Jesus-Too Small A Price

I stumbled across this amazing song about the thief on the cross by Don Francisco. I heard Don sing this song live three times - and every time the congregation were captivated. And at the end we all just stood up and worshipped ... incredible.

Listen to the words mor than the graphics. And remember ...

When you know Christ - your last breath on earth is your first breath in heaven!

A Quick Prayer Request ...

I will finish my sporting blog tomorrow - I have a new prayer request for you.

The little girl in the photo above is Eunice Hope Bao-in and she is the beautiful daughter of two of our staff - Winston (Cornerstone Pastor) and Mary Jane (Teacher). She has just turned one and she is lovely. This picture was taken yesterday morning.

Yesterday afternoon, Eunice Hope managed to climb to the top of her crib .. and fell down on to the cement floor. She bruised her face, split her two lips and she has a bad scrape on her face (below)


Please pray for her - that her face would completely heal and that there would be no permanent scars or marks. Pray also for Winston & Mary Jane ...I think they got a bit of a scare!

It is wonderful when we can 'bear each others burdens' and pray for each other. And it is wonderful to know that we don't only have a God that we serve ... but a God that really cares.

If you have any message to Wisnton, Mary Jane or Eunice, please post it here or go to Winston's Facebook page.

Blessings ...

david narey of scotland against brazil world cup spain 82

A Brazilian goal against the Brazilians... Pity it only made them angry!

Aberdeen FC v Real Madrid

Super Dons! Our greatest Night!

Aberdeen 2 Hamburg 0

Enjoy this my NE pals!

A Question of Sport?

The Philippines is bereft of sporting heroes or teams. In a generation when speed, height and physique is of paramount importance in sport ... Filipinos genetically have very few of these essential attributes. Major sports like Football (soccer), baseball, American Football, Tennis, Swimming are not common, or even unseen.

Basketball to a Filipino is like football is to a European or Baseball is to an American. It is the national sport played in every square meter of the country. You can see hoops everywhere ... even in the most remote of areas! They love basketball. Even though Filipinos are small ... they are nimble and very accurate in passing and shooting. But they are never going to win the Basketball Olympics!

Olympics ... what a terrible word to the Filipino! It has been many decades since a Filipino has graced the podium in any sport. In fact, the 'dream', as in past Olympics, is to win at least ONE MEDAL ... even a bronze! But alas, there was no-one who even came close! "It's the taking part that counts", the headlines stated as the 'heroes' came home. Is it?

I come from a country that loves sport ... em, loves football really! But there is something special when YOUR team or YOUR player wins a tournament or achieves greatness. Here are a few of mine:

* Who can forget Archie Gemmil's amazing goal v Holland?

* My first ever football game in 1983 -13 years old, Pittodrie, Aberdeen 4 Rangers 0. Amazing experience.

* My first European Game, a few months later - Aberdeen 2 Hamburg 0. Listen to this ... Aberdeen were OFFICIALLY the best team in Europe. We had beaten Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Hamburg.

* Jim Watt ... I was only young but I remember those amazing fights

* Home Internationals - I remember 1976(?) Scotland beating England at Wembley ... and the fans sitting on the crossbar!

* David Narey's goal v Brazil

* Gothenberg! Aberden beating Real Madrid in Eoropean Cup Winners Cup Final. Classic!

* The yearly excitement of 'Jockey on the Hockey' v Bristow and co.

* Scotland Rugby team winning Grand slam ... Calder, Hastings brothers etc.

* Andy Murray's win v Federer last month - wow!

Sport, at it's best, CAN bring a feel good factor to an individual or even a nation. It's not bad thing. I remember being in Ghana ... they are football crazy! The whole nation stops to watch their national under 17 team on TV! I went to a few games in Kumasi ... unbelievable passion!

But, to be honest, being Scottish usually means that we have to live with a phrase that rings true - 'Glorious Failures' Yes, we often fail, but we fail with style. We are magnificent against the best of teams, but when opposition comes that we should blow away ... we blow it! I cannot begin to tell you the amount of 'If Only's' we Scotls have had! Mmmmmmm.... don't go there! So sport can bring joy ... and tears!

