No Fixed Abode

Finally managed to get on to the internet having got back in to manchester a couple of days ago. Mostly been resting after a tiring yet refreshing trip to amsterdam. The roundtable was good and the one main thing that I got out of the week was ‘hope’. This alongside the cool time had hanging-out with Jesus as well as old and new friends. I was also inspired to have faith and go do things, go on the adventure. It will either happen or it won’t, I guess, and I don’t want to bum around waiting for things to just come to me, to just happen… most likely they probably won’t anyway! I want to go with a little joy and pursue some things.

We really connected with some people and others had a really good laugh… there were more people there than I expected which made it difficult to invest in relationships across the board and less time to invest in established ones. Practicalities always hinder larger gatherings especially in a city of small cafes and bars… most of our team building times were spent and in such settings. While it was good to open the opportunity to more people I think that they should limit the size while we are still doing annual global get togethers. I think it is likely that in a few years, if the 24-7prayer.com thing is still going, that it will be done on a continental rather than global scale.

Thoughts on Amsterdam?

I wouldn’t live there. The two times I have been to Amsterdam have been through 24-7 and been blessed with great people, great weather and good God stuff… which always makes an objective view of a city difficult to focus. I had some great moments watching the people of this strange city and also some wonderfully lazy afternoons in cafes in the sun getting to know other 24-7 peeps from around the world, sharing stories and maybe reading a book over a nice beer or coffee. The city is dense with tourists and parts feel very dark and heavy, other parts are pretty and romantic. There are the day and night sex shops polluting the tranquility. There are the random guys offering a variety of drugs while walking down to the supermarket… from coke to viagra. There are pedestrians, boats, trams, buses, cars and about a million cyclists all of which are slightly kamikaze in style. There is the occasional aroma of cannabis wafting out of the ‘coffee houses’. There is the church being ‘planted’ right in the middle of the redlight district and a big building with JESUS LOVES YOU in blue neon letters. There are the many buskers each contributing to an eclectic city wide performance. There is something about his place that could make it one of my favourite cities but unfortunately there is something about it that made me glad to move on and get out of it.

Forgot to mention beating Phil Baldwin at table tennis in the last day decider match and trying a new fruit, pitahaya aka dragon fruit.