Personal Witnessing, Olympics and Paralympics, London and Weymouth

London

A team of 82 Gideon and Auxiliary members shared in outreach on the streets of London throughout the period of the Olympic Games. Many of these members had never done any form of personal evangelism so they were definitely outside their comfort zones, but trusted that the Lord would enable them to have the words to say, in order to open a conversation, enabling them to hand to someone a Personal Worker Testament (PWT). Each day a team consisting of between 3 and 16 members, split mostly into twos, visited various locations around the West End and the City where they could engage with people; places included famous ones such as Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, St Paul’s Cathedral, and other smaller parks and gardens but also the backstreets where workmen were carrying out their normal work activities and taxi drivers were sitting relaxing in their cabs.  Contact with people was made in a variety of ways as led by the Holy Spirit. Some members walked up to individuals or small groups of people and chatted, others simply stood and people came up to them to see what they had been giving away to others, while some sat on benches and talked with others also seated there.

Gideons expressed how much they had enjoyed the experience of being taken out of their comfort zones, how their confidence in doing outreach had increased and that they would gladly do it again. The initial order of 4,000 PWTs proved to be inadequate; over the 17 days of the Olympic Games 8,700 Testaments were presented.

A team of some 50 Gideons and Auxiliaries continued the outreach in London during the Paralympic Games.  The glorious weather encouraged people onto the streets in London and many were willing to engage in conversation and accept Testaments.  They continued to meet athletes, supportive team members and tourists from around the world.  In total 6,500 PWTs were distributed during the Paralympics making a total of 15,200 during the entire games period in London. 

Weymouth

Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour was the venue for the Olympic Sailing and Paralympic Sailing competitions.  Located in Dorset on the south coast of England, Weymouth and Portland provides some of the best natural sailing waters in the UK  In Weymouth 7,000 Testaments were presented by teams of local Gideon and Auxiliary members.

Look out for reports in the forthcoming Winter edition of Gideon News