL teacher) I want to show my students there’s more than one side to every story, point the way out of negative mind-sets and stereo-typing and yes, most important, inspire – in this case, to inspire them that they too can make a positive contribution to UK life - like many others have done before them.

Did you know, for instance, that the Romans were responsible for bringing onions, garlic, cabbages, peas, celery, turnips, radishes and leeks to our shores ? And you, nation of coffee drinkers, remember that coffee came from Ethiopia.  (The Arabic qahwa has become our ‘coffee’.)  Arabs grew it in the 14th century. When you visit the chippie tonight for a real Brit meal remember it was actually refugees fleeing Portugal, France and Spain who brought fish and  chips to England.

Last week we learned that about 13% of English words are of ancient Greece origin (including democracy) - and, no, democracy was not our invention.  About half the words we use are Anglo-Saxon words – that means they  originated from the northern European mainland, not our island. 

William the  Conqueror’s unwelcome invasion gave rise to 10,000 French words being  introduced into our language  and our towns, village, cities and rivers are named by foreigners, albeit 
many of whom became settlers.  ‘Thames’ is a Celtic word (the Celts coming from central Europe) for dark River.

11 refugees or children of refugees from the UK are Nobel Prize science winners.  Refugees have made their impact on British life: Sigmund Freud (psychoanalyst), Joseph Conrad (writer), Michael Marks (founder of Marks and Spencers) to name but a few. We’ve looked at the life of Malala Yousafzai and Mo Farah  and next week we’re going to read about Alec Issigonis (car designer) and Jacob Epstein (sculptor with connections to Coventry).

Social cohesion comes with respect, with listening, with learning from others; that’s certainly not the same as always agreeing and it doesn’t have to mean antagonising. Far from it.Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,’ those that bring peace, harmony between people, who foster understanding, listen and draw people together, not split them apart.

In these divisive times, let’s look out and support those who are today’s peacemakers.

A Kick at the Door and a Year For New Things

1.1.15. Our first visitor to Promise House yesterday didn’t knock at the door – they kicked it. At 8.00am we went out to find the reinforced glass lined with ugly cracks. (Promise House is the community house where I live with twelve others.) 

Perhaps this is not surprising because earlier, at 12.00am, after a beautiful meal cooked by our friends and singing worship songs around the bonfire, we were praying. We want a God-filled 2015; more than anything, perhaps, we want His presence among us – God to make His home - and feel at home - amongst us. Then anything can happen.  Someone, something didn’t like it.

It feels like the impetus is increasing and why not? Three more people have declared their intention to be baptised as soon as possible.  They bring their friends along. There’s a buzz of warmth, of friendship, cultural barriers are being crossed, hopefully broken down. Everyone is pulling together.

Indeed, the impression I have had on my mind is that of someone staggering with a bag full of fruit; it’s bursting in fact; they were grabbing the apples as they began to fall.  God is saying, ‘I am willing. Are you?'God is willing to bring us a harvest of the best fruit (people turning to Jesus, joining the church family.) The challenge is to us. The best place to begin in 2015 ... on our knees at 12.00am. In the closing seconds of the old year the words of the old hymn come to my mind, 'Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling'.

Empty we come, even empty of willingness at times. 'Find us, make us willing. Let our self-agenda be crucified and Christ be living in our hearts, our works matched with faith and prayer. Let none of this precious fruit fall to the ground.'

Not everyone agrees with me; our damaged door testifies to that. Something tells me, 2015 is going to be quite a year.

A Trip Back in Time: First Century Palestine

 21st century, 20th, 19th ... 4th,3rd, 2nd ...We’re turning back the clock now, and I’m paying  a lightning visit to first-century Palestine; I’ve come to visit an unusual grouping – well, that’s an understatement – an extraordinary, raggle-taggle collection of people - the disciple band of Jesus of Nazareth. They’re sleeping under the stars tonight and they’re a right mixed bunch; there’s even some women here, that’s unusual in these parts, well, unheard of actually. I’m intrigued ....

