Murphy Moments

THE LAST BIG YEAR TEAM REPORT

2010-05-31T21:09:00.003+01:00

SORRY - it's not been easy to get internet access this time so I have waited until today to finish the story!

MONDAY 31st
We all made it safely back to Heathrow at 7:00 this morning and are either soaking in bathtubs or washing the red dust of Africa out of our clothing. It has been an amazing two weeks and the verse that kept coming to me last night on the flight home was from Mark 16:20 - ‘And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs’.
The team’s confidence grew each day as we saw how open people were to hear about Jesus and to receive him into their lives – even in the departure lounge just before we flew home!

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US WITH YOUR PRAYERS

SUNDAY 30th
Our last day in Freetown was full of sad farewells to all the friends we have made - especially our new friends at Iris Ministries and at the Tity Hotel. Life at the hotel will never be the same again as almost all the staff has become Christians and many were filled with the Holy Spirit.
In the morning the students led and spoke at a united service in a very dark old warehouse and once again many people responded publicly for salvation, baptism and healing. The young handicapped man, Saidu, who we met on the beach earlier in the week came to the service with his friend Elijah whose hand was severed during the war. They were both baptised on the beach after the service with about twenty others.
After a late lunch and packing we boarded the water taxi to the airport.

SATURDAY 29th
We spent Saturday relaxing with the Iris Team with more beach time and a celebration meal in the evening - THAT’S ALL I’M SAYING IN CASE YOU ALL GET JEALOUS!

FRIDAY 28th
The team divided again and swapped locations with more clinic and jail visits. It’s such a privilege to pray with such needy and desperately poor people.
After lunch we travelled to the Presidential Lodge for a meeting with the First Lady – Her Excellency Madame Sia Koroma. She was so welcoming. Di and Vicky introduced the team and Terry presented her with a book of collected writings of John G Lake. Then we were able to have a conversation with her and she allowed us to pray and bring her some prophetic words. When we asked what we could pray for the nation she said just one word ‘REVIVAL’!
WHAT A PRIVILEGE!

THURSDAY 27th
In the morning the team were divided into two teams – one went to a clinic / hospital and the other visited Lumley Police Station to visit the prisoners in the lockup. It wasn’t difficult to share Jesus with them. In the afternoon we had some more beach time! On the beach we met Saidu, a 21 year old man with a bad deformity of his left leg – it was very short because his mother fell when she was pregnant. We were able to pray for him and help him buy some roof covering for his shack to protect him from the rain. He began to move his leg a bit more and the pain seemed to be going. The Iris Team will follow him up.

MORE NEWS

2010-05-28T11:30:00.001+01:00

WEDNESDAY 26th

In the morning we encouraged each other as a team by sharing stories of what we had seen God do – too many to write here!

After a DIY snack lunch at the hotel we went to book a meal at a local restaurant for Saturday night. We discovered that the restaurant run a very smart 20 seater water taxi to the airport so that will make a change from the helicopter! After an hour at the craft market in the afternoon learning how to barter we spent the evening praying and prophesying over the Iris Ministries Team at their base. It was so great to be able to bless them after all that Andrew and Angella Sesay and their team have done for us.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING
Most people have had some kind of stomach bug – nothing too serious though

STOP PRESS
As far as we know (as Terry keeps on saying!) tomorrow afternoon (Friday) we will be meeting the wife of the President for a time of prayer and worship – what an honour. We will be presenting her with a hardback copy of the writings of John G Lake.

Also Terry has heard that his friends Sheka and Rose Tarawalie will be joining us at the Saturday night meal. Sheka is the President’s Press Secretary.

SORRY - We are not able to put any more pictures on the blog – it just takes too long!

MORE BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

2010-05-28T11:22:00.003+01:00

TUESDAY 25th

In the morning we had planned a relaxing ‘tem time’ in the hotel but it turned into a Holy Spirit revival session! We were praying for each other in a small lounge and many of the staff who heard us came to join in. We prayed for them and they all had an encounter with God. It all ended with a ‘fire tunnel’ (jargon for two lines of people praying for you while you walk down the middle). It was prophesied over the team before we left that we would carry an epidemic of joy and it certainly happened that morning!

In the afternoon we went back to the big shed at King Jimmy for more worship and ministry with the beggars, prostitutes and kids living on the streets. After a time of worship and a short message from one of us we began to pray for people again. There were countless headache, and stomach ache healings. Their appreciation really melted our hearts. \there was a group of mainly men and some women with crutches or wheelchairs. Some of them were receiving a measure of healing after we prayed. We had lots of opportunities to hug many of the children and it seemed that they were experiencing some kind of healing through this. Back home in Maidenhead a prophetic teacher from Canada – Jim Paul – had prophesied over the team that we would do this and people would be healed.

MORE BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

2010-05-25T23:22:00.004+01:00

SUNDAY
We were picked up around 9:30 and distributed around four churches. This was a great opportunity for the team members to share some of the things that God have given them as they prepared back home. YOU CAN BE PROUD OF THEM ALL – THEY ARE AN OUTSTANDING TEAM!

One of the young men from close by the hotel who received Jesus on Thursday came along to the central church and really enjoyed it. Next Sunday, all the Iris congregations will meet together for a celebration.

Back at the hotel we changed for the beach and ate rolls and fruit on the bus. Burah beach is an amazing tropical paradise but I better not say too much or you will all want your money back.

MONDAY
We had a rest time at the hotel this morning – so far five of the team have had to take time out with tummy upsets – however hard we try to prevent it there are always some bugs that get through. Most are recovering well after a day’s rest.

At 12:00 we left for a snack lunch at the base and then we travelled into the King Jimmy area of the city which is one of the poorest. Iris are partnering with a lady (Christiana) who works with the beggars and commercial sex workers. We met in a large shed with no doors or windows – just holes. In the shed there were people working on sewing machines and a pig running around. Andrew’s team led some worship and a couple of our team members spoke. At the end 49 people came forward to receive Jesus - the team members took all their names for follow up – IT WAS AMAZING!
Almost everyone came out for prayer for healing – they all have some kind of sickness.

A group of men and women with crutches and wheelchairs had come along and one of the men with crutches was very excited after prayer to be able to walk without his crutches. He was still walking with a limp but much faster. HE WAS VERY HAPPY!

Back at the hotel Andrew had arranged for a hot meal to be brought so we dined on chicken ground nut stew with rice, then more pineapple and mango, followed by England v Mexico on a big screen TV – LUXURY!

This afternoon we go back to the shed for a ‘Banquet’ with the beggars and prostitutes.

KEEP LOGGING ON AND PRAYING – WE LOVE YOU
THE BIG YEAR TEAM

BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

2010-05-25T22:34:00.002+01:00

SATURDAY 21st
Today was our first ‘village’ day and the team are gradually getting used to never doing anything on time or in the order we had planned it. What might have been a 2 to 3 hour drive took us 4 hours because of heavy weekend traffic in the city centre. Andrew was travelling in a smaller minibus and never made it because the engine oil ran out. The change from city to rural is quite sudden. When we arrived, there was the usual reception committee of enthusiastic children hanging off our arms. We made our own lunch of bread rolls and fillings finished off with pineapple and mango. We dined in a round mud hut.

After lunch Andrew’s assistant Moses showed us the secondary school they are building – the carpenters are finishing the roof. Kids from the village walk over two hours to the nearest school at the moment. Then we split up into teams of four and went through the village praying for the sick and sharing Jesus. It’s not always easy to know exactly what has happened but some were obviously healed from headaches and some prayed to receive Jesus. Candy’s team went into a hut where a woman had given birth to a baby about half an hour earlier. The baby is now called Candy!

Then we all got back on the bus for the drive home which only took three hours! BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.

Back at base we were served with a wonderful hot meal followed by another amazing time of worship led by Andrew and his team. Then back to the hotel for some rest. We need your prayers for team members who are finding it difficult to sleep and one or two who are going down with tummy upsets – nothing too serious

BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS - SATURDAY 22nd MAY

2010-05-22T22:34:00.006+01:00

It will be IMPOSSIBLE to explain in this blog what an amazing time we are all having here in Freetown!
We arrived safely on Wednesday night and Andrew our host had arranged for a friend to assist us through customs and immigration to the helicopter. It has never been so EASY! The first surprise was that the Helcopter crew are all Romanian so one of our team members (Lina) who is Romanian was able to chat with them and tell them all about our mission – she was so excited. Yesterday Lina and Tom visited them and they were really interested in her ‘story’!
THURSDAY
We had a briefing session with Andrew then our ‘transport’ – a really good 30 seater bus – took us into Freetown for our first experience of the stresses of city life. Our plans were to visit the museum and market, have a snack lunch, then on to the beach. In the heat, humidity and chaos, all we could manage was to get some lunch. I couldn’t have set up a better exercise for the team to be exposed to the frustrations of life here in Sierra Leone! After a short rest at the hotel we went to Andrew’s base for snapper (a local fish) and chips followed by an absolutely wonderful time of worship.
FRIDAY
After breakfast we went out in teams of 4 plus a member of Andrew’s team to offere to pray for people living around the hotel – God had told Andrew that we should start in our ‘Jerusalem’. What happened was the beginning of the fulfilment of the prophecies we had been given – a time of harvesting – catching many fish – an anointing for ‘breakthrough’. IT WAS AMAZING!
After only 2 hours every team came back with stories of healing and people receiving Christ.
JUST ONE OR TWO HIGHLIGHTS
In a shack next to the hotel an elderly man with cloudy eyes had his sight restored and was able read to the amazement of his family – he then prayed to receive Christ, followed by his grandson and some other members of his family. A builder with a stomach ulcer felt some thing changing inside as we prayed – he went on to receive Christ. Andre believes he can now plant a church here! We will tell you more when we get home. We estimate that at least 9 people prayed to receive Christ on the streets.
After lunch at the hotel we spent a couple of hours on the beach (SORRY) then back to the hotel for a rest followed by supper at the base and another time of worship and sharing about the amazing time we had in the morning.
TODAY
After breakfast we will take a 2 hour drive to a village where Andrew is already working to do more of the same – WE CAN’T WAIT!

All the team are well and working hard – HONESTLY!
On Sunday we will send the team out to local churches where Di, Vicky, Tom and Terry will lead the team members in sharing their stories
Please keep up the prayer

LATEST FOR BIG YEAR TEAM

2010-05-19T07:34:00.006+01:00

HI EVERYONE

TEAM MEMBERS
The latest information from Terminal 1 and BMI is that our flight will leave on time
See you @ Heathrow 11:30
It's going to be a great day!

