It's been quite a journey. One I never predicted making really. 11 years so far; more than 20 separate trips to Africa, carrying recording equipment, keyboards; often far too much stuff really. The airlines have made a fortune out of me in excess baggage payments! Like many, I've had my share of waiting around in airports, hassle at various immigration points, plus a fair few bits and pieces pilfered from my luggage at odd times while it's been airside, and on other occasions too. You have to laugh really! But it's been worth it, times a thousand. So many powerful moments, so many humbling personal encounters, so much I've learned along the way. Here's some snapshots in time. For me, the realisation began to dawn in Belfast all those years ago. On tour with a worship band in Northern Ireland, standing in a hall in West Belfast, holding a red flag to represent the blood of Jesus in front of an unsympathetic crowd. Asking forgiveness and 'standing in the gap' as an englishman for all the wretched anglo-irish history that has scarred so many lives across generations. Several times since I've sat with groups of soft spoken Rwandan friends, and listened to gut-wrenching stories of brutality enacted on their families and children during the genocide. I've spent time with people living in the West Bank; listened to arab Christian families telling me of their fears for the future and their daily frustrations. More recently, I've travelled in the so-called 'informal settlements' around Jo'burg, where hope has gone and ordinary people struggle to make sense of their lives amidst the temporary shacks, the barbed wire, the rough roads, the lack of basic necessities, the unemployment, the broken-up homes and families. I've heard lots of personal stories, cried a few tears, and felt pretty helpless too. Sometimes all you can really do is just listen, it seems. But I've seen some other things too. The power of kindness and the willingness of people to open their hearts, given the right circumstances. The power of music to break down barriers when it seems nothing else can. And, towering over this, the power of the cross of Christ to bring total healing into divided cultures and broken-down lives. Perhaps one particular memory can serve for many. A special worship time back in 1999, in Kigali, Rwanda; where we put up a big 'tent' of material, extending from a simple wooden cross at the front. For almost two hours, people came silently in their own time and wept as they laid their griefs to rest under God's canopy of grace. I remember the deep emotion as we carried the cross out of the building together, and symbolically burned the bits of paper they had named their griefs on. And I remember the prayers, the tears of laughter and shouts of joy which followed. This had to work. For these people, finding healing and relief from trauma was an absolute imperative. And it came, amazing grace, powerful and authentic, straight from the heart of God, who alone has the power to save the nations. Here is a thumbnail sketch of several of the songs: ANSWER ME QUICKLY and MY HEART WILL SING are taken from the Psalms, but they were written with Arab Christians who live in the West Bank in mind. Many of the sentiments in the lyrics were actually expressed to me by various young people I met while there. ANSWER ME QUICKLY expresses a degree of human frustration, whereas MY HEART WILL SING is a prophetic look at what could take place in the future. PEACE TO YOU was written as a song of blessing to those who are struggling to live in the midst of national adversity or a divided culture. When ministering several times in Rwanda, I often looked in vain for a worship song that could express blessing but also a degree of empathy for those with wounded and traumatized hearts. This is my attempt to fill that gap. Since 2008, the song has been played in many african countries and it's message has been received with tears of joy, like a glass of cool water in a parched land. A Zimbabwean pastor told me once that he played the song continuously on a 6 hour car journey between Harare and Bulowayo, praying all the time constantly for the healing of his nation! The lead vocal of this song and ANSWER ME QUICKLY are sung by Ian White, a good friend from Scotland who has an amazing voice. 'TURN TO US' is also based on Scripture; it evokes the image of Christians coming together to cry out to God on behalf of their nation. This has of course happened on several occasions in the past; perhaps most notably and recently in South Africa in 1994. WE REMEMBER is a song of testimony which could easily have been written by several of my Rwandan musician friends. They are filled with hope and are hugely encouraged by the changes that have taken place in Rwanda in recent years on every level, but they do not forget the past. THE LORD'S PRAYER was written several years ago, but is included here because forgiveness is so central to the prayer that Jesus taught us to say together. GREAT O LORD and WHO IS THIS KING OF LOVE? could easily 'fit' into any church worship service; perhaps their lyrics don't seem especially remarkable. They were both written with my experiences in Rwanda in mind however, where on several occasions I've seen people receive an astonishingly deep and lasting measure of healing by their willingness to 'lay their burdens' quite literally at the foot of the cross. The cross of Jesus is absolutely able to bring healing and restoration to all! WE ARE ONE is led by Dave & Jean Bankhead, and is a Christian reconciliation ministry dedicated to promoting peace and healing in divided nations and cultures across the world. Since 1996, We are One has organised prayer concerts, taken part in major national reconciliation events, run many smaller worship and songwriting workshops, healing & reconciliation seminars, and childrens conferences in different parts of the world. It has also produced several reconciliation CDs that have brought hope and healing to divided cultures; these reflect the culture and talents of many Christian musicians and singers from the UK and abroad. The work of We are One is funded by The Crossroads Trust; a registered independent charitable trust.