Tour Guide

Mullah Nasruddin went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and on the way he passed through Medina. As he was walking by the main mosque there, a rather confused looking tourist approached him.

“Excuse me sir,” said the tourist, “but you look like a native of these parts; can you tell me something about this mosque? It looks very old and important, but I’ve lost my guidebook.”

Nasruddin, being too proud to admit that he, too, had no idea what it was, immediately began an enthusiastic explanation. “This is indeed a very old and special mosque.” he declared, “It was built by Alexander the Great to commemorate his conquest of Arabia.”

The tourist was suitably impressed, but presently a look of doubt crossed his face. “But how can that be?” he asked, “I’m sure that Alexander was a Greek or something, not a Muslim. . . Wasn’t he?”

“I can see that you know something of these matters.” replied Nasruddin with chagrin, “In fact, Alexander was so impressed at his good fortune in war that he converted to Islam in order to show his gratitude to God.” “Oh, wow.” said the tourist, then paused. “Hey, but surely there was no such thing as Islam in Alexander’s time?”

“An excellent point! It is truly gratifying to meet a visitor who understands our history so well,” answered Nasruddin. “As a matter of fact, he was so overwhelmed by the generosity God had shown him that as soon as the fighting was over he began a new religion, and became the founder of Islam.”

The tourist looked at the mosque with new respect, but before Nasruddin could quietly slip into the passing crowd, another problem occurred to him.

“But wasn’t the founder of Islam named Mohammed? I mean, that’s what I read in a book; at least I’m sure it wasn’t Alexander.”

“I can see that you are a scholar of some learning,” said Nasruddin, “I was just getting to that. Alexander felt that he could properly dedicate himself to his new life as a prophet only by adopting a new identity. So, he gave up his old name and for the rest of his life called himself Mohammed.”

“Really?” wondered the tourist, “That’s amazing! But…but I thought that Alexander the Great lived a long time before Mohammed? Is that right?”

“Certainly not!” answered the Mullah, “You’re thinking of a different Alexander the Great. I’m talking about the one named Mohammed.” 


Mullah and theFundraiser

This is a more modern Nasruddin story with a  US flavour

A professional fundraiser called upon Mulla Nasruddin.

”I am seeking contributions for a worthy charity,” he said.

”Our goal is 100, 000 and a well−known philanthropist has already donated a quarter of that.”


”Wonderful,” said Nasrudin. ”and I will give you another Quarter......

 Have you got change for a dollar?”


ABC @ WCC

Here is the video of the Archbishop Justin Welby (who is also the Patron of CMS) addressing the WCC assembly at Pusan/Busan. I wasn't there, I missed it. I was in South Korea earlier.....

"When we are not at peace with God through Jesus Christ we cannot be peacemakers in the world," Archbishop Welby told the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches. "God calls us to be reconciled reconcilers, reconciled ourselves to God and to each other."

Out with the Angels: Girls Night Out

The excellent cartoons are by fellow Street Angel, Cate Field, an illustrator and art teacher. They capture the spirit of street angels, who are 'here to help people by listening, caring & offering practical help'

Friday night we had three teams out in Woking, 7 of us in all. Here are a few highlights to give you a flavour of what goes on in the Town centre, as part of what is called the Night Time Economy.   I've changed names to protect individuals...

 

10:15 Team 3  

Met Angel, an Irish Gypsy Traveller (ex con) who was feeling rather nostalgic  ‘everything not what is used to be’  I told him nostalgia is a thing of the past, but he didn't get it...

King the bouncer at Yates told us he had stopped a man with a rucksack full of drugs who was then arrested by the police. 

10:30 Team 1  

Young couple walking along, having drunk – he was verbally abusive to everyone he saw ‘attacked’ the ….. around the building  …  he started to get aggressive to girlfriend so we called on walkie-talkie. Police arrived immediately. Eventually they went towards the station, but vying for  a fight with anyone along the way. Went to subway & then heard girl scream – police ran to investigate….

11:30-1 Team 3 

Nice chat with Pakistani Taxi driver who said we shouldn’t give out flip-flops cos girls should bring their own. Also mentioned one girl he’d given lift to where WSA had paid fare was doing it for a laugh. She had the money…(its what you call being taken for a ride!)

Kevin was under canopy with a girl and a bloke who called him grandpa. He seemed to like the attention.  Checked he had something to eat. Said he had Chinese burger! (also saw him outside MacDonald’s later checking paper bags and he found 2 more burgers!

Drunk, scantily dressed, mouthy girl, falling about the Canopy flower beds was very abusive to female angels (her friend apologised) We walked away.

01:30 Team 2 

Attended slightly cross couple of ladies who had suffered slight cut to ankle as a result of a glass being thrown near them. Police also in attendance who said they would speak to the lady who had allegedly thrown the glass.  Wet wipes and tissues handed to lady who cut her ankle. They appreciated our help and left. We swept up the broken glass 

02:15 Team 3

Fight outside KFC a young Zulu Man and 2 older white men and younger woman.  Very racist comments being made. I asked Pakistani Taxi driver who was there who started it – he said ‘50:50 same same’  The two East European Bouncers did really well keeping them apart.  Radioed in and CCTV kept eye on it and Police came.  They talked to all concerned, took details and decided to check CCTV to decide whether to proceed. The Zulu man was picked up by his girlfriend. 

