Jane Gaffney writes about her adventures of faith since she picked up ‘Red Moon Rising’ a few years ago.

Now, a few years on, they have a permanent prayer space and coffee shop in Kibworth called ‘The Well’. Here’s her story.

“Back in October 2005 I was handed the book ‘Red Moon Rising’ have you read this? “No” I answered, then buy it was the reply.  Little did I know my life would never be the same again.  Gripped by the story, I thought it would be good to do this for a weekend. That seemed crazy, because suggesting praying for an hour once a week had not been received well; the word which came back from God was even crazier… “No, do it for Lent”.  I have to admit my first response was an emphatic “NO” but 2 months later the touch paper was lit when in January 2006 I stood up at our local monthly praise service and shared what I thought that God wanted us, as churches, to do for the community – to pray!  Not just there and then at that Service but for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the whole of Lent – 40 days and 40 nights. The response was not enthusiastic! But slowly a few people caught the vision after reading the book. But we had nowhere to hold this, the 2 churches in the village had no space we could use for that length of time, but a month later we were offered a store room in the Old Grammar School Hall. As we met in the room 2 days before Lent was to start our hearts sank, as it was full of rubbish, water on the floor, and only 15 slots of the 960 hours filled, but as we prayed the presence of God was  so tangible, and we knew it was right.  From that moment it became a holy place, we got through that first night and then came the dawning realisation that this was too big for a small group to do.  We needed help.  So with hourly slots written on our hands we walked up to the school with our children, asking anyone we knew, “would you like to do an hour in the prayer room?”  To our amazement people said “Yes” and gradually all the slots were filled.  The night slots became popular and people’s lives were changed as they encountered God in a new way.  For us it was humbling that all we needed to be was obedient and leave God to do the rest.

Towards the end of the 40 days it was apparent that it couldn’t just end there – but what next?  We finished with a Praise service and then took down all the prayers to be burnt. As we watched the layers of prayer burn God was even then speaking to individuals with the next crazy thought!  It was only as 13 of us came together to pray and discern that we realised 5 out of those 13 had been given the same vision – a permanent place in Kibworth, a place of prayer and a coffee shop, a safe place, for young and old alike.  There was a real sense of excitement yet also a knowledge that nothing would happen without listening to God and waiting on His timing.  Properties became available but which was the right one?  Confirmation came through a revelation that there would be a well in the garden. In October 2007 we stepped out in faith and bought the property and through a difficult journey are now open, known as The Well it is providing a place for people to come and be, for young, old and all those in between.

This Lent we are again praying for 40 days, this time as well as the usual slots we are introducing different prayer times such as prophetic art, poetry and prayer, Lectio Divina, soaking prayer, and a Shabbat meal, and yet again we wait expectantly to see how God will move.

We welcome any who would like to come and visit us and join our prayer this Lent or any other time.”