For everyone else who is praying for us - THANK YOU
In case I have problems logging on in Freetown our schedule for the next few days is as follows:
THURSDAY - Orientation and meeting the Iris Team during the day and a talk on the history and culture of Sierra Leone in the evening
FRIDAY and SATURDAY - up to Andrew but we are likely to be doing visits to prisons / hospitals / clinics
SUNDAY - the team will be sent out to some of the local churches to speak / share testimony / pray for people
In the afternoon and evening it's beach barbecue time!
MONDAY - Andrew has planned a "Street Banquet" when we will be feeding "around 500 beggars - amputees - prostitutes and sex slaves" (Andrews words)
Iris Ministries are working on the streets all the time with these people so we will be following up something they are already doing - AMAZING
The rest of the week is not yet clear apart from a daytime Pastors Conference and evening Evangelistic Meetings from May 26th to 29th
SO WE'RE GONNA BE BUSY
OUR LOVE TO YOU ALL - DI / VICKY / TERRY / AND THE TEAM

MESSAGE TO BIG YEAR MISSION TEAM

2010-05-18T08:23:00.002+01:00

HI TEAM
I phoned BMI this morning and they are not expecting any problems with our flight time tomorrow
I will post the latest after I have phoned them tomorrow morning
See you @ Terminal 1 - 11:30!
TERRY

LATEST ON MO

2010-05-18T07:27:00.004+01:00

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS & GOOD WISHES
The last month has been one of the toughest I can remember, but I can honestly say that God has been working 'all things together for good' in our lives.
Mo's fall on April 10th suddenly changed everything, with two weeks in the general hospital recovering from surgery and three weeks in the local recuperation ward learning how to walk again.
It soon became obvious that Mo would not be able to come with The BIG Year Team to Sierra Leone on May 19th and I had to work through whether I might need to cancel too.
God made it very clear to us all that it was right for me to go - I was sure that this is what Mo would have wanted if she were able to communicate.
What has happenned since then has been a totally miraculous piece of timing from Papa God!
Yesterday I transferred Mo to Sandown Park Care Home in Windsor. It is the best and most remarkable care home I have ever seen - and I have seen a few!
It was opened in November last year and is still only half full. Last Thursday the local authority approved the funding for Mo to stay there indefiniely. This was the last fully funded place available - WOW!
I just wish you could all see it! It is run like a really good quality hotel with private en-suite rooms - a hairdressing salon - a sensory room - beautifully furnished dining and sitting areas - God never does things by halves does he?
So for however long Mo needs this provision it is secure for her and that gives me such peace of mind as we leave for Sierra Leone tomorrow.
I know that our family and wonderful friends in Maidenhead will make sure that Mo is not short of visitors while I am away.
MEANWHILE PLEASE KEEP PRAYING AND LOGGING ON TO THIS BLOG - I WILL TRY TO SHARE FRESH NEWS FROM THE TEAM EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS - TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRICITY PERMITTING!
LOVE TO ALL - TERRY

MO IN HOSPITAL

2010-04-15T08:04:00.002+01:00

MO HAD A FALL IN THE BATHROOM ON SATURDAY MORNING
Sadly she has fractured her right hip and on Monday afternoon she received a replacement hip joint
Because of her limited understanding we are both finding this a tough challenge
It is likely that she will be in Ward 1A of Wexham Park Hospital until at least the middle of next week
The she will either come home or be transferred to a respite care ward while she gets fully mobile

This means that Mo will not be able to make the trip to Freetown in May but we are working on the possibility of me still going with the team. Mo has a respite care home on hold so that we can keep that option open

PLEASE PRAY FOR A QUICK RECOVERY AND WISDOM ABOUT THE DECISIONS AND CHANGES WE WILL NEED TO MAKE

By the way - it is Mo's 64th birthday on Friday (16th) and I am baking a cake - it smells yummy!

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG

2010-02-20T06:54:00.006Z

I haven't blogged for a while and I have been asking myself why.
I think it's mainly that I prefer to blog when things are going well and I have good things to share - when life gets tough and I am confused about what God is doing I just don't feel like blogging - BUT THAT'S NOT VERY HONEST!
If King David had been like me most of the Psalms would never have been written!
I read today in my time with God - speaking about Israel's struggle to get into Canaan - that 'you cannot enjoy what you do not posess'. That was a challenge.
Right now I feel overwhelmed and defeated with the problems and impossibilities of my situation - spiritually - financially - emotionally - everthing.
Yesterday I took Mo to a lovely local Care Home for three nights of respite care and I feel terrible - even although I know I need the break and I know she enjoys it there. Getting into an empty bed last night was really really tough.
Like many of you I am looking for major breakthroughs on just about every front.
So was Joshua when he stood on the banks of the Jordan river in full flood looking over into the impossibly distant 'promised land'.
It was in that very moment that God said to him "Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. GOD, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 The Message
WOW! - SO here we are again Lord - BY FAITH Mo WILL be healed - we WILL get to Freetown in May - the money WILL come for the whole team - the nation of Sierra Leone WILL be impacted - people WILL be healed - souls WILL be saved - Jesus WILL be lifted up
WE WILL POSESS AND ENJOY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR US!!!!!

TREASURE HUNTING IN WINDSOR

2010-02-12T07:37:00.001Z

Last night 11 of us from The BIG Year (a discipleship course run by River Church Maidenhead) were out on the streets of Windsor. We had an amazing time and had significant meetings with 3 people.
An Arabic DJ with hearing problems - God touched him and he could hear better.
A gypsy guy from central Europe who had been thrown out by his wife - hungry and homeless. We took him to MacDonalds and had a good time praying for him.
Then there was a guy outside a bar who fitted 9 of our combined clues
> Near the station
> The Royal Oak pub
> Bald
> With tattoos
> Best friend called Steven
> Had a cycle accident when he was 13
> Was bullied at school involving water
> Wrote poetry - songs
It turns out he has friends who are Christians - has done work for a church - he has done the Alpha Course!
None of the prayer needs fitted him and he started looking a bit uncomfortable. He was backing off, so we only managed a short prayer of blessing. We pray that he won't miss out on how much God knows and loves him. Lord please get him to speak about last night to his christian friends.

WHATEVER NEXT?

2010-02-05T18:50:00.004Z

I seem to be making a few friends at BBC Radio Berkshire
After my live interviw on Wednesday and the article on their website, they now want me in the studio at 8am on Sunday (7th) to discuss terminal illness and assisted suicide - PLEASE PRAY
If you want to tune in go to www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire and click 'listen live' or 'listen again'
WHATEVER NEXT?

I'M A LOCAL RADIO STAR!

2010-02-03T15:47:00.003Z

It's been an interesting day!
On Monday I joined a live phone-in on our local radio station - BBC Radio Berkshire
It was a discussion about Sir Terry Pratchett's ideas on setting up tribunals to decide whether individuals with terminal diseases and their relatives might be given the legal right to terminate their lives. Sir Terry has Alzheimers.
As a result of what I said they decided they wanted me to do a live interview on our situation. They wanted me to comment on what it's like to be a carer and what I thought about funding for research and about support for carers. A reporter from the BBC brought a 'box of tricks' so I could do a studio quality interview from home this morning.
THEN - as a result of the interview a reporter from the station wanted to interview me about my own story of healing from cancer. So if you go to www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire you can read what she wrote!

THE BOOK OF ELI - AGAIN

2010-01-30T06:45:00.003Z

Now I understand why this film made such an impact on me.
Denzel Washington is a Christian and that's why the bits when he prays seem so authentic - THEY ARE AUTHENTIC!
Here are some Denzel quotes I found on the internet:
I was raised in the church. My father was a minister for 60 years. And I've been a member of West Angeles Church of God in Christ for, now, about 27 years, since I've been out here in Los Angeles.
When I was about 20 years old, when I first started acting, I was sitting in my mother's beauty shop. And a woman just kept looking at me. I was looking in the mirror, and I saw her across the room. And she said, "Someone give me a piece of paper." And she wrote down a prophecy. She said that I would speak to millions of people, and I would travel the world and preach to millions of people. And I didn't know what she was talking about. But this was March 27th, 1975, 32 years ago now, almost 33 years ago.
So my work has been my ministry. In fact, I asked my pastor, years ago, "Do you think I should become a minister or a preacher? And he says, "Well, that's what you're doing already." And he felt, as I feel, that that's what she was talking about back then.
GOD BLESS TOU DENZEL

THE BOOK OF ELI

2010-01-28T06:35:00.002Z

With the kind support of so many of our friends in caring for Mo I am able to get out to the movies occasionally.
Yesterday I saw Denzil Washington in The Book of Eli and I was profoundly and unexpectedly moved by the message of the film. Almost anything I say risks spoiling the film for you so I will say very little, but it might also encourage some of you to see it who would otherwise miss out. It paints a shocking picture of what a post-nuclear world might look like where every printed copy of the Bible has been destroyed. If you cannot cope with strong violence and foul language then it's a film best avoided. Parts of the film took me straight into some of the more violent parts of the Old Testament. I remember one member leaving our church when I preached a series on Joshua! There was too much bloodshed. It took me into the exploits of Jonathan and his armourbearer - David as he hacked the head off Goliath. This is film with a strong message about how God's protection hovers over the one who will value and protect his Word - even if that man is not perfect in himself. There are some very clever twists and turns in the film and it ends well. I encourage you to risk it.

EXCITING & SCARY

2010-01-17T06:11:00.007Z

I closed one of my recent blogs with the words "WE'RE OFF" - meaning that the promise of a gift from a friend meant that we were on our way towards the £3,000 Mo and I need to get to Sierra Leone in May - well we have now almost passed the 10% stage and I always find that moment really exciting as it seems to me to be God's confirmation that we are supposed to go - THANK YOU LORD!
So although the 'scary stuff' is still there, so much has been happening to encourage us.
> The BIG Year Team going in May is now up to 18 - the biggest we have ever taken;
> Andrew Seasy's pre-planning is going well with a promise from the President's wife to support us by opening the conference;
> We have reserved the Maidnhead Rowing Club as the venue for our Auction and Supper in April and are waiting to hear back from a top local celebrity about their availability;
Andrew has given us an interesting 'needs list' so does anyone out there have any of the following they could give us?
Electric or electric/acoustic guitars and strings / cables
Bass guitar
Trumpet
Keyboard
Video projector
Stage lights
Microphones
This is a photo of Andrew and his wife Angella - you can read more about their work on the Iris Ministries Website - www.irismin.com/ministryLoc_sierra_leone.cfm
Just copy and paste this link into your browser.
YOUR PRAYERS ARE A GREAT STRENGTH TO US - THANK YOU

ALWAYS WINTER - NEVER CHRISTMAS

2010-01-10T06:07:00.004Z

The past 24 hours have been really special and quite unexpected.
We are in the grip of a really cold spell - it's not often we have snow on the ground for more than a couple of days here in the Thames Valley but the cold seems to be affecting everything.
So it was very apt that a session of channel-hopping landed us in 'Narnia' for that wonderful 'wardrobe' film. The one where it was 'always winter but never Christmas'.
As we watched Mo became more and more engaged with the story, and that very rarely happens. It was like she was taking part the story in a very positive way. She began to weep real tears as Aslan's battle with the witch reached a climax with the scene at The Stone Table. There was a look of absolute wonder on her face as Aslan came back to life and started breathing life back into the creatures that the witch had turned into stone. She looked at me as if to say 'could Aslan do that for me?' I PRAYED!
THEN - this morning I read this in my time with God:
Have you ever wished you had a “timer” that would tell you exactly when God was going to fulfill His promises in your life? A way to tell with assurance when your prayer would be answered for a helpmate... the salvation of a loved one ... the end of an extended illness? Abraham must have wished for such a timer on many occasions as he waited year after year for the son God had promised to give him. But in the birth of Isaac God demonstrated that, though His promises may not come speedily, they will come certainly. “At the set time of which God had spoken” (Ge 21:2), He fulfilled His long-standing covenant.
ASLAN IS ON THE MOVE!

THE PROBLEM WITH BLOGGING

2010-01-07T09:40:00.002Z

I've been thinking - dangerous I know but someone has to do it!
Blogging is such a wierd thing to do - you let a whole bunch of total strangers into the most intimate secrets of your life and that's risky!
What if you blog something you regret or wish you could un-blog - it's too late!
With another trip to Sierra Leone planned for May - a team of 18 from River Church - this is the time when I start to have all sorts of doubts and fears:
> What if Mo's Alzheimer's suddenly gets worse and she can't go?
> What if everyone else on the team raises their funds but we fail - so far we have exactly nothing towards the £3,000 we need?
> What if no-one on the team raises enough money?
What an admission for a so-called leader!
But every trip we have ever made has been exactly like this, with a major sinking feeling inside that this time we will fail.
THEN I start looking at the massive encouragements:
> Andrew Sesay of Iris Ministries has a big vision for our trip and is working hard at the pre-planning in Freetown
> We have found a brand new hotel at a bargain price - it's by the beach and has aircon!
> Just last night a really good friend was on the phone and 'out-of-the-blue' announced that he wants to send us a cheque - I resisted the temptation to ask "how much"?
WE'RE OFF!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-01T19:02:00.005Z

New Year is a good time to try something new, so I have started as I mean to go on by attempting a LIFETIME FIRST!
It's hard to believe, but I have actually started jogging and no one could be more amazed than me. It took me 20 minutes to jog to town and back - just over 2 miles. I just kept pounding the pavement and was determnined not to stop for a rest. When I arrived back home I wasn't out of breath - just a bit sweaty.
London marathon here we come.

Mo and I wish all our friends a year of great blessing and joy!