I can hear some snippets of conversation; there’s a few sparks flying, tempers ruffled, but one thing’s certain: listening to leader, Jesus of Nazareth, I can see, beyond doubt, he’s a man on a mission and He’s taking this motley crew with Him; I’m not sure if he can knock them into shape, he’s got quite a task on him hands but we’ll see. But he’s determined, that’s for sure: He’s telling them this mission they’re sharing is top priority, over-toppling all other priorities. “Bums off seats, guys and girls, are you ready to go?’ He says.

Jesus of Nazareth, you’ve certainly got an urgency about your mission and, I observe, it’s getting you into all sorts of scrapes, including death threats; what about that deranged guy you met the other day coming out of that graveyard? And all that silly nonsense about whether you should or shouldn’t be doing your ‘healing bit’ on the Sabbath day? Well, I guess that’s when tools, cooking pots etc. are put down and ordinary people have time to listen? I can’t understand what the fuss is about ...

Yes, I notice you make allowances for rest, prayer, instruction but then, it’s bums off seats again; you mean business. Why, why this urgency? Is time short?

Yes, time is short and how else could/can the ‘kingdom come’?  By tellin’ ‘em and showin’ ‘em of course! Our mission is to show people out there who God is, what’s He like, what He’s done and what He wants; we want to lead people to God. It also brings health to sick, lukewarm hearts and churches. Haven’t you noticed how the warmth and fire of God returns to the belly when one talks to people about Jesus and His kingdom?

Last week a young African came to our house and we invited him to study the Bible with us. Although not a practising Muslim, he comes from a Muslim family and, listening intently, he prayed out as we finished: ‘I’ve not been bought up this way; I’m a long way from ‘getting it’  but will You help me, God, find Your Way.”

What did that prayer do to me? I’m burning! I’m on fire. I’m excited, my heart’s swelling with joy – like just being born again, again.

You know what, I long for us to experience that urgent, pressing need, not to get our lives together and find what’s comfortable but to follow the great Missionary/missionaries whose priority is/was to take and show the good news of the King, the kingdom, to all and sundry – especially the needy and the poor.

“Bums off seats, go and do it, go and say it,” I hear Jesus tell His disciples.

 Fire of God, Spirit of Urgency, come down and fill our hearts again.

Christian Community at its Best! Extend the Family!

Now, let me explain: Ramin and his dad, Hossein, (not their real names) are frequent visitors to our house and we really love them. It was Ramin’s birthday last week; he’d just turned 14 and his Dad asked if we could make him a birthday cake. You see, Hussein can’t cook cake and Ramin’s mum is thousands of miles away and so is his sister. Indeed, it’s Ramin’s first birthday away from home - a young asylum seeker.  

Ramin and his dad duly arrived with a friend, as expected. We’d cooked the tea (fish) so let’s begin. What are we waiting for, guys?

But Ramin and Hossein have also invited their friends (7). I fling open the door, “Welcome, welcome! Come and sit down at the table, everyone!” but quietly, I’m wondering, ‘how shall we feed this multitude?’ ‘They do not need to go away. ‘You give them something to eat,’ Jesus says! (Matthew 14: 16)

Josie, Izzie and Jane dash into the kitchen and augment our meagre offering of fish and rice; ‘Our food needs multiplying!’ they joke. ‘What can we find?’

The trio did us proud, really proud. Food kept arriving at the table, all sorts of things I didn’t think we had in our well-stocked pantry ... popcorn, muffins, spicy peas and more ...

Then comes the birthday cake. ‘Will it go round?’ I muse but it does, as Ramin blows the candles out twice over. Yes, we’re all having a great time, I mean a great, great time, not least Ramin and his dad. Then the singing and the bongo playing begins ...

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The party’s over now: everyone’s gone home. Some of us sit around the kitchen table, as a community family: “That’s community at its best,” comments Izzie contentedly. Yes, all mucking in, heads and hands working together, it’s amazing what we can do. You see, it’s together we can be family - not just for our house family - but to those God brings – the Ramins and Hosseins of this world.

And the miracle? - not one of physical multiplication this time but perhaps rather  the greater miracle:  people pulling together, one heart, one soul, those otherwise quite unlike each other, all together, living, working for one cause – in Christian community. Yes, together, together. What a great evening.