Here in the Philippines, as most of our visitors will tell you, we can still get good old British football! I am very friendly with the owner of our cable company, and every week I just text what channel the game I want to watch is on ... and there it is! Any game, anywhere in the world - even Old Firm Derbys! I just give a wee bag of donuts for all the staff every month as a 'thank you' ... wow. I must admit, I love watching the Premiership - listening to Andy Gray and John Motson commentate on some great games. It is so good for me to watch a sport I love and listen to familiar British voices. Yup, sport can bring joy!

Here in the Philippines there is not much hope or joy amongst the people. There is so much poverty and so much corruption. Most Filipinos have a hand to foot lifestyle. Even amongst our staff, very few even have back accounts. Their attitude is - if we have a roof over our head, food on our table and can provide enough money to give our kids an education ... that's enough.

But my observation is this: One man, more than any other, brings more joy, pride and hope to Filipinos - Manny Pacquiao.

Don't know about him? Tell you all about him tomorrow!

Until then, enjoy your own sporting memories ...

I've put a few of my memories for you to see above! Enjoy!

Gutted

There are some nights that I go to my bed absolutely satisfied. Maybe I have seen lives changed, made a good decision, achieved or accomplished something, won a battle, happy with an event or ministry or just downright thankful for the amazing life I live.

But there are some days where I feel 'Where did I go wrong?", or "What happened" or "Why Lord?" Today was one of those days, unfortunately. Gotta deal with them, coz they come thick and fast sometimes!

The day started well enough. Thirteen people arrived from Cornerstone Singapore at 2am - they are here for a Missions Trip. We met at the hospital and told them, "Guys, be prepared to be challenged and maybe even shocked by what you are going to experience and see." I know it's not easy for any of us to go into a hospital where desperation lurks in every ward. Little did I know that it was me that was going to have the biggest challenge.

I helped the Prayer Team in the first room - Infants and toddlers (although sometimes you get kids, men, women .. all mixed together!) As we started to pray, a mother from teh other side of the room cried, "Doctor, Doctor" and began to cry. I went over as she picked up her wee boy and began to stroke him. "Don't go, Don't go ... mummy has a lollipop here for you!" I heard the 'death rattle' from this little boy and I knew this was serious. Within seconds, around 20 students nurses gathered round the wee boy and began to give oxygen and heart massage. The mother was hysterical. They kept on trying until the Doctor came. This big doctor came in, checked the boys heart and pulse, and said, "Patay (dead)" and then walked out!

I was stunned! The nurses began immediately to take out the drip from his lifeless hand. Everybody left, except me and the mother. I went over to her and felt such compassion. I wanted to fight for this boy. His body was still warm but his lips were blue. I began to cry out to the Lord, "Please Lord, let breath come back. Let his spirit return. Healing. Hope. Miracle." It is so hard to pray when you know the whole ward is watching you and a mother is next to you grieving for her son. But I felt I had to. I kept praying, believing.

But there was no change. No breath. I prayed for the mum and left to go and cry. I felt I should go back, so I did. The little boy was wrapped in a blanket by his mum. 'Don't be cold my son", she cried. I sat down beside her again and prayed for the life of this young boy. Nothing.

I went out again and the Ministry Team began to pray for the mum. James Aquino told me that the boy had started coughing a couple of days before and they thought it was a common cold. He was brought yesterday and they diagnosed it as Bronchitis. Within a day .. he was gone. In the morning he was given an orange lollipop ... but he never had the chance to eat it.

I felt I should at least pay her bill, as she seemed to be really poor. I found out she was so poor that it was considered a Charity Case. I wanted to give some money towards a coffin but I could not find the mum. "She's in the morgue," the chief nurse said, "Follow me!" My goodness, the last place I wanted to go was a morgue!

The 'Morgue' was just a few pieces of galvanised iron nailed together with only two walls and a roof! I found the mum sitting there alone, crying. "What would Jesus do?" I thought to myself? I picked up the baby, now almost cold, and prayed to the Lord. Nothing. I cried and handed him back to his mum. I gave my gift to help her, prayed for her and walked away. Feeling empty.

I drove to the school where we were doing a feeding programme ... but my heart wasn't in it! I was surrounded by beautiful, healthy children ... but my thoughts were with a wee boy that died of a simple illness. I was gutted.

