Preaching & Teaching Internationally
Ongoing Ministry in Russia
Books in Russian:
Journey to Joy When God Lights the Fire Lambs on the Ledge
Coming in August: Journey to Joy in Swahili!
Ministry in Kenya, Africa, August 4-16
African Inland Church Kitale Region Women's Conference Report
Setting:
We met in a pasture next to a Catholic secondary school. Over a thousand women
sat under tents or trees on all four sides of the field as Elizabeth, my
interpreter, and I stood on a makeshift podium in the middle of the field. A few
chickens roamed freely, and a herd of cows passed quietly through the pasture at
about noon each day. Children (nearly 200 all together) either played quietly
nearby or were held in their mothers arms. Some were nursing.
And peace reigned. It was
quite amazing! The men did the cooking for the ladies for 3 meals a day for over
3 days. Vans with women packed into them
(like sardines) and luggage and bedrolls strapped to the roofs and sides brought
some women from as far away as 4-5 hours, all the way from the mountains along
the Ugandan border! Some came on
motorcycles. Others walked several miles
each day to be there. For the first time, many, many young women came.
(Incidentally, there were other AIC Womens Conferences going on in other
regions all over Kenya at the same time as our Kitale Regional Conference.
The AIC denomination grew out of the African Inland Mission which, as a
child, I remember my home church supporting. )
Interesting Challenges:
Torrential downpour during conference; Getting stuck in the mud on a back
road; Twenty-two mosquito bites on my face and a swollen bottom lip (Smile)
Celebration:
The wrap-up service Sunday morning was a celebration.
Several childrens and teen choirs from area schools sang and danced, one
after the other, and the crowd swelled to perhaps 2,000.
Dr. Yego was thereplus many of the
regional pastors, three of whom were womenand the atmosphere was filled with
joy. I preached on Winning the
Spiritual Battle Ahead and really felt the power of God behind the message,
which was confirmed by the response at the end.
All I could do was praise Him over and over.
I marvel constantly at His redeeming, empowering, freedom-bringing love
as He does what only He can do in hearts that are hungry for Him around the
world. To watch Him work makes me
dance (which I did with one of the choirs which performed again after the
service)!
Much more transpired during our ten days
in Kenya. I wish we could have
filmed many parts of the trip and the conference so that you could really see
what God was doing. But we werent
able to, and words seem inadequate.
With love and gratitude,
Conference leaders greet us One of many vehicles bringing women Teen resting after long travel
First of 3 tents to go up Youngest attendee: 4 weeks old Writing the lies they had believed
Ministry in England and Scotland February, 2010
New Jerusalem Apostolic Church Women's Conference and Sunday Service
Birmingham, England
Scotland, February, 2010
Meetings and Leadership Seminars in Russian Cities: Tula, Kolomna, Murmansk, Apatity, Kirovsk, and Olenegorsk May, 2010
Women in Unity Conference, London, England
June 25-26,2010
Emmanuel Christian Centre Sunday Service, London, England June 27, 2010
Here's
what we are
praying for as we look out at the world: Revival
in countries that have had the gospel for centuries but grown cold; salvation
and encouragement to come to those countries that in the past have been denied
the truth; and for healthy roots to grow deep in the spiritual soil of committed
leaders and exuberant new believers.
Over the past thirteen years, I have been ministering in several countries--Russia, especially, where my heart was captured on my first trip there in 1996--as well as India, England, Burmuda, Kenya, and the U.S. And now the pace is quickening as invitations come to return to these countries and to go to new ones as well.
This year, 2010, has been filled with wonderful opportunities to be part of what
God is doing in special places in the world.
They include:
February
2010:
Birmingham, England, and Scotland.
The invitation to speak at a Women's Conference and in the church
service, coordinated by
Yvonne E. Brooks, Director of Women of
Purpose Ministries and First Assistant Pastor
at New Jerusalem Apostolic Church, one of the churches at which I spoke in
2009. It was a joy to return to
encourage believers, share the Gospel, see lives healed by the power of God, and
deepen my relationship with Pastor Yvonne.
May
2010:
Back to
June 2010: London, England. There I was the speaker at the Sisters in Unity Women's Conference and for the Sunday service at Emmanuel Christian Centre, Pastor Doug Williams' church in London. The theme of the conference was: "Who Does God Say I Am?" Many wonderful testimonies of God's grace in changing hearts and lives are coming from the time of ministry there.
Why
God gives me wonderful opportunities to share Christ
in faraway places, Ill only know fully when I get to heaven!
But this I do know:
We all must be alert to our own journeys.
When we surrender totally to God and learn the hard lessons that pass
through His hands to us, we will each have a message to give.
That message will come from the reality of Gods love and power to
change our hearts, our relationships and the way we influence the world.
That message will bring hope to others and glory to God!
Oh, the joy! Its a cause
to which it is worth giving our lives.
Right
now, I pray for you who are reading this letter that God will bless
you with more love, joy, and peace than you can contain!
In awe
of our God,