Saturday 3rd June - Final Day - Friends Reunited!

Chaplain David began our final day in the chapel of Northwick Park in Harrow. He read Psalm 146 which speaks words of praise for our Creator but also speaks of His compassion for those on the margins of society – the very people we were meeting day by day as we walked – the immigrant, the homeless, recently bereaved and children. He gave a meaningful reflection about compassion. He reminded us that, though it was true that the NHS needs money, its deepest need was to have people of compassion. to minister healing. He told us this had been identified by the NHS itself, but of course their researchers found it difficult to measure or to quantify statistically. We felt compassion for David himself, currently a lone chaplain in a huge hospital whilst the place of chaplaincy in that trust is being debated. It was a privilege to be able to minster to him before we left for the final leg of the walk.

They say ‘small is beautiful’ which is just as well because it was the same 6 who set out again, but what joy to become 8 when we met up with Ellie and John (Becky’s other children) after stopping tp pray at the Wembley Health Centre. Poignantly this place too had once been a local general hospital reminding us of the huge changes which have transformed the NHS over the past 20 years. We popped in to use the facilities and thank them, but the response from the gentleman on the reception desk was a curt “no comment”, referring of course to the purdah regulations surrounding a general election.

‘He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul’ was as true for us on this final day as it had been throughout the walk, as we followed our now familiar friend; the Grand Union Canal; into London. Delighting in swans and geese with their gorgeous young families, shady trees and clear waters, we also enjoyed conversations with cyclists, boaters and immigrants sunbathing on its banks.

The nearer we got to London the busier it all became and the more we were ignored. So much so, that we completely missed Bishop Pete waiting for us on the over bridge at Little Venice and he didn’t see us either. Helpfully reunited with the Bishop by some folk he had stopped to chat with on the towpath, we arrived at St Mary’s Paddington to a joyful and heart touching welcome from the coach party from Stafford. There were tears and cheers as prayers were untied with walkers.

Together we made our way to the upstairs chapel where we worshipped the Lord and gave thanks for all His love. And of course we prayed for that great London Hospital, overwhelming in its remit. . Bishop Pete spoke of the need to give thanks when reflecting on the healing of the ten lepers, reminding us not to take the NHS for granted but to be truly thankful for it. How lovely to hear Matt play the piano during our time of ministry and anointing. Then a welcome but hurried lunch in the chapel, hosted by Lead Chaplain, Rosie Andrious.

 

So it was that, attired in their NHS tabards, with greatly increased numbers, we set off across the royal parks for Westminster. There is nothing quite like a sunny day in London to bring out the crowds, so there was no shortage of onlookers and the occasional question! We gathered under Big Ben to start our final silent walk of prayer as we crossed the bridge to St Thomas Hospital on the South Bank.

Worship in the chapel there with Chaplain Mia and her colleagues blessed our hearts. We were able to minister again to staff and to two long term patients, as well as to one of our Stafford candidates as he enters these final few days before the General Election.

Mia told us something of the history of the great London hospitals. We were reminded again of the incredible Christian heritage of healing and hospitality in this country, which began centuries ago and is carried on today under the banner of the NHS. Thanks be to God from whom all blessings flow and in ~whom we live and move and have our being.

We left the chapel, but our prayer cross; bearing the prayer ribbons of every hospital we visited; remains there… in the closest hospital to the seat of political power in this land; the Houses of Parliament. It’s message is simple; there is a higher power to whom we can appeal, whose plans for us are for good and not for evil, a plan to bring hope to the future of healthcare in our land.

Poignantly, as I publish this final post on our blog (although photos will follow) we are all reeling with the news of another tourist attack in central London and Mia, alongside her chaplaincy team and hundreds of NHS staff, will have been up all-night ministering to wounded and comforting the bereaved. Let us all uphold them in our prayers.

                                                                                               Home safe!

Friday 2nd June - Down to London or up to Zion?

Friday dawned bright and still and promised to be hot. Half the party were staying at some flats beside the canal at Hemel enjoying the hospitality of Carole and Lynn. We breakfasted well. The French doors of her ground floor flat were already open and there was a strange dissonance between the sight which met our eyes: green pastures, a meandering stream, geese with their goslings, the blue flash a of a kingfisher and the drone of distant traffic which constantly assailed our ears.

