Originally published in Premier Christian News
£400 000 (nearly R8 million) has been donated in just four weeks towards creating an Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer.
The 51.5m structure in the West Midlands will include a million bricks each representing an answered prayer.
Since the project received the go-ahead from the government, over 7 500 Christians have donated over a million pounds, with a further £600,000 (nearly R12 million) needed before construction, which is planned for March next year, can begin.
Richard Gamble, the founder of the project tells Premier he’s overwhelmed with the generosity.
“It’s amazing. If you’d have told me 17 years ago, when God gave me this vision, that we would now just be a few hundred thousand pounds away from being able to start building, I would have snapped your hands off. It’s been a real roller-coaster journey, up and down even over the last five weeks.
“I suppose one of the things I do want to say is a massive, massive thank you to Premier Christian Radio listeners, you have made history. You will go down in history as being some of the people who really put their weight behind this so that we can make hope visible for the nation. Thank You.”
Richard Gamble says the Eternal Wall will be a significant Christian landmark, something to provoke a conversation about prayer and inspire generations for hundreds of years :
“It’s made up of a million bricks, and every brick will represent a story of answered prayer. People will be able to point their phone at any of the bricks in the structure and their phone will light up and it will tell them the story of hope that lies within. We believe that this will ignite a faith for prayer in this nation. We want to proclaim Jesus to the nation. Over the years we’ve had an incredible catalogue of God incidences and miracles that have got us this far.
“I think the thing that excites me is that we’ve now got nearly 10 000 people who’ve joined us on this journey. And that will make a massive statement to this nation.
“We hope and pray that millions and millions of people will find Jesus through this over the generations. That’s the exciting thing about this. We’re not just talking about something that’s going to last for a few years, people will be reading these stories for generations.”
Richard Gamble believes the spiritual temperature of Britain has changed since the Covid-19 pandemic. A recent survey he commissioned revealed 37% of 18 to 34-year-olds agreeing prayer had a positive role in society, and 51% of 18 to 34-year-olds pray, either alone, with a small group or at church.
“We’re not building this landmark to have something nice to look at, we’re seeking to provoke a national conversation about prayer and inspire generations for hundreds of years. Christians now have the chance to be a part of this movement.
“Recent surveys and reports in the media show that things are changing. We have already started a national discussion on prayer and that can only be a good thing. The UK has a rich heritage embedded in Christian prayer and while many will take the viewpoint that prayer is merely a false hope, a comfort blanket when you can do nothing more – let’s recognise the increased spiritual awareness our nation is currently experiencing.
“This has been a 17-year journey with many ups and downs along the way. It’s pushed our team’s faith to the absolute max but there’s a sense we’re now in touching distance of making the dream a reality.”
Being built between the M6 and M42 motorways, the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer will be twice the size of the Angel of the North, and is expected to attract 300 000 visitors each year, contributing £9.3 million (R185 million) to the local economy. Half a million cars are expected to drive past each day and it will be in view of planes landing into Birmingham Airport. Once built, the project aims to generate over £30 million (R597 million) for charities and good works, in its first 20 years.
Andy Street CBE, Mayor of the West Midlands says: “It’s an incredibly ambitious, stunning project. — in terms of a real statement, a landmark for the Midlands, I think it’s an incredibly progressive, ambitious piece of architecture.”
The crowdfunder is still seeking further financial support to move the project. To find out more, click here. (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/eternalwall)
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