The Moretons came to stay with us in our community house for most of last week.
Emma is my cousin. Glyn was one of my best teen-friends... we did the 'Goth' thing together. I have fond memories of various strange gigs and Goth/Indie nights at even stranger nightclubs, hours spend 'preparing to go out' (mostly creating wild hairstyles), and fantastic music. I still have plenty of the music, but not enough of the hair left, sadly.
Emma and Glyn, and Sam and Carys have served the Lord in France and the Philippines, working amongst the poorest and most marginalised, the sex workers and drug users. And they've been in North Africa for the past five years.
It's been a wonderful few days, hanging out with them and hearing their stories... helping them to download and reload and consider the next chapter of their lives.
We talked and ate and drank and laughed a lot together...
And then, last Friday, some of our wider community hung out for the evening to talk and pray with them and welcome them into our 'family'. It felt very special as we committed ourselves to a more intentional path together.
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During the week, we also introduced them to a much-transformed Romford. Glyn said that the last time he'd been here it had been "a hole". Now, of course, it is the centre of the known universe... proven by the fact that one can buy 'battenburg milkshakes' - possibly the most heavenly drink ever!
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