I became a Prayer Pastor as a result of a friend, who was a Street Pastor, asking me to pray for her on the nights she was out with her team. I was then invited to pray with another Prayer Pastor while the team were on the streets and so the journey began!
There is no such thing as a 'typical night' as a Prayer Pastor. From hardly any prayer requests to a steady flow through the night, no two nights are ever the same. What is constant however are the amazing answers to prayer as we pray for the Holy Spirit to work in our city.
Friends reunited, intoxicated people recovering more quickly than they would normally, taxi drivers changing their minds and taking vulnerable folk home, and many other challenging situations, all answered. Sometimes there are desperate pleas for lives to be saved.
And what do we do when hardly any requests come? We have a prayer guide, which covers many aspects of city life. Police, paramedics, doormen, taxi marshals and drivers are all prayed for and of course the Street Pastors are prayed for through the night. When praying alone at home rather than at the base, there is the real danger of falling sleep! I set the alarm on my phone to ring every few minutes, so if I drop off, I'm awake with a jump and can carry on praying. I also drink coffee through the night!
Being a Prayer Pastor is teaching me so much about God and his love and graciousness. It's a privilege to be a part of the team supporting the Street Pastors.
