Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSAWAKE O ZION!grab a container and scatter. When the building team left ahole in the roof, we rigged up a contraption with a polythenesheet and drainpipes to direct the water through a bath andout of the back door. It all took the intensity out of life.As the months rolled by, we formed friendships and oftenstayed up late talking. Sunday morning was a large breakfasttime when John and I served as house deacons and preparedthe scrambled eggs and porridge. Washing up was memorable.The cold tap gave a mild electric shock, sprang out fromthe wall, and showered us with water. If you stepped backyou got stuck in the floorboards!And then there were people. Everywhere. People millingaround like sheep. Some you knew very well. Some you didn’tget on with. Some you’d never seen before. And there weresome who frightened you to death! I’d often go out for hoursmeditating in the fields, just to get away. Then there wereFamily Days when the whole church gathered on the Halllawn. Some thought it was idyllic. Others disappeared up tothe café for a long lunch.That summer, I formed an unlikely friendship with Markand often we would go for a walk and share our hearts. Thiswas brotherhood, and it enriched us beyond measure. Kellyled the shepherding group at the Hall and one evening heshared this wisdom with us: on a large metal tray, there weresome candles of different shapes and colours. A flame appearedunderneath and melted them into one pool. That wasa picture of unity. But the wisdom showed something moreprofound. The pool of wax reformed into many multicolouredcandles. Each individual was enhanced by his brethren.118