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Friday, August 10, 2012

Games Pastors Making Most of Olympic Window

By Peter Wooding, CBN News UK Correspondent
Special to ASSIST News Service

LONDON, UK (ANS) -- As London has been swept by Olympic fever, a team of more than 300 Christians are demonstrating their faith by helping thousands of visitors travelling throughout the bustling city.

Pastor Audrey Muse talking with
London police officers

Up to 800,000 people are pouring through London for the Olympics. A group of volunteer chaplains called Games Pastors, along with their “More Than Gold” outreach program are providing practical and spiritual support at several locations.

Pastor Audrey Muse from Loganville, Ga., told CBN News about her station at the Tower of London.

“In this area we have four teams going around the London Tower and back around in front of the Tower Bridge,” Muse said. “We meet each other halfway and then we can tell each other stories and encourage each other.”

She admitted the work is difficult, but still believes God is directing them.

“God has sent us here and all these pastors are here because everybody has got divine appointments,” she said.

Muse is a member of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's Rapid Response Team in the U.S. she has a particular heart to encourage local police officers during the Games.

She also interacts with visitors by taking photographs for tourists at the Games, which she said provides a way of meeting people.

“We have a way of starting a conversation by asking who they are, where they're from,” Muse said.

Peter Wooding presenting his Olympic report

“There’s a lot of international people here, and they're coming in from countries that are closed to the gospel and so they're free now for this opportunity, where they can come to the UK and freely hear the gospel of Jesus Christ,” she explained. “So we hope to plant seeds here.”

Each day Muse and the rest of the Games Pastors team ask God to lead them to share with the right people.

“We've had many divine appointments -- from Nigeria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the former Soviet states and Iran...we've met Persians,” she said.

“One prayer warrior prayed for divine appointments with Nigerians, and I've met Nigerians every single day,” she added.

Other Games Pastors stationed at public transport locations are helping travelers deal with the stress of a busy city during the Olympics.

Pastor David Banks worked at the Victoria Bus station.

“We had a young lady the other day who'd come off a very serious accident and she just wanted someone to talk to,” Banks said. “She was shaking [and] a bit nervous. So then we went on and she asked us to pray with her and we did.”

Muse knows it's been vital for the Games Pastor team to make the most of this opportunity.

“We know this window of time is very special, and we know we are absolutely in the will of God being here and serving the people of the United Kingdom,” she said.

To watch Peter Wooding’s report, please go to: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/August/Games-Pastors-Making-Most-of-Olympic-Window/


Peter Wooding is an award-winning TV, radio and print journalist and media consultant under the name of Peter Wooding Productions (www.peterwoodingproductions.com). Having previously spent 10 years as news editor with UCB Radio in the UK, he has travelled extensively reporting from countries including Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Dubai, South Korea, Zambia, Gambia, Mozambique, Croatia, Israel and India. He now reports regularly for CBN News, ASSIST News Service, GDOP London, Russian Ministries, Whispering Word and Sorted Magazine. Peter and wife Sharon live in North Wales, UK with their three children. Passionate to see God’s Justice and Mercy impact lives, Peter is director of a new UK ministry Mercy Projects International (www.mercyproject.org.uk) to help at-risk young people in Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Kosovo, the Middle East and beyond. Contact Peter for consultation at: peter@peterwoodingproductions.com or tel. +44 1244 549167/+44 7500 903067

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