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HOPE FOR

SCOTLAND

REACHES

EDINBURGH

Scotland is a land of mountains, lochs and islands, of As anticipated, there were many tourists and festival
wild and beautiful wildernesses, but also a land of towns goers in town. Add in the wonderful late summer
and cities, and above all people. From the splendour weather, and the fans attending Oasis concerts at
of the capital city, Edinburgh, “The Athens of the Murrayfield Stadium, and the streets were full. How
North”, to the bustle and vitality of Glasgow, Aberdeen, would the Gospel be received?
Inverness, Dundee and the rest, its people are warm After four days of hard work, the team were delighted to
and welcoming, whether to neighbours, visitors, tourist, share their thoughts at a closing meal in Currie on Friday
migrants or refugees. Scotland has much to offer, but evening. Here are some of their experiences:
life here can be difficult at times. There is much poverty,
isolation, addiction, illness, loss and bereavement. There Graeme and Jane had been walking for a while and
is a great need for Hope. stopped for coffee. They were served by a young waiter.
Jane says “We told him why we were in Edinburgh that
Planning for the 2025 Edinburgh Scripture Focus had day and offered him a New Testament. He was delighted
been going on for about a year. Edinburgh in August is to accept.” Jane added, “That was God’s timing.”
busy and full of visitors. The International Festival and
Fringe are in full flow, and the tourist season is at its John met a Chinese man who said he was an atheist.
height. The Edinburgh branch, supported by the Region 1 John sat down and talked with him. The man said that
team, recognised the potential to meet so many people his mother had been a Catholic, and she had taught him
on the streets of Edinburgh, and to offer them the Good the Gospel. “She told me that Jesus is the only way, and
News of the Gospel. that sinners would receive eternal punishment.” Please
pray that the Gospel, which he has heard, takes root in
In 2023 we had commissioned a Badged Thistle his heart.
Testament for Scotland, which had been well received
and used. It seemed logical to make these available Janice met a man who was suffering from severe
again in Edinburgh 2025. But what about the HOPE depression. He wondered why he must suffer so much,
magazine which have been a great tool to bring hope and Janice told him that some people have to go so low
encouragement to many, especially in nursing homes and before they cry out to God. She quoted “Come unto me
hospitals? all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”, as
well as some other Scriptures and he was encouraged. So
The A5 London HOPE magazine has been successfully was Janice! He accepted a New Testament and promised
used for witnessing since 2024. Could we produce to read it.
something similar for Edinburgh, and the rest of
Scotland? National Office was supportive, the designers New member Louise had only visited schools before so
provided sample photos, and after some difficult choices, going out onto the streets was a terrifying thought. On
10,000 copies of HOPE for Scotland, with Edinburgh her first day she went out with two more experienced
Castle resplendent on the cover, have been printed. members. The next day she went out alone, determined
to have more conversations led by the Holy Spirit. As
Members volunteered from branches across Scotland, a linguist she recognised overseas tourists and spoke
travelling from Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow and the Highlands to them in their own language, explaining the HOPE
in addition to Edinburgh itself. We also welcomed magazine would help with their English! She had a long
helping hands from Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cambridge, talk with a Turkish man who had been through a very
Bournemouth and Northern Ireland. distressing time. He accepted a New Testament, as did an
Charlotte Baptist Chapel, near the West end of Ethiopian tour guide. The conversations and encounters
Edinburgh’s famous Princes Street, provided storage continued until her backpack was empty. “A tremendous
space and a meeting room for the week, and Currie experience”, she said.
Community church, together with local members Douglas met a German tourist who said that he had read
provided accommodation for our volunteers. Each the Scriptures in German and wanted to read them in
morning the team of distributors met for a time of prayer English. Now living in Paris, he was searching for the truth.
before filling up backpacks and trolley bags and taking to He accepted both a HOPE magazine and a Thistle New
the streets. Testament.

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