Peter Allen (left), a retired geography teacher and hockey fanatic from the south of England, sat in a 24-7 prayer room at Reigate Baptist Church last week reflecting on the significance of the Hong Kong Trade talks and their relevance to the poor of the world - especially at this time of year. Here's the challenging poem he was inspired to write:

 

Into the poverty of this world

You are called to pray

Not for yourselves, but for others

Whose feet I wash.

 

Their joy is in human life

Your’s in material things.

Their compassion for you

Is greater than your’s for them.

 

Do not let me delay you

While Christmas shopping

Or singing your carols.

Delay sees a few more go hungry,

Or give a final shuffle or shiver.

 

Do not let me delay you

From family life, from films

From jokes in paper crackers

-used as toilet paper there.

 

Do not let me delay you

From important discussion

On sport, school, business, church.

They have no energy for that.

 

Let Me see you kneel

Weep and mourn

For the time is coming

When it shall be so….

 

And they will say then

Did we not ask you

When we were poor

Did we not plead?

 

If this were your last rich Christmas

Would you still sing your carols -

or ask Me to wash your feet?