Today, I have been really sad. Why? Why did this beautiful wee boy have to die? Why did my prayers, given so earnestly, seem to have no effect. Why do the poor suffer so much? Why?

I came home and found Josiah playing. "Thank you Lord", I prayed to myself. For his health, his personality, for his sense of humour, for his (daddy's!) good looks, for the joy he brings, for the future he has ... for the life he lives. The little boy I prayed for will never have the opportunities my son has. And yet, I remember a day when my little boy was sick with Pneumonia and the Doctor said to me, "If this medicine doesn't work, we have no more hope or options." Through prayers and a good Doctor ... he made it.

I keep wondering what that family are doing now. At the end of the day, I did what I could. I know that at those difficult moments ... we have to leave it with God. Our times ARE in his hands. It's just hard when the conclusion doesn't make sense.


I would like you to pray for another handsome wee boy I met today. His name is Angelo (above) and he has just turned 1 year old. Exactly 21 days ago he took a seizure ... and he has been in a coma ever since. He is still in hospital but is not responding pr opening his eyes. The family has no money for a CT scan or EEG scan. I was in a hurry to catch up with the Singaporeans so I had just time to pray for him and speak to his mum. PLEASE pray for this boy ... he is such a wee cutie. Pray for a miracle - that he would come out of his coma and be completely healed. That his life will IN NO WAY be affected by this seizure.

Our God always answers prayers. He doesn't always answer in the way that we want ... but he always answers.

I'm going to bed now. I am praying that tomorrow will be different.

Selah ...

There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart like You do
I could search for all eternity long and find
There is none like You

Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes in Your name
Suffering children are safe in Your arms
There is none like You

There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart like You do
I could search for all eternity long and find
There is none like You

Cold Weather ... Cool Blog?

Ittt''ssss freeeeezzzziiinnn here! Yup, the temperature has dipped down to 23.5 degrees! No air-con, no fans and blankets in bed! Bbbbrrrrrrrr .... we missionaries have to really suffer in these cold conditions!

Seriously, the weather has changed. It's so funny in the Philippines. In April, it is cool one day and you wake up the next and it is roasting! The Filipinos say, "Summers here!" And it is! The Lord just seems to say to the weather angel, "Flick the switch" ... and the weather changes. Same in November. It's hot and then - boom - it's cold. Amazing! In Scotland, I think the Lord has an apprentice angel flicking the switch ... and he doesn't seem to know what he is doing!!!!

Hope you like the new style blog. I am determined to keep consistent in my blogging. But I really would love more people to find out what's going on! I think in 2007 we had over 100 people per day checking out the blog, but now, because of my inconsistency, it has dropped way down. I am believing that by Christmas we can get it up to 100 a day ... and build from there.

Can you help me? Why don't you email everyone who knows about Sefton, or who you would like to introduce to Sefton - or even people from your family, friend or folk from church - and ask them to check out our new blog. On the new blog there are a few things that might interest you:

* Blogs that I read

* You can check out the latest Christian music and listen before you buy

* You can search God Tube - a great site for Christian videos

* Check out some devotional stuff from Chuck Swindoll

* Search Christianity.com - a great site for anything about Church, Christianity & Leadership

* You can look up YouTube videos

* You can see the latest news/travel advice from the Philippines

* Read the latest stuff from Time Magazine

* Get a Hagar cartoon every day - one of my favourites (not Mary's!!!!!)

* Check the date and time (in case you are half asleep!)

So please enjoy and I will try and keep things rolling along. Today, a team of 13 arrive from Singapore for a missions trip ... so there is plenty to blog about! PLEASE leave a comment or sign our guestbook (right) and if there is anything you think would be a great idea or addition for me to include in the blog ... let me know. Or if you have been to Sefton and would like to write something that I can put into the blog .. I would be delighted.

Well, I am going back to my hot cup of tea under my warm blanket ...

Chill....

Week of Power ...

Assemblies of God (AG) in the Philippines have geographical areas which they call Districts. Within these Districts they have smaller areas which are called Sections. This is the American AG pattern. Here in Northern Luzon we have 3 Districts - NELDC, NLDC and NIDC. In each District there are between 200-400 churches.

