"I want this Jesus" is the cry in Chesterfield

                                                                                                                                6 October 2009

Church Army Evangelist Alan Park arrived in Chesterfield nearly a decade ago with a vision of a green bus. That vision is now Church on the Bus - a ministry specifically for the homeless community of Chesterfield.

Alan has years of experience of being homeless, and has driven forward the Church on the Bus project to the point where up to 70 homeless people per week visit it for the special fellowship it provides. It was a regular visitor of several years who said those simple words - "I want this Jesus" - one night on the bus. This man had been homeless for 20 years and finally found "something I want in my life", thanks to the loving patience and friendship he found every time he came to the bus.

A recent visitor was given help by the project team in obtaining benefits that were due to him, and commented: "I love this bus - I feel something different here from the outside world." Another man found himself homeless after leaving prison, whereupon the team found him bed and breakfast accommodation.

At the end of October, Alan and the team will hold one of their regular 24-hour prayer sessions on the bus. It was at one of these that a woman gave her life to Christ - at five o'clock in the morning! Another woman, who had experienced self-harming behaviour, allowed Jesus into her life after asking "Can I have Him?"

Stories of transformed lives continue to come thick and fast thanks to Alan and his team, consisting of Church Army Evangelists Paul Ward, Rob Lowe and over 50 volunteers.

One of the those volunteers is the headmaster of a local private school. The headmaster initially responded to Alan's request for donations in kind, but was so impressed by the project that he is now one of the bus's drivers.

Alan attributes the success of the project to the unique atmosphere created on the bus: one of stability and peace that allows barriers to slowly break down. Once those barriers are down Jesus Christ is making Himself known in the lives of homeless people - people from as far away as Matlock and Sheffield who are now coming to the bus to find "this Jesus".

To see a short film of Church on the Bus in action go to Church Army online.

Please pray for Alan and his team bringing Jesus to people where they are: literally 'on the streets'.