After meeting up at Homebase, we made our way to Croyde and gradually gathered ourselves together until once everyone had arrived there were 24 of us including 8 children. We started off, after some beach safety announcements, with a game of something that resembled volleyball in all bar rules and skill (at least we were using a volleyball and were on the court!). Next Jerry retold the story of the disciples who went fishing and met with the risen Jesus for breakfast on the beach, which reminded me to always be ready for the unexpected where God is concerned, and Jeni prayed for us. We then split up to respond to the passage in various ways- some of us wrote prayers in the sand, some of us blew bubbles which flew across the beach, some of us cleared rubbish from the beach and dunes, while others approached other beach users to offer to take away their rubbish and give lollies to other children. I know a few people had some good chats with other folk- sometimes telling them where we had come from, sometimes just being friendly and welcoming.
At this point most people’s stomachs were saying food so we stopped for a picnic, and then James, Andy, Sam, Nathan and Lucy went surfing, while Liz went bodyboarding and Kevin went for a swim (brave man!)- everybody had fun, and we all survived without injury. At this point Simon, Marjorie and Sarah May arrived bringing cakes and sunshine, so we stayed a bit longer than expected, and it was about 4.30 by the time we got home.
Let’s remember the people we met or who’s lives we touched, and pray that God would continue to speak to them through the people who surround them.