Every two years, they come together for a Tri-District Conference and they rotate the location. This year, it was the turn of our District (North Eastern Luzon District Council) to host the Conference. NELDC have their District Office here at Sefton and I am one of the District Executive. So .. last week was kinda busy ...

The Conference was from Tuesday-Thursday, but everyone in the District and at SBTC have been planning and preparing for months! Here in the Philippines they set up heaps of Committees to run everything ... although most of the time it is only the one in charge of the committee who actually does anything ... sound familiar? The students have been decorating Sefton in Christmas decorations for weeks! Wherever you go there are decorations, lights and streamers! This has been the project of the students and they have made Sefton look like Blackpool! Check out this amazing star at the top of the Fire Centre (Keith's picture)

We expected around 800 people ... but over 1000 came! At nights they said there were 1200-1500 people at the service ... amazing! Usually we have to drag people to come to the service (Filipino time!) but this week they were actually coming early because we did not have enough seats! A miracle ...

The services were great - it's amazing to worship with over 1000 people in the Fire Centre! What an atmosphere. God gave me a vision that one day we would have that number in our Cornerstone United meetings ... do you believe it? The choir from Roxas (above) sang every night and there was praise and worship from different churches.

But the best part was the performances of our students (I am biased!) They were magnificent. On the first night they did a hands performance, on the second they did The Champion' and on the third night they did a dance/drama called 'Hero' (above) - I am so proud of them. The work that Pastor Lorenz and Joy are doing with them is fantastic. They have brought a whole new dimension to our Bible School.

The preacher was an Afro-American called Dr. Guy Peh. He is originally from Cameroon but has lived in America for many years. He is married to a lady from Belgium and they are both so tall - he is 6ft 7 and she is 6 ft 3! The Filipinos were like dwarfs around him! So funny. But his ministry was great ... a real evangelist. On the last night he spoke about the Fire of the Lord and it made a real impact. Hundreds came forward at the end to receive the Fire! Amazing.

During the day there were seminars (pic below) from Dr Guy, his wife Ilke, our General Superintendent Ray Calusay and our General Secretary Dr. Joseph Suico (who spent 3 years in England studying theology! We sent him off with a bag full of Lyle's syrup, Heinz Salad Cream & Tomato sauce and Tetley T-bags!) These two guys are great men and their seminars were a challenge to Filipinos to 'Rise up' in the area of finances and Missions.

How do you accommodate and feed 1200 people? Don't ask me, but they did! They put people everywhere at Sefton to sleep (and I mean everywhere!), they sent people out to local churches (Cornerstone Santiago had 71!) and they rented a few big halls in town. The Kitchen staff (from Cornerstone Nagassican) did an amazing amount of work - starting 3am every morning! So proud of them. Faceless heroes. We needed them.

So ... the Conference was a great success. Everyone played their part and it went so well. All the visitors were so well looked after. Pastor Marlou was telling me today that at Cornerstone Santiago they provided these 71 visitors with toothpaste, soap, pillows, blankets, tea & coffee and a light meal before they went to bed! Whenever the visitors came in - sometimes after midnight - Pastor Marlou had ushers there to welcome them and to help them in any way they could. That's 'The Cornerstone Way' that we learned from Cornerstoen Singapore and I am so proud of Marlou and our churches.

One last good thing ... it will be 2014 when the next one comes around to Sefton. By then, I will probably be like you ... finding out about it someone else's blog!

Selah ...

Disclaimer: After reading what I have written, I have realised that I have used the word 'proud' a number of times. Mary's mum always says that we shouldn't be proud in a bad way but that it isn't bad to be proud in a good way. So be assured, I mean 'proud' in a good way!

Lydia ... My Wee Superstar!

Here's my wee dancing princess with all her friends dancing last Sunday!

C'Mon United....

What a week at Sefton Village! We had Cornerstone United on Sunday and then Tuesday-Thursday we had an AoG Tri-District Conference. I will blog about the conference tomorrow, but first ... Cornerstone United.

The United service is usually on the first Sunday of the month and all our Cornerstone Churches gather together to lift up Jesus. Usually there are around 400-500, sometimes more, sometimes less. But it is a wonderful atmosphere.