We enjoyed a lovely morning worship, lead by the smiling Angus; vicar of the most deprived part of Hemel; and shared by all our hosts.  After fond farewells, we retraced our steps through the shopping centre to the canal, stopping to chat with a toddler and his Mum who wanted to ask about our shells and turned out to be church-goers, keen to hear all about it and join us in praying for the hospitals. The morning was a long, hot crawl along the canal towpath all the way to Watford. Back to the famous five, we fell into a good rhythm, each one lost in their own thoughts (or tired haze?), just following the cross ever onwards to the great city, wondering if going down to London compares with going up to God in Zion? I wonder if Watford is equivalent to Bethany; on the outskirts of Jerusalem??  We crossed a large park, where we stopped to chat to several families who showed interest, before threading a route through residential housing to the hospital.

Waiting outside the hospital we found the smiling Jackie, complete with walking-boots and rucksack (not difficult to identify those who have come to join us!). She is a nurse specialising in stoma care at Charing Cross hospital; part of the Imperial Trust and had read it as a small one-line addition to their staff news briefing last week and decided to join us, not just for the service at St Mary’s tomorrow, but for part of the Walk. She proved to be a great companion and strengthened us on that last hawl; surely God-sent.

Our midday prayer was in the tiny chapel, shared with the muslims, in Watford hospital. The Roman Catholic Chaplain lead us in a poignant reflection on the Parable of the Good Samaritan and we anointed and prayed for a gathering of the chaplaincy volunteers and prayed over the prayer booklets we left them to distribute. Lunch was a little time-challenged, but very much needed, with the welcome addition of some chocolate birthday cake to celebrate Fred’s 21^st (plus a few??). Then it was onwards and back to the canal...’He leads me beside quiet waters’. The canal has indeed become like a familiar friend where the quiet waters do restore one’s soul.

Leaving the canal finally, we took an afternoon break at St John the Baptist, Pinner, where fortunately the flower ladies were busy arranging for a festival. The church was gloriously cool and had toliets and a water fountain!! After lovely chat with a lady who said she owed her life to the NHS, we were encouraged by the arrival of the ice-cream van/man (Dave, you just need the music now?). The final leg took us through Harrow to Northwick Park hospital. On the way I stopped to chat with a lovely retired nurse pushing her grandson down to the postbox, we are no longer surprised by the poignancy of most meetings and conversations on the road. God is amazing.

We were a small and exhausted group which gathered in the cool chapel with Chaplain Dave Byrne and Bishop Pete Broadbent to welcome us. Not sure what he made of our weary faces, but after the first hymn he no longer suggested we stand for worship!! Very few staff were present but it felt worthwhile for the encouragement we received from the occupational physio who attended and a local street pastor called Monica who later offered three of us hospitality at her home.

We were then escorted up Harrow hill by Rev. James in his landrover defender to his vicarage. Here he and his wife Fiona, helped by Kitty and Oscar, treated us to a wonderful final meal in their cool back garden.  Helped along with plenty of wine, the conversation and banter flowed freely. Jackie had joined us for the meal and we found ourselves retelling some of the incredible stories of the past nine days. Pilgrimage has changed us all... not sure exactly how yet.... but we will none if us return to Stafford quite the same people. We have met with God in so many ways; through his creation, through one another and the generous hospitality we have received, but perhaps most profoundly through the ‘hidden people’ in Society; our equivalents to ‘the widow, the alien and the orphan.’

June1 Thursday "Together again "

We were delighted to welcome Becky back mid morning and I (Gay) also rejoined the group. After a special time of worship and ministry in the chapel at Luton Hospital we set off. Please pray for Mary who believes that as she was anointed she was healed. Two wonderful friends walked with us for an hour. Tutuola and her 13 year old granddaughter were a delight. Shinaiah carried the cross for us with great ease. Watch this space. She is a rising athlete star! What lovely countryside delighted us yesterday.  Beautiful rolling hills affording views and valleys to delight our eyes and cause us to praise our maker. I love the hymn "I'll praise my Maker while in have breath". Lunch at the church in Studham served to us by two lovely Barbaras and a gorgeous dog called Rufus. At Berkehamstead station  our dear friend Dave had boxes of cornettos for us ( yes it was a hot day) and there to meet us was a street pastor named Mike. Inevitably eating ice cream and patting Rufus caused us to be behind schedule so it was a quick canal dash for the next 5 miles! We were welcomed by Colette and Austin to the chapel at Hemel Hemsted Hospital - yet another hospital highlighting the conflict between local needs and community longings and the big picture of centres of specialisms. We prayed for them and ministered to them. What a privilege. Thanking the Lord again for His people who fed us and gave us a place to lay our heads. Thankful for you all who bear us up on wings of prayer. You are the wind beneath our wings and we love you.