Sun: Africa           Mon: Europe & Russia          Tues: South Asia          Wed: East Asia          Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific 
Frid: South America           Sat: Central & North America     Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Jesus, today please bless the people of Central & North America

Saturday July 28,  2012                      Daily Blog                  John W                   Previous 2012 blogs

Dear Friends

Last night as I reflected on the events of the day,
I realised that I had tried to put the vision of Vatican II
into practice during the day

The vision of Vatican II calls for special concern for the poor. Well, yesterday morning I had my usual 10am to 12 noon English prayer service for prisoners at Lai Chi Kok Detention Centre. 42 men attended, nearly half of them from Africa, about 16 from South America. Fr Tim, a  Dominican from Spain, kindly took the Spanish-speaking group for most of the time, until we all came together at the end for a final round of prayer and praise

The vision of Vatican II calls for special concern about ecumenism.
Well, for two years now, a Pentecostal minister from Nigeria, Pastor Collins, has been coming for the Friday prayer service. Yesterday, as usual, he gave the main address and led the final praise part. The service is obviously an ecumenical one. A really happy experience each week.
In fact, yesterday at one stage I said to the group..."I'm beginning to book my heavenly diary....DV Friday mornings in heaven are going to be a weekly get-together with all the men who have ever attended the LCK Friday prayer service!"

The vision of Vatican II calls for friendship with people of other faiths.
Well, there a lots of Muslims at Lai Chi Kok...most of them from the Sub-Continent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)...most of them refugees stranded in HK, not allowed to work, receiving a minimum living allowance from authorities, fined/imprisoned for working illegally (while trying to get some money for their families). I obtain Urdu newspapers and magazines for them...and copies of the Koran (from local mosque).

Yesterday in the prison's hospital section, one older Muslim man asked me if I could help bail him out. He was due to be in  for another 16 days....had been granted bail...but couldn't afford the bail money
....a princely sum of HK$200 (US$26).  So late yesterday afternoon I went to Kowloon City Court, paid bail (with $200 borrowed from a kind LCK welfare officer!), obtained a court-release, and took bail receipt and court-release  back to LCK (all in 90 minutes thanks to HK's marvelous transport system). I thought to myself: a kind action to an elderly Muslim at this time of Ramadan....not a bad idea

Not forgetting one other important  theme of the vision of Vatican II:
- love for the Scriptures. All of the men have their own Bibles in their cells...and they treasure them and read them.
The second part of our Friday service  (after a good session of praise singing), is the reading of the coming Sunday's Mass readings (with books kindly provided by a local parish). Then the main address/sharing/homily is based on the Sunday readings

So, yesterday was very much a Vatican II vision day...DG!
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On this 28th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Beijing
(Please join me in praying for one part of China each day of the month)

My Bible Plan for today = Please join me in using these readings 
to get a bit more compassion from the One who spent a lot of time
mixing with outcasts

Thank you for a prayer

God bless!

John W