Family Day Picnic at Regents Park

On May 25th, as part of National Family Week, a new occasion that aims to promote and celebrate family life in the UK, Regents Park, London, hosted a hugh picnic. The picnic was also an attempt to set the Gunniess World Record for largest picnic in multiple venues.

About 25 Family Members, from various Centres around London attended, with their picnics and an extra added item. We brought along thousands of "What Everybody Needs is Love" posters to distribute to the families enjoying the awesome sunshine. The weather prediction had been for thundershowers and it was very overcast, with some light rain in the morning. But a lot of people must have been praying for good weather as the sun came out brilliantly and it couldn't have been better weather for a picnic in the park.

We distributed our Poster to everyone there and it was received with gladness. Even a TV camera crew liked it enough to film a spot with the poster.

It was a wonderful day out and we are happy to have been able to get out God's message of Love to so many people.

Kylie organized and coordinated the Family's efforts that day.Dawn was filmed by ITV for "London Tonight" news programme. The interviewer also took home a poster, which he really liked.

Here is the text from the back of the Poster:

NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY YOU'RE FROM, what religion you believe in or what colour your skin is, your heart is the same as other people's hearts all around the World!—There is no difference! Our desire and need for love and peace and happiness is made by God, and the same in everyone the World over!

WHOEVER WE ARE AND WHEREVER WE ARE FROM, the simple answer to all of our problems is the same as it has always been for every age and every generation: LOVE!—True love, real love, God's Love!

WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDS IS LOVE! This is God's answer to all the problems of today as well as to all the problems of the past!—An answer which has always been so simple and childlike that many people find it hard to believe! But this is still God's solution, even in such a confused and complicated World as we live in today!

IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE: If we love God, if we have His Love in our hearts, we will love and care for each other. We will then follow His rules of life, liberty and happiness, and all will be well and happy as we follow Him!

FOR IT IS MAN'S REJECTION OF GOD'S LOVE AND HIS LOVING LAWS THAT CAUSES MOST OF THE EVILS AND TROUBLES IN THE WORLD TODAY! If people would love God and each other, they would not be mean and selfish! The rich wouldn't rob the poor, those with plenty wouldn't let their neighbours suffer hunger, disease or overwork without helping them, and they certainly wouldn't fight cruel wars in which they kill and wound each other!

THIS IS WHY JESUS SAID THAT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE!—To first of all love God, and then to love your neighbour as yourself! In fact, He said that these two simple laws fulfil all the laws of God! (Matthew 22:37-39) In other words, Love fulfils all the Law!—God's only Law is Love!

OF COURSE, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, "OH, I DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD!" But if you were to ask them if they believe in love, they'd probably reply, "Of course I believe in love!" Well, if they can believe in love, then they can believe in God!—Because the Bible says, "God is Love!" (1John 4:8) So real love, God's Love, is all the religion you need, because God is Love, and Love is God!

GOD IS NOT ONLY LOVE, BUT JESUS ALSO SAID THAT "GOD IS A SPIRIT!" (John 4:24)—He is the Great Spirit of Love that created you and me and this beautiful World and the entire Universe! He is so big and so great that He is far beyond our human understanding! But God loved us so much that He wanted us to somehow know and love Him, so to show us His Love and to help us to understand Himself, He sent His Own Son to Earth in the form of a man, Jesus Christ.

JESUS WAS LIKE A PICTURE OF GOD, to show us what God Himself is like.—And that picture is a picture of Love, because all Jesus did was talk about love and show love and live love. Then finally, in love, He gave His life for you and me, so that we could have God's Love, forgiveness and free Gift of Eternal Life if we would just receive Him into our hearts.

SO IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LOVE, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T YET FOUND GOD'S LOVE BY RECEIVING HIS SON JESUS!—There is a hollowness, an empty spot that He has placed in each of our hearts that only He can fill, and that nothing else will ever truly satisfy. So if you'd like Him to fill that spot in your life, all you have to do is open your heart to Him.

TO RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE IS SO SIMPLE that Jesus said you must become as a little child to enter His spiritual Kingdom of love and joy! He said, "Unless you humble yourself and become as a little child, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!" (Matthew 18:3)

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS CONFESS THAT YOU'RE NOT PERFECT, that you have made mistakes and that you need God's forgiveness. The Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) In other words, we've all done wrong, so we all need to be forgiven, because without forgiveness of sin, we'd be separated from God's perfect Love.

BUT YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF! The Bible tells us, "by grace (God's Love and mercy) we are saved through faith, and not of ourselves or our own good deeds. It is the free Gift of God!" (Ephesians 2:8,9) No matter what good things you do or how religious you try to be, it's impossible to save yourself!—It's a Gift of God! And the Gift God gave is JESUS!

"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD (you and me), that He gave His Own Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him should never die (be separated from God's Love), but have Everlasting Life." (John 3:16) God loved you so much that He gave Jesus to die in your place, to take the punishment that you deserve for your sins.—And all you have to do is believe and receive Him!

JESUS PROMISED THAT IF YOU OPEN UP YOUR HEART, if you ask Him to come in, He will come in. He says, "Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart), and knock: If any man hear My voice, & open the door, I will come in to him." (Rev.3:20)

YOU CAN RECEIVE JESUS RIGHT NOW by praying this simple prayer: "Dear Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. I believe You are the Son of God and that You died for me, and I now invite You into my heart. Jesus, please come in and help me to love others and tell them about You so they may find You too. In Jesus' name I ask, Amen."

IF YOU PRAYED AND MEANT THIS PRAYER, Jesus is now in your heart! And you have Love that you will never lose, that will never let you go, for you are His child forever!—"For he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life!" (John 3:36)

WE HOPE THESE WORDS OF LOVE HAVE HELPED YOU TO FIND THE LOVE YOU NEED TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!—And that others will find happiness through your love too! God bless you & make you a blessing with His Love!

I recently read the following story which touched my heart. I am posting it here for your inspiration. This true to life story speaks for itself. Don't let life pass you by. Live, love and have no regrets.

The Chain of Love

Author unknown

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help her for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.

Bryan never thought twice about the money just about helping someone in need, and God knows, there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added, "...and think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off.

It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her.

Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.

The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which were four $100 bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered softly, "It's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan."

From Nigeria, with Love

As we mentioned, we are posting some photos from our son, Steve, from Nigeria, where he has been for the past 9 months. He is very busy, assisting with Health Care camps, IT training Centres and many other projects.

Below: One of the Health Care Projects. Steve is fourth from the right, second row from the front.

Its tiring work, but satisfying. (Steve is 4th from the left, back row)

Village Travel (Steve is in the front of the boat with his arms up).

Beats London rush hour!

Typical road conditions. This is Lagos. Steve recently passed his driving test and received a license in Lagos.

The market.

Food for the Hungry

Our son Ian (19), with Dawn and some of the donated food items that we regularly collect to distribute to other missionaries and needy people.