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

2009-12-23T08:46:00.005Z

Last night Mo and I spent an amazing evening at the O2 Arena in London with a sell-out audience listening to Paul McCartney's only UK gig - a very generous Christmas present from Dom and his girlfriend Sarah - they have 'contacts' in all the right places. The Beatles were an important part or our growing up. I remember queuing up to buy the Sergeant Pepper album the day it was released and it is still one of my most treasured posessions!

What a night! Paul included a lot of his new stuff so it avoided the mistake of being a 'Beatles Tribute Night' - although there were still plenty of the good old rocking numbers. Some of the songs brought tears to Mo's eyes, so memories were being touched deep down. The pyrotechnics for 'Live & Let Die' were scary and we were close enough to the stage to literally feel the heat of the explosions!

The band were on stage for 3 hours with a half-hour planned encore session - WHAT PHENOMINAL ENERGY! I say 'planned', because one of the 'encore' songs was Mull of Kintyre with a full pipe band - spine tingling stuff!

HAVE A WONDERFUL CRISTMAS - TERRY & MO

ART ON THE STREETS

2009-12-13T06:47:00.003Z

Not much to blog about over the past couple of weeks. To be honest it's been quite a tough time with Mo - she gets very weepy and she can't tell me what's worrying her. I really don't want to put her back on anti-depressants unless I have to because it dumbs down the fun and laughter times, so we are using a lot of hugs.

Over the past two days I have been standing in the freezing cold trying to sell some of my artwork. If you follow this blog you will know that in September I started to get back into painting by doing some classes in acrylic painting. The art show on the streets of Maidenhead was great fun and I have met some lovely creative people. I was next to an astonishingly gifted watercolour artist who had produced some exquisitely detailed local landscapes, mostly on the river. He was such a lovely humble man and I am sure he could have charged much more for his beautiful paintings. I felt very insecure displaying my attempts next to his but he was so encouraging. In a strange way he reminded me so much of God who created this amazingly complex universe and then, having created me in his image, allowed me to work alongside him and express something of his creativity in my life.
Anyway - I did quite well and sold three pieces of my work - which was about the average with the other 40 or so artists. I have never sold any of my work before so it was a wierd feeling. The proceeds covered the cost of the pitch and another term of art lessons so I went home frozen but happy!
BY THE WAY - I STILL HAVE ABOUT 30 MASTERPIECES LEFT SO IF YOU ARE STUCK FOR IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS . . . .

ANTICIPATING BETHLEHEM

2009-11-30T06:41:00.004Z

We went to visit our family yesterday - they live just outside the city of Birmingham. With only a month to go to Christmas the grandchildren were already excited and there was that lovely atmosphere of expectation in the air. I love it!
We decided to leave early in the morning so we could go to a church in Dudley led by Trevor and Sharon Baker. They have been deeply impacted by all that has happened in Toronto and have become a place that knows how to value, host and give away the presence of God. Whenever we visit it's like coming home and we always get blessed.
There are some remarkable places and people that have a touch of Bethlehem about them. Places and people that in human terms seem quite small, hidden and insignificant. But they are places and people chosen by God to demonstrate that he uses the weak, the foolish, the insignificant in worldly estimation to do some of his most powerful work. As I write this blog I am reminded of the words of the humble Shepherds on that hillside in Bethlehem after they had actually seen and heard the angels! “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” I guess that's a little of why Mo and I have been led to visit some of our 'Bethlehem' places over the past 15 years.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK ANTICIPATING BETHLEHEM.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

2009-11-28T07:42:00.003Z

It's a long and dull story but last night I ended up on my own in a cinema watching the new Disney version of 'A Christmas Carol'. What an amazing film and in 3D too! A word of warning - you need to duck when Scrooge spits!
The animation is so spectacular that at times you are not quite sure whether they are really live actors. So why am I bothering to blog about this? It's really quite scary in parts and I'm not sure I would want to take young children unless I wanted them to have several nightmares. I am convinced that somewhere in the crafting of the film there was a strong Christian influence. For me, the message of the Gospel came across through some very subtle but powerful images, and the singing of some powerful lines from 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' and 'Joy to The World'. The audience is confronted with the 'What happens when I die?' question and the 'Spirit of Christmas Present' has so many clever Christlike nuances. It left me wanting to preach the Gospel even more urgently. A GOOD PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS

ERIC COWLEY VISITS RIVER CHURCH

2009-11-24T07:13:00.002Z

It's never difficult for me to be enthusiastic about my dear friend Eric. Ever since the time Eric prophesied over me almost 20 years ago my respect for him and the influence he has been on my life has been profound. God used Eric to set up a 'chain reaction' in my life that has led to so much change and blessing. Without Eric's influence I would never have made my first visit to Sierra Leone. As a result God has enabled me to take several teams to minister his love to this, the poorest of poor nations. It was Eric who first showed me:
* How to pray for people to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit
* How to preach the Gospel to large crowds
* How to pray for multitudes of sick people and see them touched and healed by the power of God
* How to spend time waiting on God for a message for the people
* How to prepare my heart by praying Scripture out loud to myself until it became like a fire inside me
It's too early to be able to report on the fruit of Eric's visit. There were 10 people who responded for salvation or to renew their commitment to Christ. As usual he prayed with eveyone who wanted to receive prayer, most of the congregation stayed to receive so we didn't get away until about 1:30. I look forward to hearing what God has done in people's lives through healing, and the personal prophetic words that were shared.

AN ORDINARY WEEK!

2009-11-21T07:09:00.003Z

Is there any such thing as an ordinary week in the life of a believer?
This week has 'felt' ordinary but maybe that's because I have missed some of the 'extraordinary' things God has been doing!
It has been painful to see Mo in tears and confusion more often than usual this week and to feel helpless about doing anything to make things better for her. But then I remember the staff at Harwood House telling me how lovely it was to see Mo going round and comforting some of the older and infirm residents yesterday.
Then I recall what a privilege it was to share our life story over a meal with the BIG Year Students on Thursday evening. It reminded me of just how much Mo has given herself to me and to others in over 23 years of ministry here in Maidenhead. Then when they all prayed for us I could see the power of God moving on Mo again - keeping alive the hope that God still has more for us to do for Him.

I am looking forward to introducing my dear friend Eric Cowley to River Church tomorrow morning. Whenever Eric comes something 'extraordinary' always happens. So Lord, please let tomorrow be a time for 'extraordinary' signs and wonders and miracles in Maidenhead. May there be a fresh release of salvation, healing and deliverance so that Jesus may be glorified.

IT BEATS SITTING ON A BEACH!

2009-11-17T07:14:00.003Z

Not much to write about over the past couple of days - except that London Irish are still in with a chance in The Anglo Welsh Cup by beating Cardiff by one point on Sunday! Hooray!
I had an inspiring day yesterday - I was in Luton for a Mission Direct Trustees Meeting. It is astonishing how we have grown over the past four years. We have been sending teams to seven different nations (around 1,000 volunteers) and next year Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will be added. If you have never been on a missions trip I urge you to go as soon as possible - IT BEATS SITTING ON A BEACH HANDS DOWN.
I am more convinced than ever that every believer who is able should do a short-term missions trip before they go to Heaven. Not only does it bring such blessing to the poor, it transforms the individual and fires up local churches back home.
DO SOMETHING DANGEROUS TODAY - take a look at www.missiondirect.org.uk and start making plans. By the way - if you sign up to go to Sierra Leone you get to sit on a beach as well!

TRIP TO LONDON

2009-11-13T07:35:00.005Z

It's not often I get to go to London, but thanks to Alison King and the lovely staff at St Mark's who look after Mo, I was able to go to the Carers UK AGM - yea - I know that sounds like terminal boredom and I did wonder as I shelled out the extortionate £23 for the travel card at Maidenhead Station!
However, it was an amazing day with some amazing people. There were two panels with MPs from all parties facing the wrath of some very well informed carers wanting to know how £150 million pounds given to Primary Care Trusts for respite care had been 'lost'! Others objected to being paid so-called 'benefits' (Carers Allowance) when we are actually doing one of the worst paid and most demanding jobs you could imagine and saving the Government billions of pounds in health care each year. Passions were running high, and there were some very red faces on the panel I can tell you. It was very well managed by John Stapleton of GMTV. I got to ask a question about some of the inequalites in the Disability Living Allowance system for dementia sufferers.
The other benefit of the day was in being able to read most of Mariatu Kamara's remarkable book 'Bite of the Mango'. This amazing young lady has written the account of her tragic experiences at the hands of rebel child soldiers during the civil war in Sierra Leone, her time at the amputee camp in Freetown, and her adoption by a Canadian family in Toronto. It is a shocking but very moving story.
Anyone want to borrow the book?

IS YOUR NAME NORMAN

2009-11-12T05:14:00.001Z

I felt a bit of a failure yesterday afternoon, but now I have reflected on what happened it probably wasn't so bad. I have an agreement with God that if anyone stops me on the street to sell me something or try to 'convert' me to whatever they are promoting, I will stop and listen - look staright into their eyes and ask God to show me something. Until I have something to say I just let them talk and maintain eye contact. A few weeks ago God gave me the name of a young Hindu hippy girl and a physical condition I could pray for on the street.

I was in Maidenhead High Street yesterday when a young British guy came up to me selling books on 'philosophy' - I think he was a Hindu convert too. I looked and listened for about a minute and I could see he was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. I said "Is your name Norman?" He said "Yes, how did you know, are you psychic?" I said "No, I am a follower of Jesus and sometimes he tells me things about people." Then I said " Do you have anything wrong with your feet?" He said "Yes". I said "What's wrong with them?" He said "They smell!"
Well what hat would you have done? I said "You are winding me up aren't you?" He smiled at me and as I walked on I suggested it would be a good idea to be a bit more honest with people. Sure, I was a bit disappointed but I promised God that I would not give up, so I am looking forward to the next encounter.

BITE OF THE MANGO

2009-11-11T15:07:00.000Z

Just a short blog today - over the weekend I saw a remarkable young amputee victim from Sierra Leone on one of the TV news channels. Her name is Mariatu Kamara. Like so many of her generation she suffered terribly at the hands of the rebels during the war. Eventually she went to Canada, was adopted by a family in Toronto and has written a book about her experiences. I went straight out and bought the book - 'Bite of the Mango' - published by Bloomsbury Publishing plc. I plan to read it over the next couple of days.
She has a website if you are interested - www.mariatufoundation.com

MORE ENCOURAGING EMAILS!

2009-11-10T06:18:00.000Z

I have been reflecting on some of the wonderful new friends we made in Toronto - I just received another email from a young lady in Germany who was blessed by seeing us at the conference - I am totally amazed that we seem to have been used by God in this way.
Then I remembered the 'word' Jill Austin gave us in the UK last November:
"We release the fire of God, and on this couple, where they have been so faithful. Lord, what I see dripping on them also is healing and what I see is an anointing in the prophetic.
More Lord – let your fire come – and even your life is a prophetic message says the Lord.”
WOW!

After the prophetic words we received in Toronto I have continued to 'pick up paint brushes' and am now about halfway through the series of canvases on creation. My tutor, Ali, has been very encouraging and is helping me see how I can improve.

Mo is settling back into her routine with all the lovely people who help me to care for her. Yesterday one of the carers shared how Mo laughed out loud at a funny comment someone had made in a way that showed she had understood - she thought this was a bit unusual.
MORE LORD!

Tomorrow I will be helping out again with the BIG Year students - we will be watching some more training DVDs from Bethel (Redding). We are still 'fired up' after the visit to Moriah Chapel - Loughor!

YOU RAISE ME UP

2009-11-09T07:43:00.000Z

Do you sometimes hear a song that you wish you didn't like but it gets inside you and God begins to speak - I think people talk about 'guilty secrets' or mmm that's a bity cheesy!
Have you ever listened to West Life singing 'You Raise Me Up'?
It has become an anthem about human relationships but I think that Josh Groban may have had something very different in mind when he wrote it.
Have a look at this YouTube Link Flag

Were you blessed?

We had a great day today - at River Church we had some amazing reports from people who had been on overseas mission trips. One of our leaders had been back to an unreached people group where he had already spent a year with his family establishing training for pastors and a church planting strategy - it's brilliant what God has been doing - I have such admiration for this guy and his family. We also heard from a team that just got back from Lesotho - again amazing stories - I think it should be compulsory for everyone to do a short-term missions trip before they go to heaven.

