Today has been a really great day ... we started with our devotions studying Acts. It was really encouraging and challenging and set us up for another day of ministry.
Our first event was singing at the hospital where we were welcomed by the Hospital Chaplain Chris. We had met her two years ago and so it was great to meet her again. We set up in the foyer which is a large area with seating.
At the end of our songs we noticed a lady who had sat listening to us was dabbing her eyes and so Alice went across to speak to her. She immediately said she knew she needed forgiveness! She gave her life to The Lord there and then. We prayed together and Alice also prayed for healing.
We then went up to the third floor and sang again. We were asked to go and sing outside the door of a little girl who was in isolation, we could see her through the open door and we sang 'Great Big God' and 'You are wonderful'. We left her with a balloon flower and a red nose!!! She was beaming.
In the meantime the lady who had given her life to The Lord was introduced to Peewee and she told Peewee that as she was prayed for her legs were tingling and she started to move her legs in a way she hadn't been able to for a long time. We believe she has been healed too. Praise God for answered prayer!
Our next job was to shop for food and cook for 40+ at Care 66, the home,ess centre. We hit Walmart and loaded a trolley and then headed back to church to peel veg and practice drama.
We headed down to the old Lexington Hotel now home to Care 66 to cook. We took over their kitchen and set to work. We met Keith, the resident chef, who made us really welcome and helped us find our way around.
We served the meal at 5.30pm and then sat and chatted to the folks and invited them along to the church two doors away where we took the whole service.
It was a really powerful time of worship, drama and testimony and ended with one guy committing his life to The Lord and many others receiving prayer.
For those of you who are praying for us please continue - it looks as if our prison visit for Friday is definitely off but there is still a slim chance for next week, please pray for that. But Friday has now been filled up with fresh and exciting opportunities including the detox centre, a funeral here at the church and the detention centre and then tea and a chat at the ceremonial dancing on the town square! Busy and exciting.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Photo's - Tuesday
Chilling in the Gym after soccer skill training.
All change! A set back ...
After such an amazing day yesterday, as we were worshipping during our devotions today the phone rang with some bad news. Calvin rang to say that the prison has gone into lockdown! That means no visitors ... We really need your prayers please. We were scheduled for Friday and Calvin is really working hard to get us in even if it means on another day. Disappointing especially as we had had such a good day yesterday inviting the guys along and seeing how excited many were about our visit, it seems so cruel.
Meanwhile if we don't go on Friday another opportunity has opened up for us to go into the detox centre and detention centre which is fantastic!
Today has been another brilliant day of new opportunity. After breakfast we travelled west and crossed the border and a time zone back into Arizona to the Sun Valley Indian School. A boarding school for Navajo children run by Christians. We set up in the Chapel and then had lunch with the kids, spent some time playing with them in their playground in the baking hot sun and then took a session with the whole school and staff. We sang, did a drama skit, showed one of our mission films, talked about the UK, preached and had a Q and A session. It was really good to have freedom to talk to the kids about Jesus.
We then went into the classrooms to see the different things they are learning about including working with wool and weaving! The guys took a soccer session in the gym. We left behind soccer gear, games and gifts for the staff and a financial gift. We all felt extremely blessed by the day and the welcome we had received.
On our way home we stopped off in Holbrook to show Steve the Wigwam Motel and have tea in Romas.
We are now back in Gallup extremely tired ... tomorrow is going to be a very full day. Please pray for our stamina.
Meanwhile if we don't go on Friday another opportunity has opened up for us to go into the detox centre and detention centre which is fantastic!
Today has been another brilliant day of new opportunity. After breakfast we travelled west and crossed the border and a time zone back into Arizona to the Sun Valley Indian School. A boarding school for Navajo children run by Christians. We set up in the Chapel and then had lunch with the kids, spent some time playing with them in their playground in the baking hot sun and then took a session with the whole school and staff. We sang, did a drama skit, showed one of our mission films, talked about the UK, preached and had a Q and A session. It was really good to have freedom to talk to the kids about Jesus.
We then went into the classrooms to see the different things they are learning about including working with wool and weaving! The guys took a soccer session in the gym. We left behind soccer gear, games and gifts for the staff and a financial gift. We all felt extremely blessed by the day and the welcome we had received.
On our way home we stopped off in Holbrook to show Steve the Wigwam Motel and have tea in Romas.
We are now back in Gallup extremely tired ... tomorrow is going to be a very full day. Please pray for our stamina.
Meeting the Mayor and more .... A breakthrough day!
Today is Colette's birthday which we celebrated with birthday cake for breakfast and a plan to go out for a meal tonight.
Our programme began with a meeting with the Mayor of Gallup, Jackie McKinney. We went downtown to the Mayor's office and went into his chambers and sat around the table with him.
It was an awesome occasion and the Lord showed us such favour through this man.
Jackie is quite a character! He wears his hair long in a sophisticated pony tail and is a real cool guy. He is a long term member of the CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association). During the meeting his mobile phone rang and released a great deal of laughter as the ringtone was of a lever action Winchester! We are, after all, in the real Wild West!
We had a fantastic discussion about our visit and he gave us the green light to work in the open air around the city including setting up tea and a chat at the Ceremonial Dancing in the town square and other possible openings to visit the detox centre etc. Without going into too much detail it was a real breakthrough not only for us but for Dennis and Peewee here at Joshua Generation. He also wants to see us on Tuesday next week. We ended the meeting laying hands on him and praying for him.
