Greenfields car boot!

Car boot June 23rd 2013

I don't mind the mornings but I struggle when morning feels like night time! Whenever I have to get up earlier than is usual ( Easter morning vigil, a flight etc) I very rarely sleep much the night before, I have the intention to go to bed early to cram in the hours but 9 times out of 10 I will lie awake thinking about all the things that may happen, worrying about whether the alarm will go off etc....

This Sunday was the first of many planned trips to be a Christian presence at the car boot fair. We have created a\ team of volunteers from the Strood/ Peninsula area and Gillingham to have a body, mind and Spirit stall. For 2 years my heart has been yearning to be at the car boot that I pass every week when it is there on my way to church in Upnor. Thousands visit the car boot yet on a normal Sunday about 15 attend church...

Finally I was granted permission and so off we set!

We arrived at the Greenfield site at 6.03 am and already cars were pilling onto the site, having worked out whose car would be the base car we parked up and located the eager beavers ready to set up.

Before we had even gotten the gazebo out of its bag a man offered to buy our garden chairs ( for a mislay sum of 50p!) showing us that the real hard core bargain hunters were up and about early.

The morning started quite slowly with occasional people showing vague interest but not many interested and a few very skeptical about anything free...

And then people came, a few at a time, enough to make a crowd but not too many for us to be swamped. Some were just intrigued others were desperate to talk and some just wanted to see what was going on.

Most people were attracted to the Psalm readings which surprised me, people were very anxious about "picking a bad one !" highlighting to us that a lot of people are searching for positivity and happiness.

We were able to pray with a few people and there were some major encounters where people want us to pray for healing, for reconciliation, for confidence and for reassurance.

Throughout the 5 and a half hours we were there we only had 1 negative comment in passing but a lot of interest and intrigue.

Those who came to volunteer went from being exhausted to exhilerated about the morning the encounters and the opportunities.

We have learnt that chocolate giveaways encourage people in,

Gazebo is a good attraction but not so great in the wind.

A sign signalling that everything is free and a notice showing where we are from is vital.

This is an exciting new venture, who knows where it will go but we all felt it was definitely worth doing but regularly. 

It was so wonderful to be where people are, to be amongst them and to engage in conversation..it's what makes being a pioneer so wonderful!!