Have a great week standing on mountains and walking on stormy seas!

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GIANTS

2009-11-08T04:59:00.000Z

On October 31st 1904, in the tiny Welsh mining village of Loughor, the Holy Spirit moved on agroup of 16 young people at a prayer meeting led by a 26 year old aspiring preacher Evan Roberts. This was the moment when God chose to spark off a revival that led to around 150,000 conversions throughout Wales in the first 6 months alone.

I am not big on shrines and buildings, which is strange in someone who was an architect, but I have to say that as Mo and I stood and looked out from the pulpit where Evan Roberts had stood and preached, I was unexpectedly and profoundly moved. How amazing that God would take a humble but passionate young man from a tiny insignificant place and impact the whole world.

Two years later something similar was happening in a tiny storefront church in Azusa Street, Los Angeles through an equally humble and passionate black preacher William J Seymour.

These twin revivals spread around the world like wildfire and today Pentecostal and Charismatic believers number over half a billion souls (Wikepedia estimate).

We were with a group of students from River Church, Maidenhead who had chosen to make the three hour drive today as part of their BIG Year discipleship course. While we were in the schoolroom at Moriah Chapel where the young people met to pray it seemed natural to sing the hymn most closely associated with the revival as tears began to well up.

On the mount of crucifixion

Fountains opened deep and wide

Through the floodgates of God's mercy

Flowed a vast and gracious tide

Grace and peace like mighty rivers

Poured incessant from above

And heaven's peace and perfect justice

Kissed a guilty world in love

Lord Jesus - thank you for taking Evan Roberts and using his simple obedience to impact the whole world - to impact ME!

CARRY ON BLOGGING!

2009-11-07T06:34:00.000Z

I have decided to carry on blogging just as long as there is something worth sharing. Even if no one reads it I know it will help me with the discipline of 'journalling'.

Today looks like being a very interesting day as we take some of the River Church BIG Year Students to visit the church in South Wales where God used Evan Roberts to spark off the 1904 Welsh Revival. No accurate records were kept, but at least 150,000 people became Christians during the first six months of the revival. Drunkenness (binge drinking), lawlessness and imorality dropped dramatically putting breweries and pubs out of business and the police had little more to do than control the crowds and provide male voice choirs for the chapel meetings. If you want to know more look at http://www.welshrevival.com/. I think we are in for a great day.

While we were in Toronto I had a prophetic word about picking up paint brushes and painting some large canvases - that was just amazing because after decades of neglecting the gift, in September I started some classes in acrylic painting. Here is one I did recently inspired by Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 - 'In The Beginning'. Not everybody's taste I know but I hope to improve with more practice.

AND FINALLY!!!

2009-11-04T08:59:00.000Z

We arrived back home an hour early thanks to a strong tailwind and we both had a really good night's sleep. It's now time to reflect on all the amazing things that have happenned during past week.

SO MUCH - without a doubt we have seen more amazing miracles and experienced more of the 'soaking' presence of God than at any other time in our lives.

Bumping into Heidi Baker and Joshua Mills in the hotel lobby was one of those 'God moments' and something definitely happenned as they prayed for us.

Just yesterday afternoon I was with the students on the River Church BIG Year and I had the opprtunity to pray for them - it was wild - I think we are carrying something!

I have got a much better understanding on why there is a delay on Mo being healed - just read this extract from an email I received yesterday -

I just finished reading your blog and was so blessed. I really love the humility and transparency. While I was there I would call my husband nightly and tell of the days events. I told about how I met you and Mo. I told them that when I looked at the two of you I truly saw the reflection the the Bride and Christ. The intense Love and dedication you have for your wife is the intense love and dedication that God has for us. To tell you the honest to God truth your beauty as a couple is what turned my heart away from myself and my needs to the needs of others. Those last few days my heart broke and I wept for others and for their freedom and no longer for myself. I have waited my entire life for this. Truly I can not wait to hear the day that Mo is set free. I found myself waking and praying for her.

During the week so many people came up to us and said stuff like this and what a blessing it had been to them to watch us during the meetings - I feel so touched and humbled by that.

I'm not sure about the theology of this but I get a feeling that the devil may be getting a bit hacked off at all the blessing that is coming from Mo's sickness that he is close to giving up and leaving us alone - WHAT DO YOU THINK?

What I do know is that I have a new strength to carry on as a result of being in Toronto.

Love - Terry & Mo

PAPA GOD IS FULL OF SURPRISES!

2009-11-02T07:31:00.000Z

I really thought that yesterday's blog would be my last from Toronto - I was wrong!

I am awake very early and have been spending some time with God - it gives me a chance to get back into GMT as well I guess.

I promised God that I would not allow myself to be disappointed if Mo was not healed at the conference, but I guess I knew that would be a hard thing to take. But I am amazed at how much God has taught me about Mo and about myself over the past week without any obvious improvement in her condition.

I have been re-reading 'The Shack' and I am realising that part of my 'now' journey has been to visit my own 'Great Sadness' (you have to read the book) and to see that Papa God has always been right there with me so there is nothing to fear. As a result God has been doing some very big things in me, and it all started coming clear while Joshua Mills was preaching yesterday morning.

As a result I have:

1) Fully forgiven those whose actions over the years have taken Mo into depression, fear, and into the panic attacks that I believe may have contributed to how she is now;

2) Fully forgiven myself for the intense anger I have felt towards those people;

3) Fully forgiven myself for the anger I have felt towards God for not protecting Mo from this sickness;

4) Fully forgiven myself for the anger and frustration I have sometimes expressed towards Mo when I have felt that I just couldn't cope any more;

5) Received a new way of understanding why Mo has not been healed yet;

The key was in James 1:2-4

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Through what Joshua shared yesterday I realised that the time between now, and when Mo is fully healed, is to be a time of special blessing when we can still have an effective ministry together by proving that what satan intended for evil God can use for good. (See Genesis 50:20).

Thank you for your prayers - THEY WORKED!

With our love - Terry & Mo

GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME!

2009-11-01T19:47:00.000Z

Today's pictures are of the two young ladies from the UK who have been a support to us in prayer and in caring for Mo - also of Joshua Mills and his wife and son.

I didn't write a blog yesterday - to be honest I was feeling very down as it had been a big struggle all day. I couldn't get Mo to eat more than a few scraps and when it came to prayer at the end of the evening meeting (Fire Tunnels for those who understand the jargon!) Mo was very resistant - saying 'no no no'. I believe it was right to take her through and trust that God was doing something - AND HE WAS!

Today started down at the TACF building with three people prophesying over us with some really helpful stuff - all on tape for us to bring home. Then we went into the morning meeting. Joshua Mills was preaching again and it was utterly amazing (I have ordered the DVD). Basically he shared his testimony about how God moved him from a place of cynicism and doubt about the 'Toronto stuff' back in the mid 90s to a place where God touched him very deeply and how God is now using him in the most extraordinary signs and wonders and mircales you have ever heard of.

We were in the 2nd row and about half an hour into his message I saw one gold fleck appear on his face. After another 5-10mins his face and jacket were covered in gold flecks - it happenned before our eyes. The sense of God's presence was something we will never forget - everyone was getting touched very powerfully. He prayed for Mo at the end and God showed him excatly what was wrong with her.

It's kind of difficult to explain, but through Joshua's message I now have a much better understanding why Mo's healing has been delayed. One of the clues is the large number of people who came up to us at the conference and shared what a blessing it had been to them to see how we 'were' together and the love we had for each other - WOW!

The reason why we have a photo of us with Joshua and his family is another one of God's hotel lobby appointments - we walked in as they were walking out - so we were able to chat and take a photo - THANK YOU LORD JESUS!

Just one more healing meeting tonight before we fly out in the morning - Mo is asleep in the hotel room while I do some packing.

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING

IT'S SO GOOD TO BE HERE!

2009-10-31T11:02:00.000Z

It's Saturday morning already and we have a new best friend - Joy Buckland from Juno, Alaska. Here she is in the meeting last night with Mo. She is really lovely and we have taken to each other - she has been a real blessing with Mo and has been telling her husband back home about us.

In some ways Thursday was just another typical day - if typical could EVER be the right description of what is happening at this conference. We have been to a few in our time (including Lakeland) but we have never been anywhere where there has been such a sustained sense of God's loving presence - from the moment you walk in the doors. The only other place that gave us that immediate sense of 'WOW God is here' was when we walked into the River Church Centre in Tonbridge, Kent, UK.

Here is a typical day for us:

6:30 get up and get ready

7:30 take the 10min walk to the church for breakfast and a catchup on emails and blogging on the free wi-fi! Then after finding a seat in the auditorium we spend an hour in the chapel 'soaking' - basically lying on the carpet while others pray with gentle backround worship music - IT'S WONDERFUL!

10:00 The start of the first session with worship - a lot of the worship has been what I would call 'free form' where the musicians and singers blend in a spontaineous time of amazing praise. The sense of God's presence is often so overwhelming that you just have to sit down or lie down - you also have to deal with the thoughts of 'when are they going to sing a proper song that we all know'. - They do sometimes - and that's good too.

The meal breaks are great for meeting new friends from all over the world!

The three speakers yesterday were Duncan Smith (ex Spurgeons) and full of fire - Carol Arnott who did a workshop on how to get into God's presence and see visions, so there was more time on the carpet focusing on God - then Joshua Mills spoke in the evening and I can hardly describe what happenned but it ended up with Joshua praying for each one of us and anointing us with oil. There were at least a thousand people and there were bodies all over the floor getting blessed by God.

Mo was definitely being touched and she has been very loving this morning but still no evidence yet of the breakthrough we are looking for.

SO MORE LORD!

Love - Terry & Mo

24 HOURS WITH HEIDI

2009-10-29T22:01:00.000Z

I'm a bit late with the blog today - there is such a lot happening!

A couple more pics for you - although one conference is pretty much like another when it comes to photo's.

I need to report on the whole of Wednesday and most of Thursday - we are catching a short break in our room before the evening session with Joshua Mills - he is an amazing young preacher with songwriting gifts, but he is best known for moving in some staggering creative miracles and suddenly finding himself transported in the Spirit just like Philp in Acts 8:40. You could Google him if you are interested - but be warned - just like most of the other guys I have come to respect in ministry, there are some critical people out there who think he's a false prophet!

The three sessions from Heidi were outstanding (I'm bringing back DVDs and audio files)

She is a lady who has lived through incredible dangers and persecution but has seen God move whole villages to receive Christ - WHAT AN INSPIRATION. She prayed for us a couple of times and we will be able to keep in touch with her as we prepare the River Church BIG Year Team for the visit to Freetown next May.

This afternoon we sat next to a young lady from Juna, Alaska. I knew that My good friend Eric Cowley had taken meetings in Juna so I aske if she knew him. She nearly fell off her seat - she had not only heard of Eric but he had minstered many times in her church and had been a tremendous blessing. She was shocked that we were sitting together - so we ended up praying for each other.

Although I am not seeing anything dramatic in Mo yet, today has been much more settled - thank you for praying and for sending emails. What I can say is that the whole experience is like sitting in a warm bath - the sense of God's presence and His peace is just wonderful - we both feel very safe and very loved by the Father - IT'S BEYOND WORDS!

LOVE - TERRY & MO

MEETING HEIDI BAKER

2009-10-28T11:52:00.000Z

Iknow it's sad - but yesterday I weighed in at Weightwatchers - Toronto

I lost half a pound - which isn't bad after a diet of muffins and cookies!

Well - we finally got to meet Heidi late last night. We were heading for the lift in our hotel late last night when Heidi and one of her team arrived in the lobby. God's planning that we are in the same hotel I'm sure!

Last week Andrew Sesay (her leader in Freetown) was with Heidi so we were able to share about the BIG Year team visit next May. I asked her how her husband (Rolland) was doing (he was healed of dementia a few weeks ago). She is going to tell the full story this morning.

Most of yesterday was hearing amazing stories of what God is doing in remote places around the world. We were introduced to the expression 'Extreme Mission' - this is not just about lots of walking and sleeping under the stars and eating wierd food - it's about arriving in a hostile village - having rocks thrown at you - shouting out 'bring us your deaf and blind' - seeing them healed in the name of Jesus - seeing whole villages become Christians as a result - planting a church - moving on to the next village. THIS IS SUCH CHALLENGING STUFF.

