Sometimes, I (Beckie) am amazed at how hard some people work. Today, as I was out walking up one of the many hills near here (not the crazy steep one I'm pleased to say), I saw a lady (about 40) with her horse and cart. She travels all over the city collecting rubbish (to recycle) and old vegetables (to eat / feed the animals with). Many times the whole family is involved. Today it was just her and the horse. The horse isn't strong enough to get up the hill with the full cart on it's own, therefore the lady has to help push the cart.
I was on the other side of the road, I could have passed her and kept walking, I wanted to. Yet, I had a niggle, telling me to help. How can I really help? Sometimes it feels almost impossible for me to get myself up these hills. I wanted to keep walking and pray that God would strengthen her. I couldn't. So, I asked if she needed help. She didn't know how to respond, and found it difficult to accept my offer, but did accept.
So, we were both trying to push up the cart, resting frequently when the horse couldn't keep going. All of the time, through her panting breathing the lady was saying it was too hard for me, I should leave her or I would get very sweaty. She was saying that only God can help her, enable her to keep going. When we got past the worst bit she told me to go and that she would be OK then, and really asked God to bless me for all that I had done. I was rather pleased as I felt unable to continue. I only helped her for 20 minutes, she does this all day, almost every day.

Today, it is raining, and when you walk out in the streets the atmosphere is quite different. Nobody likes the rain, so you see very few people. Just a Mum and her daughter hurriedly walking under an umbrella. Two more people huddled in a shop doorway, waiting for the bus. Otherwise the streets are deserted. However, I really noticed the bars, they (2 opposite one another) were FULL. It was 8.30am and the bars were full of people (mainly men), downing many beers.
It seems that these are people who work Monday to Friday to get enough money to spend the whole weekend drinking. There has to be more for their lives than this, yet they seem quite content.
How can we reach them? Is their a way into their lives to show them a God who loves them deeply? Does anyone have any ideas?