I was so blessed and challenged last Sunday. I felt that we should do things a little differently than 'normal'. Instead of a main speaker, I felt that we should invite four of our leaders share what was on their hearts. In between, we would praise, worship and pray. First up were the Powerhouse Dancers ... wee Lydia included! They are a real blessing and they practice so hard. Their song was brilliant -"I have nothing ... If I don't have Jesus."

Then a man called Fanto gave his amazing testimony. He was high up in the army but led a terrible life - he was a murderer, womaniser and drunkard. He was put in BJMP. But there, he found Jesus, through the ministry of Pastor August and the Cornerstone Team. Well, what a transformation! He was released a few weeks ago is presently staying in the room of Pastor August! He wasn't to go to Bible School, enter the ministry and devote his life to the Lord. This hard guy has been given a new heart! He has a long way to go and many things to sort out ... but he is well on the way. It's really strange ... young August is his advisor and mentor!

Then Maribel gave a word - she is the wife of Pastor Adonis (above) - and she is one of the most sincere and lovely people you could ever meet. Her message was 'Don't Worry!" and she was excellent.

After some Praise and worship, led by Cristina and the Santiago Team, Pastora Theresa (above) shared. Well, she is one of my heroes ... without even speaking a word! She spoke about 'Overcoming Weakness with Strength' and shared her story. Inspirational and so humble ... her 'pulpit' was a simple chair.

More worship ... and then Pastor Henry spoke. He spoke on "The Power of Having Dream" and showed a PowerPoint on the blessings of the Feeding Programme. He is doing an incredible work. Do you know that in the last two weeks he has had feeding programmes around 8 times! Every time he gets up at 3am to cook all the food! What a heart. We ahve a burden to have the 'Food for Thought' programme running 5 days a week. Henry needs strength!

Last, but not least, was Pastor Danny. He spoke about 'Intimacy with God" and shared some things form his own life and the church at Nagassican. God is doing great things in Nagassican - they have 'Dawn Watch Prayer' every Friday morning at 4am and in the evening they have a night of prayer. No wonder God is doing great things there. Every night the church is being used. They have around 30-40 young people who have given their lives to Christ and are now in the Drama Group led by Danny's wife Jane. Here they are dancing last Sunday!

Pastor Danny sang a song "I was born to love you" and his dream that was that one day his sons would play the music for him to sing a song to the Lord ... and on Sunday it happened. Dreams come true!

I wrapped things up and we had lots of Henry's food to finish up with. I love United. We now have 7 churches - and another two will be planted next month. There is something wonderful when groups of churches join together to worship Jesus, listen to His Word and just to hang out together. Some of our churches are young and only have 30 or 40 people ... but they love coming together to be part of the big picture! Fantastic!

Be blessed ... and keep praying for us.

SBTC - 'The Champion'

Here is the SBTC Student's performance on the 2nd night of our conference! They did so well.

Jesus IS the champion!

SBTC - 'You Were the Reason'

Here is a world exclusive of the SBTC students' performance last night!

They worked so hard ...

A Most Embarassing Moment!

In February last year I posted a blog in which is quite amazing. If you haven't done it before .. try it now. If you have done it before ... scroll down to find out my terribly embarrassing moment in the UK.

Here is the puzzle -

THINK OF ANY NUMBER BETWEEN 2-9

MULTIPLY THAT NUMBER BY 9

NOW, ADD THE TWO DIGITS OF YOU NUMBER TOGETHER (FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR NUMBER IS 34, 3+4=7)

OK, GOT A SINGLE NUMBER NOW?

SUBTRACT 5 FROM YOUR NUMBER

NOW WE CONVERT YOUR NUMBER INTO A LETTER.
A=1, B=2, Z=26 ETC.

THINK OF A COUNTRY BEGINNING WITH THAT LETTER

TAKE THE SECOND LETTER OF THAT COUNTRY AND THINK OF AN ANIMAL BEGINNING WITH THAT LETTER

THINK OF THE COLOUR OF THAT ANIMAL

DO YOU GET ...

A...

A...

A...

A...

Em ....a.....

...A GREY ELEPHANT FROM DENMARK??