02:30 Team 3 

Opposite Yates – a girl sitting in gutter with her girlfriend. Falling about, very drunk. a young medical student & boyfriend helping. Ambulance called.  Given blanket to keep her warm and water  Ambulance crew decided she was being dramatic, acting, but taken off to St Peters anyway (at great cost!)    

03:00 Team 1 

At 01:45 Nigel was kicked out of Bed Bar and walked with us for a while. We left him outside and told bouncers he was waiting for his brother inside. At the end of the evening it turned out he’d been ‘bottled’ and taken to St Peters. His brother went to be with him at St Peters after negotiation with Taxi Driver (fare paid from Kitty).  Loads of time spent swapping SIM cards to make contact with police, brother etc  because of his phone had run out of battery

03:30 all teams
We decided to call it a day after we’d got Nigel's brother in taxi. The Woking Town Marshalls (Whiskey Tango Mike) had after all also left at that point ….. 

Paul McCartney was in concert on TV back at Council offices singing Eleanor Rigby:  ‘All the lonely people,  where do they all come from?’ Seemed rather poignant..... 

The Best quote of the evening  – one angel was told: “Oi Mate, you’re a legend……. you fought in the war didn’t you!"  (I wasn't even born then)

We decided it was a very strange atmosphere tonight (not jolly under the Station Canopy as people were leaving, as is often the case). Maybe it was because so many girls seemed particularly bitchy during their night out ….  which might be why we gave out so many lollipops to blokes (as a sort of compensation?)

Play Time in Seoul - Happy Armed Force's Day!

I was passing by the shops in the Bukchon Hanok Village area of Seoul,  when I was grabbed by an image in a window, and discovered an exhibition  ......

Play Time-Dana Ramon Kapelian Exhibition, 1-13 Oct 2013, Jongno-gu

The visual artist, a French-Israeli photographer, who studied in San Franscisco, was present and happily signed a card with the soldier image. I commented that it was an appropriate image for Korea's Armed Forces Day. (celebrated every 1st October, to mark the 38th parrallel being taken in the Korean War)  She hadn't made the connection ....

The image made me think of the thin line between play and reality, and how even great empires play at war. The war between the North and South Korea is still being played out, under an fragile truce.  Yesterday's parade was all about a show of strength (see BBC news) another type of exhibition. But it is a more costly game, and countless lives are lost. As the old protest song goes: 'when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?' 

The exhibition is entitled PLAY TIME  and her other images are previewed here
It is currently on at Gallery Gahoedong 60, presenting the solo exhibition of the Israeli artist, Dana Ramon Kapelian.   She writes about the exhibition: 

The images are about the boundary between a child's imagination and an adults fantasies and actions. It is all in the seer's mind.Things can be interpreted as innocent or devious, playful or full of temptation.

and the text that inspired her .....

In many shamanic societies, if you came to a shaman or medicine person
complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions.
When did you stop dancing?
When did you stop singing?
When did you stop being enchanted by stories?
When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?
Where we have stopped dancing, singing, being enchanted by stories, or finding
comfort in silence is where we have experienced the loss of soul.
Dancing, singing, storytelling, and silence are the four universal healing salves.
by Angeles Arrien Ph.D.
(the author of The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Healer, Teacher and Visionary)

Singing, dancing, stories and silence... I like that.   There is something about becoming like a little child in order to enter the Kingdom of God ....


I'm staying at the Doo Guesthouse.  It's a traditional Hanok style of Guest house. Very Korean.  
I'm taking the opportunity to catch up with some blogging. (I'm surprised to discover its been nearly 3 months - I'll try to fill in some of the gaps with some retro blogging - a new word I've just made up!)  

Not quite what you would call a typical day at the office  but #someonehastodoit. It's just a part of the life on the road, wandering for the love of God

Angel in us - Jeju Island - between heaven and Earth

'Angel in us'  is the name of a global brand of coffee, from I've no idea where,  but I have only encountered it in Korea. It claims to be the best coffee in the world, but I've tasted better. I like the name though, but what on earth it has to do with coffee, again I've no idea..... (maybe someone can enlighten me)
   

Jeju Island 

 

Jeju Island is a famous Tourist resort off the coast of South Korea, loads of Chinese tourists and very few westerners. Many take the trail up to the extinct volcanoe Seonggsan llchulbong or Sunrise Peak, a world heritage site. 

  

I was visiting Jeju island with Bishop Jospeh.  He was preaching at All Souls Anglican Church, Episcopal Church of Korea. It was on the feast of St Michael and All Angels.