We have met people who have seen heavy rainfall arrive out of season as a direct result of their prayers - others who routinely see severely disable / deaf / blind people totally healed in an instant. We are getting all the prayer and input on offer by making sure we are in the front row - YOU KNOW ME!

Today is the end of the Mission School and the start of the main conference so we will hear Heidi speak twice - please pray that we get ba chance to speak with her again and for her to pray for us.

GOD BLESS - TERRY & MO

MISSION SCHOOL - DAY 1

2009-10-27T09:41:00.000Z

Today has been a down day - I'm determined to stay positive because whenever we go away there are usually a couple of days when Mo's responses make it quite difficult to cope. Yesterday Mo refused most of the food and seemed quite depressed all day except for the times when people were praying with her - and there has been plenty of that! We took some time out between the afternoon and evening sessions so we could rest and find some suitable food for Mo.

There are about 250 on the School of Mission from all over the world and we have met some lovely people from the USA / Netherlands / Austria / Germany / Ukraine / Australia / and we haven't met them ALL yet! There will be many more at the main conference which starts tomorrow afternoon.

Yesterday we had sessions covering 'fund raising' - 'planning for an overseas team' - and one from John Arnott about reaching the nations. They were all excellent with plenty of practical stuff as well as time to pray for each other.

Heidi arrives today and will be speaking at the evening session and in the morning tomorrow

Please pray that Mo will have a more settled day

Love - Terry & Mo

A NORMAL SUNDAY AT TACF

2009-10-26T01:08:00.000Z

Sorry - no pics today!
It has been a lovely gentle day before what will no doubt be a fairly hectic schedule next week.
The highlight was the unusual start to the day. We were told that if we arrived at the church about 9:00 and put our names on a list some of the 'prophetic team' would prophesy over us.
That may seem very strange if you have never experienced that kind of thing, but we found it just amazing. After about a 10 minutes wait we sat in a circle with three of the TACF prophetic team (two were teenagers in training!). The leader explained that each of them would bring any words or Scriptures that God gave them, it would be recorded on a hand-held cassette machine and we would be given a copy.
The leader started by saying she saw us standing at a waterfall and that God wanted us to enjoy a time of refreshing - WOW - she had no idea we had visited Niagara the day before but we were really touched by her words. The other two gave us helpful Scriptures including the one about - 'rising up on wings like eagles'. There was a word for Mo about her having a sweet and gentle spirit. Then came the big one - the leader looked at me and said 'I see you painting - you are an artist - you are taking up paint brushes - I see you painting on a large canvas'. I was beginning to lose it at this point because at the end of September I signed up for some acrylic painting classes and I have literally just completed the first large canvas I have ever painted - the theme is 'Let There Be Light' - Creation Day 1. Maybe there's more happening here than I realised.

After coffee we went to the morning meeting and got some more prayer followed by lunch in the Church Cafe. After resting in the afternoon we went for more healing prayer for Mo in the evening - people were so lovely and gentle in how they prayed.

I wonder what will happen tomorrow - Heidi's Mission School starts at 9:00 - can't wait!

Thanks for praying - Terry & Mo

DAY TRIP TO NIAGARA

2009-10-24T22:57:00.000+01:00

HI ALL YOU BLOGWATCHERS

We have had an amazing day - probably our one and only 'tourist' day. We boarded a coach at 7:00 this morning - what a nice touch that God should provide the founders of 'Fuego' with a tour company called 'Chariots of Fire'. The driver had a great sense of humour and it was great to be able to see some of the Ontario countryside during the 90min drive to the falls at Niagara. The autumn colours are at their spectacular best - gold / yellow / orange / flame red - and we saw black red and grey squirrells.

At the falls we went up the Skylon Tower which gives amazing views over the falls. Then we went on one of the 'Maid of the Mist' boats - I wondered about the wisdom of exposing Mo to this (she's not great with boats) but she absolutely loved it. We all had plastic capes to wear but we still got soaked!

We are back in the hotel and snacking on Starbucks sandwiches and tea. We will walk down to the church in a few minutes just to check where it is. Tomorrow we will go to the morning meeting before the start of the School of Mission with Heidi Baker on Monday.

Love to you all - Terry & Mo

2009-10-19T07:09:00.000+01:00

HI - IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE IN BLOGGERLAND?

A lot has happenned since our last blog in the summer - after our return from Sierra Leone in May Mo seemed to be suddenly getting worse - but that is sometimes the way with Alzheimer's

I was beginning to feel very despondent and wondered whether Freetown had been our last overseas trip together - but - as usual with us - God was busy making much better plans!!!!!!!!

In September I heard about a conference coming up in Toronto where Heidi Baker would be speaking - the best tribute I ever heard about Heidi was from Bill Johnson of Bethel (Redding - California) who said "When I grow up I want to be like Heidi!" Bear in Mind that Bill may well be just about old enough to be her Dad! Heidi and her husband Rolland have seen over 8,000 churches planted in Africa in the past ten years - around 50 people raised from the dead - and just recently Rolland was amazingly healed of terminal vascular dementia - THAT GOT OUR ATTENTION BIGTIME!

We are making plans to take a team from River Church, Maidenhead to work with Heidi and Rolland Baker's team in Freetown next May.

Beacuse of Mo's condition we live on State Benefits (Thank you Mr Brown!) so we have no spare money, but we began to pray about going to the conference. After a couple of weeks we received a large cheque from someone who owed us money and I thought this is it! But God said we were to give most of it away - sometimes I wonder about God! We didn't argue but I didn't feel good about it. THEN during the next six weeks God restored back to us five times what we had given away - more than enough for us to go - HALLELUJAH!

The day I began to make plans to go to Toronto, Mo began to show some small signs of improvement - she seemed to be just a bit more aware of what was going on and was giving us some 'cheek'! Some of the lovely people who help me to care for Mo noticed the difference too!

SO - on Friday 23rd October Air Canada will be taking us to Toronto where we will have two Sundays in the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship as well as attending the conference.

This is us enjoying our first ever upgrade on the flight to Freetown last May - if you like you can pray that Air Canada will do the same.

If I am able I will add some Blogs while we are in Toronto - so do log on to www.fuego.org.uk and check it out - some comments from you would be great - especially if God gives you something to share with us.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US

MUCH LOVE - TERRY & MO

WALKING ON THE MOON

2009-07-22T09:23:00.000+01:00

SOMETIMES WALKING WITH GOD FEELS LIKE WALKING ON THE MOON
You wonder how you got there, why you are doing it, and if it's really happening!

If, like me, you receive prayer letters and information from Mission Organisations and people in Christian Ministry, you may sometimes wonder either; if they EVER have any problems like normal people, or if they are ALWAYS in difficulties, especially financial ones!

It reminds me of the 'glowing' Christmas letters that some of us send out in which we cover up all the problems and difficulties of life with a broad sweep of success and triumph.
I guess the same can be true of bloggers.

Right now I don't mind admitting that Mo and I are going through the toughest time of our lives as we approach our 40th wedding anniversary on August 9th, which happens to almost coincide with the famous moon-walkers.

For those of you who don't know anything about us, we have been in full-time Christian Ministry for over 20 years, but everything came to a shuddering halt in January 2005 when I was diagnosed with serious Lymphoma cancer and Mo was diagnosed with Alzheimers. I was suddenly, completely and wonderfully healed in March 2005 through the 'laying on of hands' and 'anointing with oil'. I wish I could say the same for Mo. The Alzheimers has been stable for quite a while now, but seems to be suddenly getting much worse.

Earlier this year we launched our new ministry under the name of 'Fuego', believing, that in spite of all the outward indicators, God had much more for us to do in reaching nations. What is happening with Mo right now, and the frankly disappointing response and lack of financial support from all but a few of our friends has meant that I am losing confidence in our ability to break through into the place I believe God wants us to be. I am carrying a big financial burden because of the cost of our last trip to Sierra Leone, plus all that was involved in the setting up of 'Fuego'. Hopes and dreams are crumbling fast and I am hanging on to God like never before.

I am enough of a realist to know that it is uinlikely that anyone will ever read this blog, but if you are the exception, please pray that we may get the physical, spiritual, emotional and financial breakthrough we so desperately need. We want to walk on the moon!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry & Mo Murphy - www.fuego.org.uk

"Expect great things from God. Attempt Great things for God."
William Carey

Phillipians 4:19-20
"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen."
The Apostle Paul

2009-05-25T06:24:00.000+01:00

It is almost two weeks since our last blog and our return from Sierra Leone.

So much has happenned during these few days.

London Irish lost the Guiness Premiership to Leicester by ONE POINT - no doubt due mainly to the fact that we were not at Twickenham to cheer them on!

We managed to get along to Oxford and Tonbridge to hear Heidi Baker and to take her a video greeting from her team in Freetown.

On Sunday 19th were given a wonderful send-off by Jubilee Church as we negotiated the 'transfer' (no fee involved) to River Church. The pictures show Terry & Mo with some of the lunch guests, and with Stuart Otto - the Lead Elder of Jubilee Church.

Terry was given the opportunity to preach at River just yesterday!

On reflection there is so much to thank God for now we are back home.

The whole Mission Direct Team were outstanding in the way they worked together - THEY CAN ALL COME AGAIN!

For us personally, it was great to see Mo being herself and getting alongside people and praying for them - especially the children. Just like back home, Mo had her down moments of confusion and panic, but she soon came through them with the support of the rest of the team.

For Terry it was a time when opportunities to minister in healing seemed to reach another level, and time spent with the Iris Ministries Team (Heidi Baker) was challenging and inspiring.

It was encouraging to see The Mission Direct projects making such good progress. Who knows what will come out of the team visits to Kroo Bay - one of the worst slums in W Africa. The leaders of Mission Direct will need a lot of wisdom to know how to make an appropriate response to this massive humanitarian need.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR US - WE NEED YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT & SUPPORT

MUCH LOVE - TERRY & MO

2009-05-13T11:00:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 13th May

Today is departure day!

YESTERDAY - after a breakfast of scrambled eggs Terry and Mo went into Lumley with Joelle. Sadly the Internet Café was not open so there was a lot of waiting around for things to happen again. Joelle did a supermarket shop for our packed lunches.

Terry and Mo spent the rest of the morning with the Iris Team at The Good Shepherd Clinic in Lumley. They go there every week to pray for the patients. Yet again God was doing some amazing things. We prayed for a man with his arm in a sling (a dislocated shoulder) as he was waiting to be seen. He was totally healed with full movement and went home a happy man! Others on hospital beds were also touched. A woman with very painful knee joints – completely healed. A very thin woman with low blood pressure who could hardly speak regained her strength and was up and out of bed straight after we had prayed. IT’S JUST AMAZING!

Andrew, Dave and Joelle were escorted to Kroo Bay by the Sierra Leone army Chaplain, Moses Kargbo, in the afternoon. Moses was passionate about his commitment to try to help the people of Kroo Bay. The place is on the coast of Freetown, and is a corrugated tin land of shacks quickly built with narrow passageways filled with silty mud. The land was previously used as a rice field. Pigs, chickens, dogs and goats all share the pathways and their excrement is mixed with the peoples and the huge volumes of rubbish washed down towards the sea. The previous night’s heavy rain had made the area was worse than ever. The “school” meets in a small building with several classes crammed into a tiny area, insufficient for the number of children there. The children don’t pay except for uniform, the teachers therefore are working for next to nothing and really just doing it for God.

In a couple of hours we will have our final meeting and farewells to the Pastors and after some beachside relaxation we will board the hovercraft for Lunghi airport. Our flight takes off at 11:50 and we should be back at Heathrow by 7:30am.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS – WE NEEDED THEM!

2009-05-12T16:29:00.000+01:00

Tues 12th May

Yesterday you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing a Bob Marley track wafting across the streets. “Let’s get together and feel alright” – “No woman no cry” – it was Bob Marley Day!