Anyway, On my first weekend home I was preaching at Zion Church in Peterhead. There were tons of young people there and so I thought I would amaze them by the gray elephant thing. I even put into my PowerPoint presentation.

So I was in mid flow ... think of a number blah blah blah. At the end of the puzzle I asked "Who has a Gray Elephant from Denmark?" Very few! So I said, "I know you Peterhead folk .. a bit shy. I know that you all got a gray elephant from Denmark." Only a couple of my friends sheepishly put up their hands.

Later, In David Strachan's house, my brother Paul said, "You really blew the Denmark thing eh?" I was stunned. He said that I had forgot to include an important part - subtract 4! So all these poor people had the number 9 instead of 4, so their letter was I instead of D. So they all had green newts from India or black stallions from Israel! I was so embarrassed.

At least I can laugh about it now! So if you were there, my apologies. Hope no permanent psychological damage has occurred!

The only person that ever brings it up is a good friend Colin McLean from Cairnbulg, Scotland. He was there. But a few weeks later, I got revenge. We were watching Aberdeen play at Pittodrie and Aberdeen were awful. Colin stood up and shouted with his loudest voice, "Aberdeen ... you are a clower of showns!" Everybody heard it an laughed. So embarrassing. So next time you see Colin ask how the Clower of Showns are doing now! He said later that next time he would think about what he would shout ... but I reminded him that the worrying thing was that he did think before he shouted! Ha ha

But today, Colin sent me a new conundrum. Try it below. It is quite amazing.

YOUR AGE BY EATING OUT

Don't tell me your age; you probably would tell a falsehood anyway-but your waiter may know!

YOUR AGE BY DINER & RESTAURANT MATH


Don't cheat by scrolling down first ... and you may need a calculator!

It takes less than a minute. Work this out as you read .

Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!


1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to Go out to eat.
(more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1758...

If you haven't, add 1757.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was your original number. (I.e. How many times You want to go out to restaurants in a week.)

The next two numbers are **YOUR AGE ! ------ (Oh YES, it is !)**

THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2008) IT WILL WORK!


Mmmm... amazing eh? Send this blog to your friends and let them work it out.
And if you ever do it publicly ... make sure you don't miss out a line!

Have a great day!

UK Adventure Part 2 - England

After a quick tour of Edinburgh we headed South down the M6 ... into the great old country of England. By the way ... Sat Nav us great IF you don't know the way to somewhere! It was going to direct me all the way down to Manchester and cut across a few Motorways to get to Rotherham. On paper, it is quicker ... but have you heard about the traffic jams down that way? No way Mr sat nav - I'm going accross the good old A66 to Scotch Corner. Good job I did - huge tailbacks on M6 that night. Shut the thing down, get out your old AA map and live the adventure!

Got to Rotherham on Tuesday afternoon and my sat nav (now switched back on 'coz they are great for finding addresses!) got me to the front doorstep of George Jack ... my cousin who is now Senior Pastor at Rotherham Pentecostal Church. My three Filipio friends were glad to finally reach their destination! Well, if you haven't spent a few days with the Jack family, you haven't really lived! Jayne's cooking is amazing; the kids are wonderful; George's jokes ... well, to be honest, they are terrible! Only kidding. I stayed there for two nights but the Filipinos stayed there all week ... and loved it. Know what? These pastors were hooked on two things in UK - Tescos and the Wii at George Jack's house! They were acting like crazy men as they played Wii sports into the early hours! Great fun. Excellent family. True friends. On the Wednesday we visited my old haunt - Mattersey Hall (above), where I spent three years at Bible School. What a fantastic place. A bit more spruced up now, I can tell you! Some things were surprisingly the same but some things were refreshingly different. We had a cup of tea in the staff room and I thought to myself, "Last time I sat on this settee, it was to get into big trouble!" How the mighty have fallen.

They now have beautiful clasrooms, a cafe, bookshop and chapel. They have done an amazing job. They have built a huge (and I mean HUGE) conservatory that is joined on to the Dining Room. And the food ... well, it was actually delicious. I kid you not. And it didn't even taste remotely like cardboard. In fact, I felt I was in Ikea!!!! Excuse me for waffling on. Memories.


