Deeper shade of grey | Faith House 19

 Friendship at Faith House….

I‘m beginning to enjoy getting around London on my bike.

It usually feels great to get to Faith House having had the adventure of cycling from South London. I couldn’t help but see the irony last week as I turned up dripping wet from the 6 mile cycle in torrential rain. Bedraggled, the guys looked on me with mild bemusement and compassion as the puddles gathered in and around by trainers where I stood.

A couple of new guys looked with kindness and with a ‘it’s OK here’ look as they began to make room for me to sit with them! I enjoyed that embrace.

It comes to something when you have to ask if there are any spare trousers at a homeless drop in!!

I had dried off by the time I shared a thought at the end of the evening. Derek was well stocked up on ‘lucozade’ and had his say. Pointing drunkenly in turn at each one of us he declared - ‘you’re my friend, you’re my friend, you’re my friend, you’re my friend…’ until he had completed the circle.

There was something special about that embrace made all the more poignant in that Derek wasn’t at FH last night. He has started a 12 month stretch in HMP Wandsworth for a string of no doubt drunken related incidents. 

 

Writer: Capt. Gordon Cotterill lives in London, England, is married to Kate and has two daughters Bethan and Eryn. He has been a Salvation Army officer for ten years and ‘cut his teeth’ in ministry with his wife as the corps officers at Poplar in the East End of London. The lessons he learned there in his day-to-day ministry, amid the chaos of the inner city, continue to shape his understanding and passion for biblical and grace-centred mission. His latest appointment as Spiritual Programme Director at the William Booth College, London now offers him the opportunity for the fusion and exploration of ‘mission’ and ’spiritual formation’ while trying to inspire a new generation of Salvation Army officers as to their role in God’s plan for His creation. Gordon keeps a blog where he mulls over themes of mostly, mission and spiritual formation.

1 Comment to Deeper shade of grey | Faith House 19

1. It must be a consistent battle with the weather, choosing how strongly you will feel about bike travel for the day. My friend who bikes alot keeps his rain gear with his bike all the time, and it seems a nuisance, until he needs it. He hates riding with it on (too hot, too sweaty) but he appreciates being dry when he needs.
   Derek’s embrace frozen in time and memory with soaking wet trainers.
Jessie Irwin on February 20th, 2010

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