We began at Bromley-by-Bow station amid the gritty, industrial surroundings of the A12 and swiftly moved on to Three Mills heritage site and the canal towpaths that surround the Olympic site. Construction work meant we were unable to make a circuit of the park so we walked instead along its Western edge, finishing at the main entrance.
At six stopping points along the way Colette Joyce, the 100 Days of Peace worker, led prayers which were based on the five themes of the Social Justice strand of More Than Gold, the body representing Christians at the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. Thus we prayed for peace for those involved in the Games, for the environment, for the victims of human trafficking, for trade justice, and for the homeless, finishing with the universal prayer for peace.
Our Peace Rainbow flags caused a little consternation with the security personnel: they had had protesters the day before, and we looked like another possible disturbance, but producing our prayer leaflet, and then asking for directions to the tube station seemed to reassure them that for today we presented no challenge.
The real challenge is keeping our concern for peace alive throughout the Games, so that this amazing international event can leave a legacy for good in this blighted area, in our fractured city and in our economically divided country.
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