With two extra days available due to non-availability of seats on flights, we have been able to make some extra plans. After a breakfast of fried eggs and frankfurters we made our way down into Lumley to change some money and for Terry to do his ‘blogging’. While we were waiting for our money Andrew, Dave and Joelle had a guided tour around the school that operates at the JEEs church buildings. Then we were picked up in the Iris Ministries bus to spend the rest of the morning with their team. They are such great people!
We got to see Andrew & Angella Sesay’s two week old baby Heidi. Terry made a video of the Iris team to give to Heidi Baker when he and Mo meet her next weekend in Tonbridge. Then we worshipped together. Terry shared some encouragement from the book of Esther and we prayed for one another.

After a snack lunch at our guest house, it was time for a rest before supper. Then we decided to hit the nightspots – we were expecting the whole town to be partying to the sounds of the Marley Man, but frankly everything was a bit quiet. After a couple of hair-raising taxi rides and a mixture of local drinks and ice creams, we crawled into our beds at about 10:30!

Unfortunately we were awakened at about 5:00am to the sound of heavy rain. We are hoping it doesn’t spoil the plans for our final full day in Freetown. Terry and Mo will go and visit a hospital to pray for the sick with the ‘Iris’ team. The others will meet up with the army Chaplain – Major Moses – for a conducted visit to Crew Bay, the worst slum in West Africa.

Then I guess that we will have to pack tonight ready for our departure for the airport courtesy of a former Isle of Wight hovercraft !

There may be one more blog tomorrow .

LOVE FROM THE TEAM

2009-05-11T12:12:00.000+01:00

Monday 11th May

Apparently today is celebrated in Sierra Leone as ‘Bob Marley Day’. So it will be very interesting to see if we come across any festivities.

Yesterday began with Terry and Mo making unsuccessful attempts to send the blog at an Internet Café. One was closed and the other one was too slow to be any use. As they say here ‘TIA’ – this is Africa!

The morning service at JEEs Ministries was packed with around 500 men women and children. Terry says it was the best he has ever seen it. The people were worshipping with all their hearts – you could see the presence of God on their faces. Most of the senior Pastors of JEEs churches were there and it was so moving to see them worship and dance together. It is so clear that they are the very best of friends and the churches are in good heart and continuing to grow. The church is so full of JOY!

One of the Pastors was very upset on Saturday when he dropped his cellphone and it smashed. Before Terry preached he asked the congregation to take up another offering to replace the phone. They gave the equivalent of roughly one month’s wages – amazing!

Terry preached applying the book of Esther to the current situation in Sierra Leone, and at the end another 12 people responded for salvation and baptism. There were a couple of healing testimonies from the night before. One lady spoke of a painful tumour that had been on her back for about 15 years. As she was prayed for, the lump disappeared instantly. Another woman had eyes that were constantly discharging tears and she could not see to read or work. As she was prayed for, the fluid dried up immediately and she could see perfectly. At the end of the service, the team were all given gifts of African clothing.

After the service there were 24 new believers baptised on the beach and then we managed a couple of hour’s relaxation at the Atlantic Hotel. Joelle and Dave played pool !

After a supper of chicken and pasta with salad, followed by mango we were collected by the Iris Ministries bus and attended their evening service. They now have 13 small congregations planted around the city. We were deeply moved with the simplicity and power of the worship ‘There’s no one, there’s no one like Jesus’. The message was given by a children’s worker sent out by St Aldate’s – Oxford. At the end he asked all the children to pray for the adults. It was incredibly moving and powerful. There was even a 2 year old laying hands on people. We were so privileged to be there. Today we plan to spend some more time at Iris.

Not long to go now – so PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

2009-05-11T11:58:00.000+01:00

Sunday 10th May

Yesterday, the last day of the conference and crusade, was very busy.
We arrived at the Church early so that Joelle could set up for a session with the children and Terry went op post the blog at the Internet Café.

The three conference sessions went well. It was great to Hear Andrew Sesay of Iris Ministries tell of up to a hundred in Mozambique who had been raised from the dead through their teams. We hope to spend some more time with his team on Monday or Tuesday. At the end of the morning we gave out around 150 certificates to the delegates.

Joelle had an amazing time with the children. At first we had arranged for her to go in and ‘observe’, but they wanted her to do a session. What a star! She taught them songs – sorted out a colouring sheet and crayons – went out and bought squash, biscuits and lollies and all for nearly 200 children. She now has a bunch of kids following her everywhere and calling her ‘Auntie Joelle’.

It’s very difficult to know what was going on at the crusade last night. There were no more responses for salvation and the crowd was a bit small but some powerful things were happening. Terry invited everyone to kneel in the dust and experience the strong presence of God over the field. Then he invited people with cancer and eyesight problems to come forward for healing. We know that something was happening because around a dozen people – some in tears – shared that lumps or pain had disappeared and eyesight had been restored. We will try to get some more specific information.

At the end about 40 people came out to receive the Holy Spirit baptism and others to request water baptism. Later today the local pastors will baptise them on the beach.

It was good to renew our friendship with Sheka Tarawalie (The President’s Press Secretary). He came to the crusade and we hope to see him and his wife again before we leave on Wednesday night.

Terry is preaching at the host church this morning so please keep praying as we are all beginning to feel a bit tired!

2009-05-09T10:19:00.000+01:00

Saturday 9th May

Can our lives get even more amazing?
God set up some incredible coincidences yesterday. There are 6 billion people on this planet but God determines who we will meet each day.

Terry was working on his laptop and needed extra time to finish so we were 15 minutes late leaving the guesthouse. Just as we were leaving a 4x4 stopped and a very excited young man, Julian, who Terry had met briefly in the UK, jumped out of the vehicle and gave him a big sweaty hug. He was from Terry & Mo’s previous church in Tonbridge and is married to a childhood friend of their daughter Seanna. We spent some time together later in the afternoon with Julian, his wife and also Peter West, a good friend of Mission Direct from the UK. How amazing is that?

The conference continues to be well attended and the sessions are much appreciated by the delegates some of whom have travelled up to 8 hours on buses to be here. Andrew spoke at one of the sessions.

The third night of the crusade went well with about 800 attending and a few more musical contributions, including the most popular Sierra Leonian female Gospel singer – Vic Fornah. It was quite late by the time Dave began speaking but he did really well on his first ‘preach’ in West Africa. Around 40 people responded to become Christians or to rededicate themselves to Christ. There were plenty of opportunities for the UK team to pray for people. Many of these new converts have been caught up in black magic and have been under the control of witch doctors – many of them were set free last night as we prayed!

Today is the last day of the conference with Terry and Andrew speaking. Tonight Terry is the preacher. We have heard that the President’s Press Secretary – Sheka and his wife Rose will be at the crusade – in the UK they were members of the Newfrontiers church in Oldham. Please pray for a mighty move of God on this nation. The President has recently asked the whole nation to repent, fast and pray during the next three months to see a turn around in Sierra Leone’s plight as the poorest nation on earth. Our whole team is fasting today.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

2009-05-08T12:42:00.000+01:00

Friday 8th May

What an amazing day yesterday!
It started with three good sessions at the conference where Dave spoke powerfully on ‘Feeding the 5000’, then Terry taught two sessions on taking healing and prophecy out on the streets.
At the end we were able to give out about 100 copies of Greg Haslam’s ‘Preach The Word’ training manual for preachers. The were so excited!

In the afternoon we met up with the rest of the team for some relaxation. They travel back to the UK tonight and have done an amazing job. They made a visit to the worst slum in West Africa (Crew Bay) yesterday with an army escort. Mission Direct may be able to help an Army Chaplain with a project in this poorest of poor communities.

The second evening of the crusade was incredible! Andrew preached to a crowd of around 800 and we saw about 60 respond to the Gospel. Then around 200 people responded to receive physical healing or to be set free from demons and the control of black magic. It was obvious that many had been healed and set free. The sense of God’s presence over the field was powerful. God has told us to change the name of the field from ‘Grassfield’ to ‘Gracefield’. David will be preaching tonight and Terry will preach on Saturday night.

Heidi Baker’s team (Iris Ministries) are fully involved with us in all we are doing and we plan to spend some time with them on Monday/Tuesday.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

2009-05-07T17:49:00.000+01:00

Thursday 7th May

We have joined up with the rest of the team for some relaxation and everyone is fine.

Most of the team are heading back for the UK tomorrow but Mo, Terry, Joelle a couple of guys from Suffolk (Andrew & Dave) will be staying on until next Wednesday.

Last night was a good start to the crusade with a crowd of about 500-600. The response was mainly for healing as most were already Christians. We prayed for about 40 with toothache/dental problems and about half said they had experienced some healing

There were others (about 200) who showed they had been healed of a whole range of sicknesses by the end of the evening. The usual pattern is for more to come each night so please pray that the numbers will grow.

2009-05-06T13:15:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 6th May

The team of five are now safely settled in The Grand Regency Guest House in Lumley while the rest of the team continue on the project work for The City of Rest.

Last night the Lumley Team had supper with some leaders who are helping with the conference. We enjoyed barbecued snapper – a delicious local fish – with chips and salad. It was wonderful to meet up again with old friends. A young man – Andrew Sesay – who was saved and baptised as a result of our very first team visit in 1994, now leads the work of Iris Ministries (Heidi Baker) in Sierra Leone. After supper as our guests were about to leave the Holy Spirit came powerfully on a young American couple (Isaac & Brittany) so they could hardly stand up. Brittany had some amazing words for Mo about how she had rarely seen the love of Jesus so clearly present in someone. As we prayed together Mo was deeply affected by what was happening.

The conference starts today with Terry and Andrew taking the first two sessions and Terry will speak at the crusade tonight. The rest of the team will be joining us for the evening.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

Monday 4th May

This past week has gone so quickly and apart from a few tummy upsets the whole team have done really well. We have made good progress at the Grafton site for new centre for The City of Rest Drug Rehab. The base for the generator house has been laid and the walls are nearly complete. Dave Seddon & Will McCanna have spent most of their time down a hole in the ground helping to dig a well – now 15ft deep!
We have visited 7 of the Mission Direct projects and taken over £2,000 of Aid Goods that some of you gave us before we left – they are so grateful.
On Sunday morning we went to one of the local churches where Terry preached and Joelle visited the youth and children’s work. There was a good response with about a dozen people with poor eyesight were prayed for and about half said they could see better. Three people responded to the Gospel at the end of the service.
After the service we spent the rest of the day on a beautiful tropical beach swimming, tanning and eating barracuda, rice, mango and pineapple – well someone has to do it!
Today (Monday) most of the team will work on the Grafton site while Terry, Mo and Joelle go into Freetown for meetings with the Fire Chief of Sierra Leone and the head of the Sierra Leone Army Chaplains. They both want to talk to Terry about ‘trauma support’.
Tomorrow five of the team including Terry, Mo and Joelle travel to Lumley for the Pastors Conference and Crusade Meetings. On Tuesday evening they will have supper with the Conference organisers and the Iris Ministries team – the amazing work started by Heidi Baker.

I hope to refresh this blog every day now – SO PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

2009-04-27T05:02:00.000+01:00

WE ARE OFF!!!!!!!

Praying for the 'Healing Banners' at Jubilee Church

After all the waiting, the jabs and the fund-raising - the team fly out of Heathrow @ 13:15 today.
Yesterday at Jubilee the team were prayed for and we also laid hand on four 'Healing' banners that will be used on the streets of Freetown in a few day's time. Last Sunday the Maidenhead congregation at River Church prayed for us and our banners too - SO WE FEEL WELL AND TRULY SENT-OFF!

Please keep praying - I will do my best to get something posted every day - that depends on me finding a broadband link somewhere!

Only One Week to Go!

2009-04-19T10:06:00.000+01:00

Only one week before Mo and I leave with the Mission Direct Team for Freetown - Sierra Leone
AND - as usual we are under some pretty oppressive attacks from the enemy in the areas of finance, health and general discouragement.
BUT - this morning I read Exodus 14:13 "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today."
Maybe that word can speak to you today as well - please pray for us.

