Outline the inward journey and the outward journey experienced by Buddha, Nicky Cruz and Lord Fenner Brockway - Explain what spirituality means to you after studying the 3 case studies.

        Nicky Cruz was born into an unhappy family; he was on of 18 children and was sent to New York to live with his Brother. In New York Nicky joined the ‘Mau Mau Gang’ This gang were involved in fights, robberies, gang activities, murders and they were at war with the police. In July 1958 a man called David Wilkinson who was a preacher in the street, approached Nicky and told him that God loved him. Nicky had disbelief, if no one had ever loved him before then why now. He was persuaded to go to a meeting about God and Christianity. As David finished his speech, Nicky realised that his wanted to change. He was changed immediately. He went to a bible college and then went back to the Mau Maus and talked to them about Christ. He visited his family and overall became a caring, kind and thoughtful person. He set out to help others who needed it. In the end he opened his own home with help from the public, he carried on helping people and now says ‘I buried Nicky Cruz…he is dead. Now I am alive in Christ.’

        Lord Fenner Brockway believed that he was part of all life, that he had become one with all life and that he was in everything. His spirit, soul, personality had reached out and it effected his and became his way of life, he changed dramatically. He was sitting watching a sunset over the Irish Sea and all of a sudden he had a feeling that overwhelmed him. It left him with a great calm; he was swept up into the beauty of it he felt he was more than an individual. His purpose in life was that peace and justice become an understanding of the citizens of the world. He then became an M.P to help and support people he worked honestly and hard.

        In conclusion they all did much the same thing in different ways. One thing that was similar was that they all had questions that they wanted answers to and that they all went on some kind of journey to get them. The Buddha came from a very well off background and Nicky Cruz came from a terrible upbringing and Lord Fenner Brockway was a Humanist. The Buddha found his answers in his soul, from the inside, whereas Nick Cruz turned to Christ to find the answers to his questions. They all found their answers but in different situations. In my opinion, the journeys that the three of them went on are journeys which everyone experiences at some point in their lives. You do not have to turn to Christ to get your answers you can get them in different ways. Everyone asks questions, it’s the way that they find their answers that is different!

Laura Hill   9A 2001