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| EASTER 2003
PRAYER LETTER Our dear praying friend, Inventory for evangelistic visit:
Week Two was 'on the road', including a visit to the Bible College in southern Burkina, and the trip described at the start of the letter. The dust was so all-pervading that my white hair was completely red at the end of the journeys to and from Dedougou. The church was doing pioneer work both there and at Gourcy. We went to places where they were seeking to do real outreach. I wish you could have been at our meetings. Our team of over 50 did door-to-door work. In the evening, a generator powered lighting and sound, while the music and drama groups drew the crowds, who stood or sat in a huge circle. After I had preached, an open call to trust Christ was made. The courage to step out in front of the whole district had to be enormous. On each occasion there was a long time before anyone moved. But, once someone did, there was a great surge, and dozens upon dozens stepped out for Jesus, a deeply moving sight. After prayer, everyone gave their name for follow-up, and then we prayed for the sick. At Gourcy particularly the response was phenomenal. Does this work last? I can only report that two of our friends from Niger came across to see us while we were in Burkina. You may remember the famous visit in 1993, when we were 13 hours late to one village meeting! That village then had two Christians (the evangelist and his wife) out of 200. We preached then and left. By our next visit in 1995 there were 50 Christians. By 1997 there were 150. Today? 98% of the village has trusted Christ and are going forward with Him. Praise God! John and I returned to a very cold England rejoicing in what God had done. Thank you so much for your prayers. Thank you if you also helped financially - a costly trip but worth every penny. Apart from a couple of days of the dreaded tummy wobbles, the health was OK, too! MISSIONS PAST AND FUTURE The diary is very full, especially for May and June. May's Missions are an opportunity for me to team up with my old mate Daniel Cozens as part of a major outreach throughout Wessex and his "walk of a thousand men";. In the Autumn we plan to visit several towns to speak about personal faith-sharing, or bereavement, or older people. If your church would appreciate such an evening, call us at once. Writing and Broadcasting The radio work grows and grows. The news from Slovakia is brilliant, with a prime-time Sunday slot on secular radio throughout the country. As a listener in England wrote to me recently: "You may not know how many have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. You are like the farmer having to sow the seed";. Some prayer partners ask if they can give to specific parts of our work: one programme in Slovak costing £100 would be an example. The Team Resurrection life The young woman was too ill to be with the others. We sat her on a chair. Her congenital heart disease had been declared incurable by the specialists and she had been sent home to die. The previous night she was so ill her mother had lain her on the floor to await the end. The next day she was just alive, the mother heard of our meeting and brought her daughter. My interpreter and I gently touched her bent shoulders and asked Jesus to help her and heal her. Her face was lined with pain as we prayed. She was taken home in a car. In the middle of the night I awoke, and asked Jesus to have mercy on that beautiful, broken teenager. "You know it was Jesus who healed you";, said the Pastor. The girl smiled. "Yes, I know";. "Will you accept him as your Saviour?"; She smiled again. "Yes, I will";. And she did. The church is now caring for her and her mother. That's what we go for. That's what you pray for. We believe in a God who hears and answers prayer. We have a God who heals and saves - in 2003. Rejoicing in the love and power of the Risen, Reigning Lord Jesus, and with love from us all at the '40:3'.
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