Ohrid

In Ohrid again for a mission. We seem to meet a lot of the alternatives - punks, metallers and goths. We've been reestablishing relationships made in previous years. I met one friend called again, and also a whole family (two sisters and the husband and son of the older sister). Their openness and hunger for the Lord have been inspiring. There were others who also were seeking God. We ran an Alpha course for five nights, and there were on average 9 people there in addition to our team (which was about 20 people). The hunger of one person was especially inspiring - one morning she came to our meeting, having worked all night and only having had one hour's sleep. I think some of our guys might have missed the meeting under the circumstances.

Other highlights from the time in Ohrid have been the baptism of Dean and the sense of closeness that we have had as a group.

Healed Wrist

Three and a half weeks ago I was skating and fell and badly hurt my left wrist. It wasn't broken, but I don't know what it was. It has been painful since then, and then last week I hit it again when running up stairs - I heard a crack.

I had been prayed for a few times. I had not been to the doctor about it. I asked a physiotherapist friend today what she thought I should do - I was planning on going to the hospital. She checked it and said maybe put something on it. Then she offered to pray. Even though I'd been prayed for, this time I "received" the healing - allowed God to do it and trusted Him. When I said to the others that this time I had received it, I felt a cold feeling go across the place where it had been hurting and the wrist loosened up!

I've been really happy about it. I've been trying out various things I couldn't do before and now I can do them! Even little things, like I keep my phone in my left pocket but was having to use my right hand to get it out before - now I can do it with my left.

Praise God!

Photo!

At last! I have got a cable so I can download photos from my camera to the computer! So now I can put more photos on my blog!
So, to begin with, here's one of me and my mum, taken when my parents came to visit in June. She is pointing out that I am wearing an England football shirt!

Barry

About 3 weeks ago, Barry Graham, who had been spiritually fathering me, died. He was the pastor of Fareham Community Church in England, and was also overseeing 2 other churches and involved in missions work around the world.

I first met Barry in Albania in December 2004. He had become pastor of FCC after I left England to go travelling, so I hadn't met him then. He was the kind of person who made his presence felt, not by being overbearing, just because he had vision, was definite when he spoke and had a genuine concern for people. He would say what he saw, preferring to confront issues instead of letting them fester. The kind of person who changes things.

During the time in Albania when I met him (he was visiting Nick and Sar, the missionary friends I was staying with), he preached one Sunday morning. During the time, he picked out people from the congregation and prophesied over them, and I'm told he was very accurate. He picked on me - I needed to be spiritually fathered. So I spoke to him about it, and he volunteered to do it. Such was his attitude.

I saw him last in January. He was talking about meeting up again in Albania in March when he visited. But he had a back problem. It lasted a long time, and then in hospital he was discovered to have cancer. It took hold fast and with shocking speed he died.

So I was left with a sense of loss, as many have been. I believe he was good for Fareham and I prayed for his healing, as did others. I was looking for God's victory and that's where my faith was. His death was not something I was expecting, and personally don't think it was the "best" outcome (to say it was for the best is one way of rationalising what happened) - however I still know that God will bring the victory, in whatever form that will take. "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28)

May others follow after God in faith and commitment to God's Word as Barry seems to have done; and may we all enjoy closeness with the Lord. May Your Kingdom come...

Catching Up

Two blog entries in two months...hmmm!

The last month turned out to be more full than I'd anticipated - my parents came to visit for 13 days; Barry, who was spiritually fathering me, died; new tenants in my house in England; work; meeting with students and organising things.

So many things to say...