I have managed to arrange a visit with the Chief Fire Officer of Sierra Leone. I am Chaplain to the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and our 'Chief' has given me a Brigade shield and some other gifts to take out with us

I will update this blog as often as I can so please keep visiting - and leave me some messages

THANK YOU

EASTER SUNDAY

2009-04-13T07:44:00.000+01:00

YESTERDAY - was a very moving day for me - as well as being the day we celebrate the amazing resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, it was the 49th anniversary of the day I gave my life to him. As a 14 year old I knelt at the front of Hornchurch Baptist Church with a group of my friends and asked Jesus to come into my life - I said "Lord, if you can use someone like me I am willing to follow you wherever you lead me". Since then life has been an amazing adventure. Take a look at our website - http://www.fuego.org.uk/
God reminded me that 49 is 7x7 and in Israel, after the 49th year the people were supposed to celebrate a year of Jubilee. I sensed that God was telling me to prepare for my Jubilee Year in Christ and to expect 'many unexpected blessings' - WOW!

THEN - Last night Mo and I decided to go to the Easter Celebration at 'Hillsongs' in London. They meet at the Dominion Theatre. It was absolutely amazing!
The place was completely packed with people queuing on the pavement outside.
They presented the Easter Story so powerfully through music / video / dance / drama - you name it - and all done to a highly professional standard.
I have just read that in the past year around a thousand people have become Christians through this amazing church - most of us would call that 'REVIVAL'!

On a less serious note some of you might be interested that Mo and I are fanatical supporters of London Irish Rugby Club. We are still hurting from being only just knocked out of the EDF Cup last Thursday by Bourgoine. Here is our pic after a happier result against Northampton!

Introducing 'FUEGO'

2009-04-06T06:26:00.000+01:00

I know it's ages since I blogged but Mo and I hav just launched a new website and we want you all to know about the exciting things that God is doing in our lives.

Yersterday was a great day!
In the morning we went to St Peter's Loudwater with a good friend from the Fire Brigade who has been attending their Alpha course (Terry is a Fire Brigade Chaplain).
We joined some friends from Jubilee Church - Maidenhead for lunch to celebrate Sarah Lawson's 40th - then we went on to Costa Coffee to meet up with a whole bunch of Sarah's friends - it was great fun!!!!!!!!

Today Mo will be going to one of her care groups in Ascot (she has Alzheimers0 and I will be learning a bit more about how to become an expert on web design - ANY TIPS?

HAVE A GREAT WEEK

NEWS FROM FREETOWN

2008-03-14T12:36:00.000Z

Hi Everyone
We have been here for nearly a week and this is the first time I have been able to get into an Internet Cafe!
The first thing to say is that everyone he been v well with no tummy upsets or other medical problems.

This has been an incredible trip for all kinds of reasons and I will try to give you a brief resume of each day.

Friday 7th - Travelling all went well and we were met at the airport by two from Mission Direct. As you get off the plane being hit by the heat and himdity is always a shock. When the customs officer discovered that half of our cases contained aid he made his chalk marks on the cases and waved us through. We arrived at our hotel in Kissy just before midnight and fell into bed

Sat 8th - We visited somke of the projects - The Hastings Ladies Polio Co-operative - The St Gerorge's Foundation project working with the street children. All very moving to see how much can be done with so little

Sun 9th - Morning in small local church - amazing worship and dancing - Andrew preached really well. Then we drove for 1 hour and hit the beach at Bureh Town - so beatiful - lovely beach BBQ with local fish and rice. Very relaxing. Even Mo went in the water!

Mon 10th - The Conference Team (Terry, Mo, Glenda, Andrew) left to go to Lumley.
Problems with the hotel - no running water and rats droppings on the beds! Had to find a better one but not much better. NEVER MIND!
Rest of day spent planning for a ver big day on Tuesday - has evening meal in The Lighthouse Restaurant to test if for Tuesday night.

Tues 11th - Recorded half hour interview on national TV to be broadcast in the evening - amazing opportunity.
Drove to The State House for a meeting with His Excellency President Ernest Bao Koroma.
Could not believe that God hod opened up this opportunity for us. It was very scary as we walked up two flights of the spiral staircase passing through 4 security checkpoints.
Presented a signed copy of "Preach the Word" to the President - Terry gave a short speech and offered to pray for the President. He accepted so we gathered round and prayed the words of Isaiah 61 over him - JUST AMAZING! The next day he left for the Summit of Leaders of the Islamic Nations in Senegal. His Press Secretary (Sheka) and his wife (Rose) hec become such good friends.
In the evening we hosted a dinner at The Lighthouse with the Deputy Minister for Labour (they call her Auntie Cadie), A Senior Attache to the British High Commission, Sheka and Rose, and other local big wigs. We had great fun and got to bed at midnight.

Wed 12th - Opening of the conference by the Local MP and 'Auntie Cadie'
Andrew and Terry spoke - we went to a market and then rested in the afternoon
The open-air Crusade started well with about 500 attending and Terry preaching - good response with many people wanting prayer

Thurs 13th - Conference continues with more sessions from Andrew and Terry
Informal afternoon appointment at the British High Commission with Robert Collett - son of a man who lodged with Terry and Mo a few years ago! Back to Hotel for rest before the Crusade.
Andrew spoke really well - over 1,000 attending with many (around 100) becoming Christians - looks like there will be many baptisms on the beach on Sunday

Fri 14th - We have just finished the morning sessions at the conference and this afternoon we will rest again and may visit the 'City of Rest' drug rehab project
Then Terry will preach at the Crusade after we have shared a meal with the rest of the Mission Direct Team as they travel over for tonight's meeting.

Sat 15th - We have planned some practical preaching workshops in the moring as we build towards the final Crusade Meeting in the evening - we will not be showing the Jesus Film - instead Terry will preach again.

Sun 16th - Whole team at Lumley Church where Terry will preach followed by baptisms on the beach
Then we chill out on the beach and finish with team banquet!

Mon 17th - Morning visit to the Poli Ladies at Hasting
After lunch we catch the ferry to the Airport and ariive hom in the early hours of Tuesday morning

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS - KEEP PRAYING
WE ALL SEND OUR LOVE

TERRY - MO - GLENDA - ANDREW

2007-10-01T00:15:00.000+01:00

ARGENTINE TRIP - Sunday Night - Buenos Aires International Airport

I thought I would pull the ultimate poser trick and blog you from the airport on the wi-fi - I'm learning fast!
We had another great time at church this morning - after feeling a bit flat we were so encouraged by the preaching of one of Claudio's staff. He spoke from Mark 4 about the disciples feeling fearful during a storm. Jesus was in the boat with them but he was asleep. I have heard loads of messages on this passage and preached a few myself but it really hit home for both opf us this morning. We were in floods of tears as God reminded us that:
1) We have been obedient to God as the disciples were - we are in the boat and crossing to the other side
2) We are experiencing a storm in our lives for all kinds of reasons but mainly through Mo's illness
3) Jesus is still in the boat with us even though we sometimes think he doesn't care and has forgotten about us
4) The time will come when Jesus WILL command the storm to be still and we will get to place he intends us to be!
No wonder we were in tears.
At the end of the service a pastor from Taiwan came over and prayed with us - it was very powerful and emotional
He took us back to his home mto meet his wife and we had some lunch together. On the way we stopped at his store - a kind of corner grocery shop that he runs to support his ministry. He asked me to pray for the young people working in his store - God touched every one of them and we were all in more tears. HOW EMBARRASING!
After we had eaten he drove us back to the hotel to collect our cases and we were soon on our way by taxi to the airport.
We will board the plane to Washinmgton in a few minutes.
Hope you all enjoyed my first attempts at blogging

LOVE - TERRY & MO

2007-09-30T13:15:00.000+01:00

ARGENTINA TRIP - LAST DAY - SUNDAY 30th

Just a few quick thoghts from our hoyel room before we check out and make our way to the morning service at Rey de Reyes
I think I said before thet this has been a time of highs and lows for both of us but to be honest that has become our life experience over the past few years anyway - and I hear some of you saying - "ME TOO".
We both agree that it's been worth battling through the low times to reach the many "highs" we have experienced. There are definitel some important lessons learned. I feel a mountaineering illustration coming on but as I know nothing about this particular skill it's best I keep quiet and leave it to your imagination. Thinking back I would say that the visit to the Washington Space Museum was an inspiration. I have always been a bit critical of all the money that is spent on the space program and I still hold that view - but you cannot deny that the dream to put men into space was a massive task and in spite of having to battle against what must have seemed impossible odds - they never gave up but kept pressing on through all the setbacks.
People who achieve great things in life live close to the edge of certifiable madness, but without men and women like these, Everest would never have been conquered, we would not be flying around in 'planes, and the Gospel would not have reached the ends of the earth - that makes me feel better!
Yesterday we took it easy and visited La Boca and Caminito - the arty-crafty bit of Buenos Aires. It was a nice day out and the public transport costs continue to amaze us. Less than £1 for both of us for the whole 2hr return trip by underground and bus!

We were back in time for another great service at Rey de Reyes. They had a spot in the middle with an amazing Argentine Folk band leading the worship - 4 young guys with Spanish guitars mandolin and pan pipes - it was very moving. Then a Gaucho in full dress and boots came on the platform and did an energetic dance as his expression of worship to God - WONDERFUL!
At about 8pm we went to one of the restaurants for some more great food.

Looking forward to getting home now - Love to you all -
Terry & Mo

2007-09-29T05:08:00.000+01:00

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM FRIDAY EVENING

2007-09-29T04:08:00.000+01:00

ARGENTINA TRIP - FRIDAY - DAY 7

I will do my best to stay brief with the events of yesterday and today.
As you know we missed the final evening session after Mo's visit to the Treatment Room - she just fancied being carried out by some of those hunky Argentinian medics!
SERIOUSLY - she had a good night's rest and is absolutely fine now.

THURSDAY 27th
After breakfast we went back to the radio station to get a few pictures and names and to ask about the times of prayer meetings etc. They were really pleased to see us again.
After that we decided to do a few touristy things. Buenos Aires is a truly beautiful city with open park areas and wide avenues. We took the underground to one of the main shopping areas and had lunch in one of the many pavement cafes. It costs jut 10p for a ticket and you can travel to any station you like on the one ticket - can someone please tell Ken Livingstone? It still seems that Brits are quite rare on the streets of BA and we have been made extremely welcome. The weather has been a bit like it was in the UK in April - a very warm start to spring. The highlight of the day was the taxi drive back to the hotel. A half hour drive cost £2 - amazing! I had a go at chatting with the driver and we were able to cover topics such as the weather - football - rugby - the economy - the Malvinas - the conference - the Catholic Church - favourite foods - ice cream - polo - and the Mafia - NOT BAD FOR A BEGINNER EH!
Arrived back at the hotel for another good night's sleep.

FRIDAY 28th
We decided not to travel too far today. We were keen to watch the England v Tonga match (4pm BA time) and we were told of a service at the second building a few blocks away at 7pm. I did my best to get the hotel internat connection working after breakfast - no luck yet.
We went to the supermarket and got some rolls, meat and cheese for lunch and had another rest before watching the match. Sorry to bore you non-rugby types but Paul Sackey's two tries were absolutely amazing - the second one has to be the best contender so far for try of the tournament. AM I RIGHT?
After the match we walked a few blocks to where the meeting was due to start and we had time to have some food - the best meal so far. Mos had a massive plate of chicken breast in mushroom sauce and I had a very large tender piece of Argentine beef - melt in the mouth food!
The church was kind of what I expected. The building is down on quality from the main auditorium - I'm sure I recognised the wooden benches from when we were here in 97. The room holds around 800 to 1,000 and at the start of the service there were about 50 present (around 200 by the end). That might not sound much like revival but we were both in tears as we recognised that this congregation is predominantly poor but not lacking in a passion for God. Also remember that this is a Friday night meeting - many more will gather for the Sunday meeting. It was not easy to follow as there were no words projected and no interprters but the sense of God's presence was powerful. The preacher - Juan Carlos Diaz - is an evangelist on Claudio's leadership team. He spoke briefly and passionately on the impact of the news of the resurrection of Jesus on the disciples from Mark 16. He then did a very strange thing. He took a couple from the front row and asked them to go and bring two others to the front to join them (to symbolise sharing the resurrection story). Those four were sent to find four others. By then Mo and I were roped in. I am sure you can picture the scene. Pretty soon all 200 of us were standing at the front and ready to be prayed for. Some might call it manipulation but everyone seemed genuinely pleased to be there.
This next bit is a big one - Mo was already shaking gently under the power of the Holy Spirit as Juan prayed for her - at this stage he knew nothing about her - from her response we could all see that she needed some deliverance so we were invited to a back room where he prayed some more with the help of an interpreter.
SOMETHING HAS DEFINITELY HAPPENED TO MO - the first thing she did after the prayer session was to write the words "IM FREE" (see the photo) As we were walking back to the hotel I asked her to tell me her date of birth and for the first time in over 4 years she was able to tell me. She also did some simple mental arithmetic. It seems she will have to work at getting the skills back - and we do have more opportunity toi receive prayer tomorrow and Sunday.
PLEASE KEEP PRAYING - GOD IS AT WORK

Love Terry & Mo

2007-09-29T02:46:00.000+01:00

HI EVERYONE! - Sorry that the blogs have dried up - the hotel wi-fi went down and it's just come back so I have a lot of catching up to do! I will put each day in a different blog and then I will try to blog some photos. Here goes then!

