Missionary visits school
Peter Gladwin is an author and missionary who travels the world sharing his life-story with people in churches, schools and prisons.
We were delighted that Pastor David Hatch of Sure Hope Church in Old Colwyn brought him along to chapel this month to speak to the whole Senior school. We were also privileged to have him stay on to address all of Year 10 in their PSHE lesson afterwards.
Peter, who works for an organisation called ‘Out of Ashes Ministries’ was barely one year old when a domestic fire left him horribly scarred.
He was raised on a rough council estate in Halifax, was always in trouble with the police and went in and out of care homes. As a teenager he was stabbed and effectively lost the use of his right arm.
Aged twenty-four he was knocked down in a hit and run incident and left for dead.
Every relationship he tried failed and for years he took refuge in gambling, drinking and drugs. He even contemplated ending his own life, but when his sister introduced him to her local church it was the start of a profound transformation in Peter’s life and the discovery that he was loved and could love.
In chapel and in class, Peter spoke to the students about issues such as how to overcome adversity, about the need to share problems rather than hide them away and about how his Christian faith gives him confidence and purpose.
He spoke with a great deal of warmth and humour and the students listened attentively to what he had to say.
It is hard not to be impressed by the extraordinary life experiences that Peter has gone through; he speaks with authority about the ways in which we can so easily self-destruct in an attempt to make the pain of life bearable.
But ultimately his is a story of hope and change. Peter said that he wanted to inspire, challenge and encourage us and he most certainly did all three.”
Rev'd Sissons.