Bishop Elias of South Sudan – the newest country on the planet – was preaching at Abingdon Baptist Church this morning. He was hidden for three days in the jungle at birth because of the civil war; recruited at 12 as a child soldier; educated at a refugee camp in Uganda; arrested by the people’s liberation army and sentenced to a firing squad; now a bishop, he is dedicated to building schools and hospitals in his homeland. He said “All we need is a small push at first and then WE’LL start rolling.”
(And, on a minor note, he had to find his way through Abingdon Fair to get to the Baptist Church for the service at 10am this morning.)
Outside preparations for Abingdon Fair were well under way.
The Helter Skelter was being slotted together section by section.
Horses were taken out from where they are packed like sardines in a van to be hung on the Carousel of Galloping Horses.
Abingdon Fair is one of the longest Street Fairs in the UK and probably the longest along such a narrow town centre / residential street. In places the margins for error are small with buildings so close.
Later on, with most of the hard work done, there was another church service to welcome and bless the Fair. It ended with a ride on the Carousel.
Abingdon Fun Fair grew out of the hiring fairs set up in Medieaval times to help regulate the labour market.