From there we got coffee in a coffee shop in the centre of town. Noticing a guitar and drums we asked if we could come along in the evening and set up a cafe church to which we also got the green light!
Moving on from there we went to Care 66 on Route 66 which is a homeless shelter (the old Lexington motel) making a real difference in people's lives. We are going to cook a meal for them on Wednesday so Julie took a look at the kitchens and worked out a menu. Two doors away from this old motel is a little church which used to be the home of Joshua Generation and where there are still strong links (it was the building they temporarily used for church when they had to leave their current building). After we have fed the folks at Care 66 we are going to invite them to the church where we will put on a programme.
From there the team split into two and Dave, Alice, Mark and Julie headed out to the prison whilst the rest of the team headed the opposite direction down Route 66 to the Manuelito Navajo Children's home.
The Manuelito team were able to meet up with the teachers, children and houseparents and plan for our other visits. They walked around the classrooms and chatted with Jim Christian the Headteacher who gave them a warm welcome. We are definitely seeing the fruit of being consistent and regular with our visits out here.
The 'prison team' headed east to Grants and met up with Calvin. We were taken through security and in to meet the Prison Governor. It was a great meeting, full of favour and we were able to share with him our plans for which he totally approved and asked if we would be able to make more visits! From him we then went around the inside of the prison visiting the 'pods' and meeting face to face with the inmates inviting them along to the various events we are putting on in the gym on Friday. We walked through the exercise yards where the prisoners came up to the fence and we posted our flyers through the chain link fencing and chatted to them. The last category were the women who all came out in the sun to meet us. Please pray for many to come along - we are in prison all day and evening on Friday doing three long sessions.
The thing that really touched us was the guys who came right over to Julie and I and asked if we were the people that had given them the Alpha course - one was beaming as he said how much he was enjoying it. They love Nicky Gumbel! Some also recalled our last visit and even told us what we had done including details of our dramas - really blew us away knowing that we had an impact. God is good! Such an encouragement.
Back in Gallup we regrouped and did some planning for the next few days and eventually headed out to Earls Family Restaurant for dinner. Such a cool place where the Navajo come around the tables selling their jewellery. Final event of the day was a trip to Walmart for supplies, drama props and craft material. Thanks for your ongoing prayers
It was an awesome occasion and the Lord showed us such favour through this man.
Jackie is quite a character! He wears his hair long in a sophisticated pony tail and is a real cool guy. He is a long term member of the CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association). During the meeting his mobile phone rang and released a great deal of laughter as the ringtone was of a lever action Winchester! We are, after all, in the real Wild West!
We had a fantastic discussion about our visit and he gave us the green light to work in the open air around the city including setting up tea and a chat at the Ceremonial Dancing in the town square and other possible openings to visit the detox centre etc. Without going into too much detail it was a real breakthrough not only for us but for Dennis and Peewee here at Joshua Generation. He also wants to see us on Tuesday next week. We ended the meeting laying hands on him and praying for him.
From there we got coffee in a coffee shop in the centre of town. Noticing a guitar and drums we asked if we could come along in the evening and set up a cafe church to which we also got the green light!
Moving on from there we went to Care 66 on Route 66 which is a homeless shelter (the old Lexington motel) making a real difference in people's lives. We are going to cook a meal for them on Wednesday so Julie took a look at the kitchens and worked out a menu. Two doors away from this old motel is a little church which used to be the home of Joshua Generation and where there are still strong links (it was the building they temporarily used for church when they had to leave their current building). After we have fed the folks at Care 66 we are going to invite them to the church where we will put on a programme.
From there the team split into two and Dave, Alice, Mark and Julie headed out to the prison whilst the rest of the team headed the opposite direction down Route 66 to the Manuelito Navajo Children's home.
The Manuelito team were able to meet up with the teachers, children and houseparents and plan for our other visits. They walked around the classrooms and chatted with Jim Christian the Headteacher who gave them a warm welcome. We are definitely seeing the fruit of being consistent and regular with our visits out here.
The 'prison team' headed east to Grants and met up with Calvin. We were taken through security and in to meet the Prison Governor. It was a great meeting, full of favour and we were able to share with him our plans for which he totally approved and asked if we would be able to make more visits! From him we then went around the inside of the prison visiting the 'pods' and meeting face to face with the inmates inviting them along to the various events we are putting on in the gym on Friday. We walked through the exercise yards where the prisoners came up to the fence and we posted our flyers through the chain link fencing and chatted to them. The last category were the women who all came out in the sun to meet us. Please pray for many to come along - we are in prison all day and evening on Friday doing three long sessions.
The thing that really touched us was the guys who came right over to Julie and I and asked if we were the people that had given them the Alpha course - one was beaming as he said how much he was enjoying it. They love Nicky Gumbel! Some also recalled our last visit and even told us what we had done including details of our dramas - really blew us away knowing that we had an impact. God is good! Such an encouragement.
Back in Gallup we regrouped and did some planning for the next few days and eventually headed out to Earls Family Restaurant for dinner. Such a cool place where the Navajo come around the tables selling their jewellery. Final event of the day was a trip to Walmart for supplies, drama props and craft material. Thanks for your ongoing prayers
Monday, 26 August 2013
I'am a Christian
Another one of our video's this one is the team sharing the fact that we are Christians!
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