I have had a really full month this August, it has been busy but really good. Here is a rundown:
New Wine 2nd-9th Aug
I drove Tim, Matt (a volunteer), 800 copies of “Revolution in World Missions” and lots of food in a big white van four and a half hours to the Shepton Mallet Showground where we would be camping for 7 nights.
We were praying for rain (so that people would be persuaded to spend time inside the exhibition hall and visit our stall), but as we were approaching over the last few hills we saw big black clouds perched over the showground and realised it was time to STOP praying for rain! It was really REALLY wet and I got the van completely stuck in the muddy parking area (but along came a Landrover and everything was fine) and one of the nights we got a little flooded and lots of my clothes got wet.
We manned our stall from 10:30am to 10:30pm with a break between 6pm and 8:30pm during which we cooked dinner and rested. The rest of the time was spent washing and sleeping! We signed up about 700 people for the book and chatted to a lot of people supporting native missionaries and have already seen some good response. We continue to pray for the books to get read, for people to consider furthering the Great Commission in Asia through native missionaries, and for souls to be saved in Asia.
I thank the Lord for a productive conference, a great time with Tim and Matt and for keeping us safe on the roads.
Family Camp 10th-14th Aug
I had a fantastic time being re-united with folks from Servant’s Church (my sending church, formerly Calvary Chapel Norwich). This year’s camp was back at Whitwell Hall and I had a place in the single men’s room.
I went thinking that because I now served with Gospel for Asia I already knew all about living in the light of eternity and that none of the teachings at camp would touch me. I was wrong! John’s message on not playing church and being missions driven really cut me in pieces. Simon Lawrenson also gave a great teaching Jesus’ three-fold ministry as Prophet, Priest and King, in response to our three-fold problem of being ignorant, guilty and corrupt.
I had a really good time, I was really blessed to sing songs, fellowship, and have some amazing food with familiar faces and unfamiliar faces, and I was able to let everyone know how I was doing and what the Lord has been doing in me. I introduced a song I learned at CC York and it seemed to go down well.
Back home 15th-17th Aug
I went to stay for Saturday at my Dad’s house where I had some Vietnamese noodles (phở)
…played some Chinese chess (Xiàng Qi)
…some football games on the Xbox 360 with my brother Joshua.
It was nice to be back at my Dad’s house and talk to my Dad. Joshua was my driver for any journeys I needed to take and it was nice being chauffeured!
I went to Sunday service at Servant’s Church and Simon Lawrenson taught on the sufficiency and abundance of the Lord.
I went with Dave Jones back to the church house to have a look at how the lads were treating my previous place of residence, then I spent the rest of the day at my mother’s house.
My young cousin was visiting from Cambridge, my brother came up from London and my two sisters came with their boyfriends to visit.
My mother had been up since the early hours of the morning preparing food, we had Vietnamese spring rolls (Chả giò)
…and crispy noodles
In the evening after my sisters left I destroyed my brothers and cousin at Monopoly!
Back to York 18th-21st Aug
Back in York I was met with a mountain of things to catch up on and found out that I was designated as a driver for our coming weekend in Northern Ireland. Sat Nav anybody?
Northern Ireland 22nd-23rd Aug
The Renew Your Passion Conference was Saturday 22nd Aug in Northern Ireland at Carnmoney Presbyterian Church. It was great to meet KP Yohannan for the first time and I found I immediately had a respect for this man who was willing to spend most of his life travelling on planes alone and exhausted to exhort God’s people to remember the lost in Asia. We had a great time at this conference spending time with our supporters in Northern Ireland and we pray that as a result there would be fruit in harvest fields of Asia.
This is Carnmoney Presbyterian Church's building:
...Brian and Mindy Kirik:
...smiley volunteers!
...me talking with Pastor Robin Marshall:
...a shot of the crowd:
...Pastor Loren Coombs from CC Bridlington was helping us too!
...the sanctuary:
...Brother KP in action!
...another shot of the crowd:
...our resources table:
...Northern Irish money!
...Mindy Kirik in action:
...Brian Kirik in action!
...Tim and Rachel at the resources table:
Sunday 23rd KP Yohannan spoke at Holywood Baptist Church and again it was a really good time. I got to spend a bit more time with Andy and Rachel Lovell who are our Northern Ireland representatives before we had to fly back, leaving Brian and KP to go onto the remaining conferences by themselves.
Our resources table again!
...Tim with one of the congregation:
...me, er... pulling a face at someone:
...Brother KP talking after the service:
...Mindy talking to some visitors to the church:
...Judy explaining the Bridge of Hope program to one of the church members:
...Brother KP again:
...the gentleman on the right is Andy Lovell, Andy and Rachel are our Northern Ireland reps:
Well that's all for now, I'll write again as soon as I can. God bless you and keep you!
