This Bank Holiday, nine of our team are doing something a bit different! We're heading to the Big Church Festival with a big prayer and a bold vision to inspire a new generation.

People from all walks of life are gathering together to celebrate our shared faith, raise our voices in worship and experience the joy of being part of something much bigger than ourselves.

It’s all about Jesus. And about all of us being together. Families and friends. Churches and communities. Artists and volunteers. People who’ve never been to a Christian event before and people who’ve been to loads. Everyone is welcome, just like in all of the work you support for people affected by leprosy!

We have a mission while we’re there and would love you to pray for us. For most of the 30,000-strong crowd, leprosy is a Biblical disease, not one that exists today. It’s not their fault. Leprosy never makes the headlines. It's hidden, forgotten, silenced.

Yet in parts of Asia and Africa, poverty keeps leprosy alive. It is as feared and widespread as it once was in medieval Britain. It's not science that allows leprosy to persist. It's the world's neglect giving it free rein to ravage bodies, steal eyesight and shatter lives.

It makes little sense on the surface because there has been a cure since 1982. Yet leprosy continues to tear families and communities apart. Far too many affected by the disease are forgotten and unwanted. They are pushed in to the shadows to live a life of rejection and struggle.

But God sees, and so do we. Jesus had a special place in his heart for people affected by leprosy. It’s the only disease that is mentioned by name multiple times in the Bible. And as God’s people, we are called to continue His healing ministry. Jesus' healing wasn't just physical either. It was emotional, social and spiritual. Jesus restored dignity and gave life in all its fullness.

And so, this weekend we're heading to West Sussex not just to raise awareness but to raise up a movement. To share that together, we can end a disease that shouldn't exist today. We’re calling people to stand, pray and act for people affected by leprosy.

Nine of our team have their camping kit ready and also their hearts to serve. They'll be sharing stories of people affected by leprosy, and how Jesus is transforming lives across Africa and Asia today.

People will be able to take their first stand by dipping an arm into a swirl of personally chosen psychedelic colours! This symbolises leprosy no longer being hidden from the world. A sign of an ancient disease brought into the light by a generation ready and equipped to end it once and for all.

If you are at Big Church this weekend, we’d love to see you! We’re in the beautiful pink Maharaja tent just off The Avenue. Watch out for our social media posts to see the team and visitors in action. And if you’d like to find out more about how you can stand, pray and act, please click here: Stand.Pray.Act