Today, Glyn and I joined with the leadership of "OTCC" - Old Town Community Church for a day of prayer and fasting. They did their bit in Eastbourne, East Sussex, we did our bit in Tunisia, North Africa.

We decided to go for a prayer walk round "Enahli Park" (a really beautiful national park with rolling hills, rocky crags and the odd camel, horse and tortoise walking around). We started off by following the winding path through the pine forest, then continued up and up and up.

It was about 30+ degrees and we were soon sweltering. We saw the usual tortoise and amazing birds and butterflies - and then realised we were actually lost. It would have been alright if we had turned around and retraced our steps... But being us, we decided to just try and go straight down to rejoin the main path (about 1/2 mile beneath us). Easy right?

Before long we found ourselves sliding down steep, shingled areas, clinging on to tiny dried tufts of grass that cut your hands or pine twigs that disintegrated! Then moments later we would develop a a sort of out - of - control, lolloping run with arms flailing like wind mills ending abruptly by crashing into small trees and startled wildlife.... Then slithering on our backsides getting thistles in tender places, and all this whilst trying to keep an eye out for snakes, scorpions and the vast assortment of wiggling and hissing creepy crawlies.

Eventually we crashed ungracefully onto the path with extremely dusty backsides and very disheveled hair. Glyn looked like a sort of cave man with a camera. We righted ourselves and tried to all intense and purposes to make it look like we had in fact meant to land like that. Much to the astonished gawps of our fellow hill walkers who were sensibly on the right path.

After catching our breath and allowing the adrenalin to settle we decided there was a metaphore (or at the very least a sermon illustration!) in this experience. It could be:

A. Don't take the wrong path - always keep to the obvious path.
B. You will face many obstacles and places where you want to turn back - but keep going.
C. Don't be afraid to come off the well used path and step out (or in our case down ) in faith.
D. Make sure your mobile phone has credit so you can make that emergency call!
E. Always carry a map.
F. ...Or at least a bottle of water (this is after all Africa and what sort of idiot goes out hill walking in 30+ degrees without some form of liquid...)

Regardless of what we learned, the fact was it took a lot of communication and trust (for me to have confidence that Glyn was well able to help me down and wouldn't accidentally let me go rollypollying into oblivion) and for Glyn to trust me (that I wouldn't accidentally swing our new and expensive camera into a boulder as happened last time ...Ahem!).

So the grand outcome of our day of prayer and fasting? I think God was laughing!

Why are we praying and fasting? well as mentioned in the last blog we are outta here in 9 weeks and preparing ourselves to take a new role as part of the leadership team of the church in Eastbourne. After 5 years here it will be a BIG change and we feel a real need to throw ourselves on to God and get strength and guidance from Him.

And as it happens we will need to make sure we are listening to Him and following His path, persevering when we want to give up and can't see the way forward, stepping out in faith and not fear the challenges and new territory, not be afraid to call for help when we need it, always using our map (bible) for direction, and constantly drinking deep of the living water.

I actually think He was walking with us today.