WHEN I PRAY COINCIDENCES HAPPEN

TUESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER
St. Stephen’s is the overarching name for all the different ministries that have grown from the 22 year old Jackie Pullinger getting on a boat 44 years ago and eventually getting off in HK. What started in the infamous Walled City, now demolished, has grown to a wide variety of activities in several countries with plans to keep reaching out to the broken and lost.

On the site I have been living on there is the adult men’s work and work with teenagers (under 16) including schooling. In the last year a brand new block has been built (House 5) in which there are schoolrooms, art and design facilities, workrooms, computer suite, training kitchens, music room, dance studio and the swimming pool (did I mention the swimming pool?). Also built in the last 12 months is a conference hall which doubles up as an indoor sports hall, as well as an outdoor football pitch and basketball court. It is a remarkable set of new buildings with very high specification and high standards of finishing.

Off site is the work with teenage girls who are addicts or involved in prostitution, mobile teams who go onto the streets all over HK to meet addicts and runaways, feeding teams taking food to the poorer areas of the country and three church congregations all started as a result of the work going on to support those who are back in the community and their families.

St. Stephen’s is also working in China, Philippines, Vietnam and India and has plans to go into Cambodia very shortly. All of the work stands on the same values and ethos and is totally committed to reaching those who have fallen the furthest and seeing transformation in their lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is vibrant and dynamic and not restricted by lack of resources, people and money.
Yet I have never seen or heard an appeal for money from St. Stephen’s. No mail shots, Christian media advertising, stands at Christian exhibitions or events. I am told, rather matter of factly as if I shouldn’t even have asked the question, that they just pray and coincidences happen!

All the recent building, including swimming pool, has all been financed from donations. The two training kitchens were given and installed free of charge by a top German company following a visit by one of their top executives. She used to be a music pupil of Jackie Pullinger’s when JP first came to HK and she needed money to fund her stay.

The budgets are tight, food is frugal and all the Houses have their own budgets each month depending on what is in the bank at the time. If they need more, they pray. But it is not just the money. A ministry like this depends on people and what is so beautiful is that many of the people who are leading were themselves on the receiving end of the ministry of St. Stephen’s in the past. Most House Leaders were themselves Brothers (or Sisters in the women’s equivalent), the helpers in each house were Brothers who have been encouraged and trained to develop their skills and gifts. Three of the Brothers I have got to know in House 4, A, FJ and E, are all going to join one of the Mobile Teams this coming Sunday and move out of House 4. They will then be involved in reaching addicts on the streets around HK and being involved in the ministry of transformation. It is a great process and sees people who have been discarded now fulfilling their God-given potential. All it needed was for someone to spot it. That is what St. Stephen’s seem so good at. It is not simply coming off drugs it is about a future serving God and many of the Brothers aspire to being involved in some way in the future. It all seems so simple. And I guess it is, if we believe in a God who gives to those who ask and honours those who honour Him.

JP is certainly focussed on what God has called her to, her mission is the same as it was 44 years ago. Her values are uncompromising, her passion seemingly undiminished and all that has happened is a testimony to all she has done. Yet, I get the impression that she holds it all very lightly. St. Stephen’s will continue after she is gone because the structure is very flat and there is a clear buy in to the values and commitment to the cause, not the person. I think she would rather the organisation collapses if they ever get distracted from what God has called them to, the transformation of one life at a time.

God seems to choose the foolish (even the slightly crazy) to shame the wise, God chooses the weak things of this world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27) I’m glad he does it that way because it means that all of us can be used by a God who looks at the heart of people who make themselves available. It’s crazy, but it seems to work!