Healing a Housing EstateCarla Harding - 11 Nov 2009
How can we heal a world of pain, suffering and corruption? This was the question plaguing Steve Lawton, a Transit team member giving nine months of his life to discipleship and living in community. Below Steve shares how he was impacted by the insight of an elderly woman as he served the inhabitants of an estate in England…
“Its a cloudy afternoon, 5 Transit folk take a break from clearing the community garden on one of the toughest estates in the north. Carmella, a lady of around 80 years old who is just getting ready to go in for a hip operation, hands out a few cups of tea and asks a little about what Transit is all about. We recount the tail, it’s basic to say the least; bits of this and rhythms of that, helping where we can and trying to be image bearers of Christ in the world. The look on her face exudes dumbfounded hope and she utters a few words (in a wonderful Italian/Yorkshire blended accent) that shake my thinking...
That’s healing that is... That’s healing that is to hear you say that.
'That’s healing', I stop to consider for a moment or two. Just think, as we struggle and strive to do as best we can in advancing the kingdom in prayer and action could that in itself be healing? Granted no one has been cured of cancer or freed from HIV, but an old lady’s faith has taken a jump forward through some practical help…”
Read more of Steve’s experiences serving a neighbourhood and bringing a little healing to a community on his Blog. Find out more about Transit and the other learning opportunities available through 24-7 Prayer.
Carla leads on the work and growth of 24-7 Prayer across Great Britain and she is part of the Lectio 365 team, helping people pray the Bible every day. Her life was hijacked by God in 1999 during a two hour stint in the first ever 24-7 Prayer Room. Carla loves prayer and worship, friends and food, a well told story and a challenge to get her teeth into. In her spare time, Carla is an active member of Revelation Family Church, a 24-7 Prayer Community. She lives in Chichester, UK with her husband Steve and their children Jackson and Eloise.
Meet Carla