ARGENTINA TRIP - THURSDAY (DAY 6)

The Conference finished yesterday and it was an eventful day for both of us for all kinds of reasons, but first I want to let those of you who are interested in the work of Mission Direct (http://www.missiondirect.org/) know that we had an amazing "chance" meeting with the senior pastor and some of the members of the Abba Church in Campo Largo, Brazil. MD are working with them to build new homes for families living in the local "favellas" (slums). The church has strong links with Claudio Freidzon and Rey de Reyes Church here in Buenos Aires, so I was hoping to bump into them - it just so happens that the first Brazilian I met was from the Campo Largo Church - RESULT! They are so grateful for the help we are giving - the hugged us 'til we nearly popped!

Now to the main events of Wednesday. There were big highs and lows - a bit of a roller coaster.

After taking Tuesday night off we had a really good night's sleep and arrived at the church at 8am for a 10am meeting - it's what you have to do here to get a seat near the front! We were amazed to see around 500 people already there. I cannot imagine what time the ushers have to be there - maybe they just sleep on the floor because the meeting on Tuesday night didn't end 'til after 2am. Anyway it's fun to have the time to meet, chat and pray with people from so many nations - no one really bothers about the time - a bit like Africa. I really wish I could speak a lot more Spanish.

Once again the morning worship was amazing . I am getting better at singing in Spanish - Mo moves her lips but I'm not sure what's coming out! I can now understand most of the key words in the songs. I now know that Gloria and Alabanza are not ladies in the choir but "Glory" and "Praise". Claudio preached powerfully about Naboth from 1 Kings 21 - he was the man who refused to sell his vineyard to King Ahab because he would not give up his inheritance for anything - not even to save his life. Preachers you can work out the sermon for yourselves. Claudio went on to pray for any who had been tempted to give up their vision / inheritance God had given them. That seemed to be most of us - so we both joined the stampede for the front. Sadly, Mo got a bit upset in the crowd so we left before the prayer bit. We were both a bit down (quite a lot down) over lunch as a result and we wondered about going back to the hotel (i.e. giving up on the vision) It was definitely a low moment for both of us and we were confused about what God was doing.

We DID go back for the afternoon session but with very little enthusiasm to join in - SORRY FOLKS! Then a lady started waving at us from the end of our row. She was from the local FM radio station run by the church and she was looking for someone from the UK to do a live interview about the conference - THE LAST THING WE FELT LIKE DOING! We went anyway and from that moment the day began turning into a HIGH. We spoke about why we had come and how God had led us to be there, also why Mo needed healing. As we spoke, the guys in the studio were visibly moved and once we were off-air they prayed for both of us - THEY WERE FANTASTIC! We then prayed for them and their work and something good was definitely happening. Later we were told that the team of intercessors in the building next door felt strong waves of the Holy Spirit coming on them during the exact time of the broadcast. Who knows what was really happening - what we do know is that God set it up just when we were sinking low and now thousands of listeners in Buenos Aires have heard our story.

There is more so please be patient if you want the rest of the story.

After the radio interview we went back to the hotel for some supper before returning for the final evening session. We had learned that old conference trick of leaving personal posessions on the seats to save a place. It's amazing how far you can stretch a scarf or Brazilian flag when you need to.

As it was the last night the delegates were in high spirits - more like a football crowd - most of them had brought their national flags. There were chants of "ole ole oley ole Jesus Jesus" together with a few Mexican waves with real Mexicans! I know it all sounds a bit OTT and embarrasing but it was great fun. The worship time started at about 9pm - only an hour late - WHO CARES! I have to admit that by now it was unusually hot and humid and I guess the oxygen levels were getting a bit low. Anyway, part way through the second song Mo passed out - not something she has ever done before - so I was very worried as the medical team carried her out to the treatment room. They were superb and it was obvious from the start that they knew exactly what they were doing. Thankfully Mo's blood poressure was normal, which is very surprising. After some iced water, a rest and further checks we decided to go back to the hotel. We were sorry to miss the closing session but we have ordered the DVDs and we will back in the church again on Saturday and Sunday before we fly home.

Thanks for your prayers and interest - feel free to leave messages / comments / questions on this blog page.

Love - Terry & Mo

2007-09-26T02:46:00.000+01:00

Argentina Trip - Day 4 - Hotel Room - 10.45pm

We have reached the end of the second day of the conference and are definitely wilting, so we decided to miss the evening session and headed back to the hotel at 6pm. We have been sleeping - I guess jet-lag does exist after all! I know that sounds a bit negative but the two days of conference have been amazing and the Argentinian guys are so welcoming. One lady came up to us and said she remembered us from when we were here in 1997 - she was our interpreter during the church meetings- what a memory!

There are three sessions each day and there doesn't seem to be much of a gap inbetween. Although all the overseas delegates are booked into a selection of buffet restaurants for lunch. You can choose all kinds of freshly cooked food from pasta, salad, fish and great slabs of beef or lamb. No chance of us losing weight then - it would be rude not to tuck in!

Most of the delegates are from South America. We have only spotted three other Brits plus one solitary Aberdonian. Oh - and there are quite a few from the US - we met a large group from Mineapolis.

The first session started with explosive passionate worship - the Church have several bands and choirs. Since we were here last time they have grown from around 3,000 to over 26,000. They are constantly starting new building programmes. Claudio was explaining that none of their members are allowed to come to the conference - the whole church is mobilised to serve the delegates - there are hundreds of them! The ladies are dressed like cabin crew and the men are all in suits and ties - very smart.

The teaching and ministry times have been amazing and we have both spent a fair amount of the time weeping and being softened by the presence of the Holy Spirit. It's all pretty intense so we don't feel bad about taking some time out to rest. I'm sure we will have much more energy for tomorrow.

That's all for now - I will blog again on Thursday

Love from us both

The Lounge at the Washington Hilton

2007-09-24T10:49:00.001+01:00

Looks like I managed it! More to come - Terry & Mo

2007-09-24T10:02:00.000+01:00

ARGENTINA TRIP - DAY 3
24th September 2007 - Buenos Aires - 6am

Well we made it to Buenos Aires after 50 hours of travelling!!!!!
The overnight in the Washington Hilton at the airline's expense was not all bad.
The Hotel was amazing and the standard of service was like nothing we have ever experienced anywhere - the staff were really on the ball with free lifts to the mall and the Smithsonian Air & Space Centre. What an amazing FREE museum!
We saw one of the shuttles - James Irwin's space suit - the Enola Gay - Concorde and every other imaginable shape and size of aircraft from the early pioneers until modern times. We watched an IMAX film about the 12 men who have walked on the moon (JOB - just be quiet!)

What is it about hotel showers? I swear they are like fingerprints and snowflakes. They are all different with their own personalities. You think you have it just right and then just when you are all lathered up you get scalded - so you try to adjust the "fawcett" and a whoosh of ice cold water hits you in the face!

The final little surpise stored up for us by United Airlines was the allocation of our seats to Buenos Aires. We were in the same row - GREAT! But we both had window seats - work it out for yourself. When I told the lady at the boarding desk that there was no way that Mo and I would be sitting 7 seats apart she acted pretty quickly and we snuggled down for the 10 hour night flight.
The taxi ride along the freeway into BA is best left to the imagination and definitely best negotiated with eyes closed - the speed limit is 80k (50mph) and the driver managed to do 130k (80mph) most of the way!
The Hotel is fine with a fridge and microwave - and we are only a couple of blocks from the Church. After a shower we went straight to the Church and caught the last half hour of ministry from Claudio. The Church is even more amazing than we remember it. A much larger buliding and congregation. They have two congregations on Saturdays and three on Sundays - the services last about 4 hours with over 2,500 people. Some stay for more than one meeting and there are queues round the block to get in!
We went off for some lunch at about 2pm - an amazing Argentine/Chinese help-yoyurself buffet with all kinds of food from choose-it-yourself stir-frys to large pieces of meat on a coal fire (it was way too big to call it a charcoal grill) Cost? Under £5 each with wine! We will have to find somewhere cheaper.

After lunch we went back for the 4pm service as we needed an early night. The building was nearly full by 3:45 but as UK guests we were shown to the front and given translation headsets.
The worship was astounding - a 50 strong choir and band that looked like they meant every word they were singing. It seem that the duty choir of the day do at least 2 of the Sunday services (all 4 hours long - what committment!)
We had an emotional reuinion with the family we stayed with in 1997 - Nomar and Andrea's 4 kids remembered us and the fun we had. Nomar led part of the service near the beginning. For those of you who are interested - he read a few verses from Mark 2 about the healing of the paralysed man - gave a short 5 minute Gospel presentation and around 50 people responded to receive Christ. Another group came out to receive prayer for healing.
Eventually Cluadio came on to preach - he is a bouncing ball of fun - I have never seen a preacher enjoy himself so much. He spoke from 2 Kings about Elisha asking Elijah for a double portion of what he had! You can imagine where the ministry time went after that. Let's just say that he had spotted Mo and I from the platform and came and prayed for us in our seats - what a start to the week! Bodies all over the place!

I guess I will have less time for blogging as the week goes on so I will try to keep them a bit shorter - we have to register for the conference this morning at 8am so it's an early breakfast for us.

I will have to find out how to add photo's to the blogs.

Thanks for reading - please keep praying - Terry & Mo

2007-09-22T11:55:00.000+01:00

Argentina Trip - Day 1 22nd Sept 2007 - Washington DC - very early!

International travel is always a challenge especially if you are daft enough to change flights midway

We were delivered safely to Heathrow Terminal 3 by Job & Asma - thanks guys. We soon discovered that our United Airlines flight to Washington DC had been cancelled and we were being re-booked on a later BA flight from terminal 4. After walking, running, pushing and shoving we arrived at the right gate (miles away) with about 10 minutes to spare.

After some frantic BA phone calls they finally let us on. We found ourselves sitting next to a Civil Engineer from Sierra Leone - he lives and works in Freetown and was off to vist kids and grandkids in Maryland. We chatted away in Krio and I showed him some Mission Direct pics on my laptop - he was really interested and may be able to help us with some of our projects in Freetown.

Amazingly we both slept really well on the 10hr flight - Mo says the food was good - cottage pie & strawberry cheesecake (what! no ice cream!)

You're going to identify with this next bit if you've ever been the last person at the baggage claim. With 45 minutes to make the transfer for the Buenos Aires connection we waited and waited AND we both needed the "rest room"! Then there was the queue at passport control and customs. We were just at the final exit gate when someone spotted that one of our documents hadn't been stamped properly. There were two options - lie on the floor and scream or go all the way back and get another form stamped. A nice US policewoman with a gun shouted at us - "You can't go back there" - "Oh yes we can". Suddenly we a walking free in the USA. By the time we got to United's check in desk the flight was closed and a, smiling, patient, "have-a-nice-day" attendant gave us a voucher for an overnight hotel and a phone number to arrange a flight tomorrow.

So here we are with a free stopover in a luxury room in the Washington Hilton with a free trip planned to the National Air & Space Museum later today - so it's not all bad is it?

Our flight leaves at 9:45pm and we arrive in Buenos Aires on Sunday morning. Hopefully we will have a good night's sleep and still be able to get to one of Claudio's services at Rey de Reyes.

Must have a shower and go for our FREE BREAKFAST!

TERRY & MO