The main reason I was in UK was to preach at the Missions Conference of Rotherham New Life. We started on Thursday night and the theme was 'To Boldly Go ..." and they asked me to preach about going from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria ... to the ends of the earth. The Rotherham New Life (RNL) church has really majored on Mission- both locally and globally.

The Senior Pastor is an Irishman called John Andrews. He has a doctorate but is young and is an inspirational preacher. He also plays a vital role at Mattersey as well as write books, be part of the AoG National Leadership Team and has a lovely family. Don't know how the guy does it.

Actually, I do. He is so disciplined with his life and doesn't waste words, opportunities or time. If you go to the RNL website, you will hear some of John's teaching ... excellent stuff, highly recommended. John has become a good friend and great encourager in my life.

Anyway, back to our trip. We started on Thursday night. The band was great and many of the songs were new. Sometimes you here new somgs and there is an immediate "Naw" rises up within you! But these new songs really spoke to me. Just before I got up to speak, I got a little bit nervous. I think that the fact I was speaking 9 times over the weekend hit me as I sat in the front row! I felt I was just standing at the bottom of a mountain. But, know what? God spoke to me at that mometnt and said so clearly, "You were born for moments like these." I felt strength. I know the Holy Spirit was there, right beside me. That was all I needed.

Friday morning was for Leaders and I shared about 'Revelations that have Changed My Life". I tried to share the revelations and change of paradigms that the Lord has shown me in the last 8 years. I was completely honest and I felt that many were challenged on that day.

The Lord showed me that on Friday night the Holy Spirit really wanted to move and touch the lives of many people. I didn't know how but the Lord clearly asked me to wait on his intruction. Well, I preached about "Jerusalem, the Place of Power" and at the end I gave an invitation for the Baptism of teh Holy Spirit. Some people came and responded. I felt the enemy laughing and saying, "Not much response eh?" But I kept seeking the Lord and the Holy Spirit began to show me areas of people's lives where He wanted me to challenge and pray for people. Well, the floodgates opened. We prayed for so many people. I felt God gave us many prophetic words. The Holy Spirit was moving and lives were being touched and changed. I think we left the building after 11pm! What a night.

Saturday was a family day and RNL had a full kids programme for the children. RNL are so organized and they really looked after us in so many ways. Their kindness and hospitality was exceptional. They had invited Dave Russon (the Directior of AoG UK World Ministries) and his wife Madeline to attend. I also shared a room with my good friend Andrew David from Torquay ... what an experience, what a guy! Brilliant. I gave the vision of Sefton Village and got Kirsty Allen from Fraserburgh to share about the Children's Home as well as the four Filipinos to share about the different ministries of Sefton. I think everyone was glad to hear some other people's voices!

In the afternoon I shared all about Short Term Mission Teams. At night I preached about the cost of serving Christ - What do you do when your world falls apart? (Acts 8) Another really good night.

Sunday was another wonderful day. Preached in the two services about Walking by Faith. Really felt the people were listening and were being challenged. Some places are hard to minister in, but RNL is great because the people are so hungry and so 'into' missions. Ended the day at George's church at Station Road. Our Filipino Pastors were ministering there and I wanted to say goodbye to the Jack family and my Aunty Helen and Uncle George (below). I was so blessed to see them come and support me over the weekend ... teh extra 400 miles!

Didn't sleep that night! Drove through the night to Manchester Airport. August and I had a nightmare time at the Airport, but that's another blog! In the end, I was so glad to get out of the country!!

But we had a great time. People were so good to us. Everywhere. I felt that our minisry was so well recieved and that people are really behind us here at Sefton Village. I know we are not alone.

A special thanks to John Andrews, his lovely wife Dawn and their family. Thanks also to Steve and Hannah Prosser from RNL for looking after us so well. Big thanks to the Mattersey Team who came on Mission to Sefton in March - so many of them came to the Conference. Big thanks to a special family in Scotland who did more than anyone will know to make ourt trip possible. You know who you are and we are so grateful. Biggest thanks to my mum and dad ... mum for coming out here to help in so many ways. To my dad for meing a mum to these Filipinos when mum was not there! Good job dad! We never starved and our clothes were always clean(ish)!

