The Few Words I Should Have Said

First I should explain what I did say: When the Tour De France cyclists pass the crowds they shout ‘Allez!’ meaning ‘Go!’ in French. We’ve used this term a lot over the past four days to encourage and spur on each other on. I should have said more after this but the sudden rush of emotion – a combination of gratitude and immense fatigue – meant that I wrapped up there, to which Mr D’Urso said “we couldn’t shut him up all week!”

If I had been brave enough to cry in front of so many people, this is what I should have said:

Thank you for such a reception. What WE as a community have achieved is amazing. Before we have supported Udayan in many ways including buying bunk beds for the kids to sleep on, sending teachers to teach English and stocking their library with books. But this time we’ve done it differently.

In the past when we’ve raised money it’s been for something specific or to help some of our students go out to visit. This time we will be simply putting a cheque of around £8000 into the hands of James, who founded the centre, to use however it may help the children best!

St Paul wrote that the most important things in life are faith, hope and love.

So there is one ‘Allez!’ For faith – that our belief in Jesus would cause us to continually think of the needs of others.

There is one ‘Allez!’ for hope – that we would never believe we can’t make a difference, even when your doubters try to stop you.

And there is an ‘Allez!’ For love – a deep rooted love of our fellow human beings that will cause us to persevere in good works until there is an end to poverty and injustice or Jesus returns to end it himself!

So may our Road 2 Rouen (Ruin) be another’s road to life.

Vive Le Tour!

ALLEZ! ALLEZ!! ALLEZ!!!

Liam