I walked alone out of Southend along the sea wall on our third day - Linda was resting so Gerry and Margaret tracked me with the car. Here, to the left, you see the road before me out of Southend.The night before, Tuesday 29th, Gerry had had a dream in which I walked alone along a gravel path. On my left hand she sensed something 'big' – not bad, but overwhelming in size. She also said that God told her in the dream 'this is bigger than you know'. So, this day, it seemed right I should walk alone to the east side of Shoeburyness – about five miles. I wasn't expecting it but as I walked God gave me an interpretation of the dream.
What I saw with my eyes on my right was the sea and on my left were houses and the land – a 'big' county! In the Spirit I saw that embedded among these houses and people, was the Body of Christ. Then he impressed upon me - a tiny tugboat can turn a great ship - it was so strong an impression I could see its 'shape' in the spirit realm - I certainly felt it as I put one foot in front of the other. I was overwhelmed but remembered the verse "I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me" (Ps 131.1) and trusted the Lord to work out whatever he wants to do.
Arriving at Uncle Tom's Cabin, I found the other two sharing cold coffee and dry cake, a poor reward for our efforts - but sharing what the Lord had showed me lifted our spirits. It was clear that despite the gay coloured flags, beachhuts and ice cream, not was all as it seemed. It was a poor place - sad for the people and the land. We prayed as we left, in a kind of numb helplessness for the people we had seen on the sands - three generations of a family clearly troubled by addictions and an old man, sick to his soul with a revolting cough - such pain, Lord!
Arriving at Uncle Tom's Cabin, I found the other two sharing cold coffee and dry cake, a poor reward for our efforts - but sharing what the Lord had showed me lifted our spirits. It was clear that despite the gay coloured flags, beachhuts and ice cream, not was all as it seemed. It was a poor place - sad for the people and the land. We prayed as we left, in a kind of numb helplessness for the people we had seen on the sands - three generations of a family clearly troubled by addictions and an old man, sick to his soul with a revolting cough - such pain, Lord!
I walked on, towards the old Garrison. I had no clue how to get across this section to the East Beach (my destination) but the Lord blessed me with a local dog walking lady who agreed to show me how to cross the fence onto the sea wall and thence into the garrison site.
Passing a few puzzled builders (they were rebuilding the sea wall - left), I found a huge site of 'done up' 18th century houses in military square. At any moment, I thought I might meet Lizzie Bennett or her sisters...as it was, I met a kind gardener who directed me again.
The Garrison site is a new middle class housing development where the former army church building has been taken over by the site marketing suite.
I prayed outside that the Lord would provide for them and leaving through the black iron gates, made my way on to the recreational East Beach (left) where I met Gerry and Margaret. They had driven to the furthest point they could before coming up against an active MOD camp which they obviously could not access. I was relieved to see them and we drove back via Leigh on Sea.
Our reason for returning via Leigh was that we had heard from Linda that Smith Wigglesworth had done much walking and preaching in the area - he often walked down from Hadleigh to Southend and frequently stopped at Leigh Steps.
He would sit on the top step and wait for tired people to get to the top and pause. He would then talk to them about the Lord and sometimes even preach! We wanted to find these steps and pray there. And we did!
Here they are (right)...not a few minutes from Leigh High Street in the one way system...but that's another story!
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