Feel like I have just made an album and an writing all the credits ... so I'll stop here!

Uk trip - fantastic. If we met you, ate with you, or if you blessed us in any way .... we love you for that.

Until next time ...

Home Sweet Home

In September I had the privilege of coming home to UK for almost a month. I attended a Bible School Director's Conference in Singapore and then headed to Scotland from there. Mary & the kids had to stay at home because of schooling etc. So I took this once-in-a lifetime-opportunity to bring 4 of my Pastors with me - Winston Bao-in, Marlou Javier, James Aquino and August Manio (chickenpox and all!!)

The main reason for me coming home was to minister at Rotherham New Life's Missions Weekend - If Not Now When ... To Boldly Go. More about that later!

The majority if my time was spent in the NE Scotland. My mum flew out to Sefton whilst I was in UK and I came back to Philippines with my dad. So proud of my mum .. 7 weeks in the Phiippines in the roasting heat and no dad to keep her right!! Well done mum ... knew you could do it! Women power!

The first couple of weeks were jam packed - me and the guys speaking in so many churches, youth groups, children's clubs, Sunnybrae ... you name it! In between we did brilliant things ... fishing in a wee boatie Gamrie (unforgetttable!), going to see Aberdeen at Pittodrie (very forgettable!!) and a lot of other exciting things.

Best things was meeting up with my family and friends again. Brilliant. Met so many people - every day we were booked for lunch AND evening meals at friend's homes. Scottish people are the most lovely, kind, hospitable and generous folk. Highlight was seeing - for the first time - my new little niece Eve Flett. She is a smasher! Mary's brother Bruce and his wife Alison have been given a most precious gift. Thank you Lord.


Also had the great On Sundays we were pretty busy in the churches. So many churches. My Filipino Pastors loved it! We also had two 100% Filipino services for the Filipino fishermen in Fraserburgh. I preached at Fraserburgh AoG, New Hope Peterhead, Elim Fraserburgh, Calvary Fraserburgh and also at Kings Church in Aberdeen. Must say that we saw the Lord move in all of these services. Even met John Knox (below!)


Another highlight for me was the opportunity to preach at my best friend Ben's induction service. What a great night! So many folk from so many churches ... way it should be! Had the honour of preaching at Zion Church in Peterhead and baptising a really special guy called Peter Strachan. Memories. Especially the homebakes ... MMMMmmmm.


We travelled up to Wick with the guys to see Mary's mum & dad and all our friends up there. Beautiful journey up the coast. So wonderful to see my outlaws ... sorry inlaws ... again. They looked after us so well. They are really special and I admire them so much for the amazing way they handle the fact that we, including their grandkids, are so far away so often. This is the hardest part of being a missionary. Not only do we pay the cost ... they pay it much more. This is the greatest sacrifice. They are my heroes.

We spoke at the Over 60's in the Salvation Army and Marlou gave a presentation about 'Life in the Philippines'. I challenged them to think of some questions for Marlou and one lady, whom I know very well, shouted out (in broad Caithness) "How dye cook yir chikin?" We laughed about that all the way to Edinburgh! Folk in Wick like to get their oriental chicken recipes! We went to Edinburgh for a couple of nights. We walked the Royal Mile (with only my T-shirt because I left my jacket in Fraserburgh!) saw the castle and drove along Princes Street. It really is THE most beautiful City in the World. At night we had an went to amazing Korma with my friends Jenny & David. What a day! Getting tired now! Been round Scotland in thirty minutes. Next blog will be about our time in England.

Until then ... Be good and live the dream!

Comeback Time!

I'm back! I'm alive! How are ye? Long time since I saw you at the other side of your computer screen!

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. No excuses, except ... well, no excuses.

So many things have happened since my last blog. Unbelievable. I feel as if I have been constantly travelling from one end of the world to another since September and that I have only stopped this week! I will blog about some of the adventure very soon. Promise.

Right now, I am so tired an need to crash into bed. I will leave you with a few pics. So don't worry ... the real deal is making a comeback!

I would love to get a comment from you so I know who is still actually reading my blog and who have given up hope! Come on, encourage me to start again ... and you'll never believe what might happen! Goodnight, Mark