St Michaels and All Angels 

The church was a  simple,converted store, unadorned, unpretentious, seating about 100 or so. It was extablished a few years ago.  It has a corrugated roof. Loud when it pours.   It had been raining but fortunately not during the sermon.  Bishop Joseph is a softly spoken man of great integrity. He has a bit of an angel in him... 

He spoke on the supremacy of preaching good news to the poor, over just doing good works or justice. The church in Korea is famous for its House of Sharing programme, which is good but not first priority. Nor are demonstration against government, even though they about justice and peace, they are not priority one. The most important and basic responsibility of the church is to make people know what Jesus, who taught us of God's desire to save humanity.
An angel is fundamentally a messenger of God and a message of hope is what the world so sorely needs. 
 

Mind you the sermon was in Korean and I had no interpreter.  I did have a copy of the service in English to follow the structure.  And also the Bible Readings: 

• Genesis 28:10-17. Stairway to heaven 
• Psalm 103 
• Rev 12:7-12.  War in Heaven 
• John 1:47-51  Angels descending and ascending on Son of Man 

I found myself thinking about the Revelation passage and 'War in heaven' and a sermon I had preached (many times) on the War on Drugs and how to overcome addiction (Rev 12:11&12a) 

• Work of Christ on Calvary (blood of the lamb)- salvation and deliverance
• Word of confession (the word of their testimony)
• Way of cross   (they loved not their lives, even unto death) A call to serve (Green Martyrdom)
• Worship of church.  (rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them)

Entertaining angels unawares 

The Kindness of Strangers is a book by Kate Aide. She like many of us, has been on the receiving end of overwhelmingly gracious hospitality. It is very humbling.   Barnabas and his wife picking us up and taking us for a meal as we arrived on Jeju Island. An 'angel' from Seoul who let us use her house during our stay.  The Priest, Jeoug Sung driving us to sites of around Jeju Island on the Sunday afternoon and Monday.  Paul and his wife Sarah (he runs and English academy) hosting meals......    One thing I have learned is the great missionary principle (Luke 10:8) : Eat what is set before you.......   #someonehastdoit  :-) 


 

Where heaven and earth meet

 

The Cheonjiyeon Falls  The 'Pond of the heavenly Emperor' is  a22 metre waterfall, where heaven meets earth.  Bishop Joseph and I are not quite angels, but the scene is heavenly  It is one of what the Celts called thin places.   
Angels are also meant to be creatures that ascend and descend between heaven and earth like of Jacobs ladder. 





 

We also went to visit Oedolgae Rock , with its Column apparanetly looking like a huge general looking out to sea who frightened off Mongolian invaders.   Leaving Jeju, as we broke though the clouds, entering the heavenly realms, flying Asiana bound for Gimpo airport, I was left reflecting....................  

........on the lousy airline instant coffee... hardly heavenly and certainly no angels in sight.

 
 

Dude with wings

I came across this picture which had been commissioned by Christian Night Initiatives  CNI  @cninet

little brother:  Q   'What's an Angel'   bigger Brother: A  'It's like a dude with wings..'

We were attending a conference called SHINE  #ShineConference  for Street Angels (SA) and Street Pastors (SP) at St Saviour's Church Guildford (Sat 28/6/13). Their Mission Pastor, Andy Wheeler was compere for the day (he is also ex CMS) There were about 100 present from all over Surrey, some in uniform.

Les isaacs, one of the founders of Street Pastors talks of the Urban Trinity of Police, Council and SA/SP and the conference had a key note speaker in the Chief Constable of Surrey.

 

Lynne Owens (twitter:  @CCLynneOwens) mentioned how, when the police had been established in 1829, by Sir Robert Peel,  one of the Principles was. 'Police are the public and the public are the police' This applies to day with  the policing with consent model. And the Street Angles and Pastors have an important role to play. The Chief Constable was certain of it.
  
some highlights from the talk 
There are one million residents in Surrey and 4000 staff in the Police Force.     Overall 43 forces in England & Wales   And Surrey has a budget of £200m.    A number of services are shared with Sussex, notibly rape response, firearms, forensics and dogs. The back office deals with procurement, Insurance, HR, finance and ICT   This all operates behind the more visible Community Police - Beat officers and Rapid Response Units.  They operate a policing with consent model -   

Street angels bring a lot of the mix.  Offering to be prayed for can be scarey. But faith in action is very meaningful. She described Street Angels  as  'Modern Good Samaritans'  who speak with people in their times of crisis. 
 
Morality and policing 

• Custody not right for mental health issues. need sensitive handling.

• Grooming  and Sex trafficking.   More attentive since it has such a  big potential in town centres in a largely white middle class, affluent county.  There are  a  growing number of young women meeting older men Protection issues.  do not to hesitate to contact the police if there are any concerns

• Multiple ethnicity aspects   Other faiths Gaps in towns  Woking Guildford is quieter, less tensions. the question is   ' Are we pushing problem elsewhere or confronting problems' 

Last year was the 4th year of continued crime reduction of street violent offences. Domestic violence is under reported. Those Dudes with Wings are making a massive difference 

Outside Lights:  glow in the dark