Looking Back on London

Our London outreach has come and gone. As I wrap up final details from the trip, it seems like a whirlwind 2 weeks. It was such an incredible experience that I don't even know if I can put into words how to describe it. But I will try.

We arrived in London with few contacts, and a lot of unknowns. Anti-trafficking outreaches to London are not a normal YWAM Orlando trip! But I was confident God would meet us there. And did He ever. We had INCREDIBLE host homes and ministry partners. From the Salvation Army to Stop the Traffik, to Now Believe and City Gates Church in the red light district, to community groups like ACT Lewisham and City Gateway, everyone was a blast to work alongside. One of my favorite parts was just how international London is. We worked with, ministered to, prayed for and evangelized to people from over 40 nations [Brazil, India, Pakistan, Switzerland, Argentina, Japan, Nigeria, Canada, USA, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Scotland, Iran, England, Northern Ireland, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, France, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Malta, Albania, Jordan, Egypt, Cuba, Jamaica, Italy, Australia, Nepal, Hong Kong, Iceland, Mexico, Norway, Hungary, Philippines, Netherlands, Romania, Ethiopia]. It was pretty epic.

The focuses of our outreach were awareness, education, prayer and evangelism. And those 4 things kept us very busy! We raised awareness and educated over 300 people about human trafficking in our 2 weeks there. As we shared with them about the injustice, they began to open up sharing stories of past exploitation and trafficking they experienced, or trafficking they witnessed in their home country, but didn't know about the issue within London. We encountered several who just had no idea it was happening, much less in London or in their own nation.  It was a powerful time.

We prayed with and shared the gospel of God's Kingdom with over 50 people while in London, most of which were in the darkest of places, Soho, the red-light district of London. The district draws an eclectic crowd, from club-goers, to bar hoppers, to those seeking illegal drugs and sex, to a strong gay community. It was here that we recognized the need for the Kingdom of God to be established more than anywhere. Most were receptive to our prayers, and even grateful for conversation, and one man even received Christ that night in Soho! It was truly beauty in the midst of darkness.  

I'd go back to London in a heartbeat. My heart has been captivated with that city. But mostly I just loved how God used our team to bring freedom & justice there.

"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" - Amos 5:24