Beautiful Singapora ...

Here I am, sitting in front of a spectacular skyline in a hotel on Singapore's Harbour front (see above). Doesn't get much better than this! From our hotel we can see Raffles hotel right in front of us, St Andrews Church just to our right and the busy harbour straight ahead. What a place! We booked the basic room but, wehey, when we arrived at midnight they were all gone. So were the next class .. so here we are in Club Class on the 23rd floor. The unforced rhythms of grace! (I can just here my brother David saying, "Aye, ye always land on yir feet!)

Yesterday was a great day. We only had 4 hours sleep due to our plane leaving late and an eager bunch of Singaporean friends bringing us out for dinner. The favourite phrase in Singapore is "Have you eaten yet?" Now, if you were a born liar you would end up pretty big! Ahem. But we hadn't eaten so they took us to this place called the lagoon, by the beach. It is around 50 eating places in the shape of a square and in the middle there are tables where you can eat. Amazing.

Yesterday we went to Cornerstone Church. We went to the 8:30am service. It was so wonderful for me to see my old friends again. I really love these people ... especially my 'big brother' Pastor Yang and his lovely wife Daphne. There was a visiting pastor called Joel Baker ministering yesterday. He used to be the Director of a Bible School in Singapore but now ministers in Australia. He was superb - "The Love of God". If you can listen to this message from Cornerstone's Website (link on right) you will be blessed.

I was speaking at the Chinese service ... what an experience! Around 250 Chinese folk packed into one of the church's many conference theatres. When they began to worship it was like being in heaven! They sang with such fervour and passion. I did not know a word they were singing ... but I definitely know who they were singing about. I preached about 'Our Meat is on the Street' encouraging them to believe God that they can take His power and presence from the church to the street. So many responded and at the end we prayed for all the sick. They just kept on coming! There was a wonderful sense of God's purpose and presence. The service lasted more the 3 hours ... it felt like a moment.

We rested a bit in the afternoon and then Michael and the gang went out with some Singaporeans for a Hot Pot. I went with Pastor Yang and his family for a Chinese meal ... unbelievable! In the west we judge by quantity but here they judge by quality. Every mouthful was delicious. Anyway, let's move on ....!

Tomorrow I am going for the Cornerstone Pastors Retreat in Singapore. This is a wonderful time of sharing, reporting about what is happening, praying for each other and inspiring each other in our vision. Michael, Alison and Jemma Rose will stay in Singapore until we fly back to Philippines on Friday.

By the way, Jemma Rose gets a special Ritchie prize for 'Church Attender of the Year'. She went to the 1st service form 8:30-10:30, straight to the Chinese service until 1:00 and then from the Youth service from 1-3:30pm. Incredible ... in church for 7 hours straight! Well done Jemma ... I'll be telling Steve Ritchie about your great feat! He He

The people from Cornerstone Singapore are the nicest people I have ever met, bar none. They are so kind and the way they show hospitality is beautiful. They have such servant hearts and we are trying to do things' the Cornerstone way' in Santiago also. Bible calls it 'going the extra mile.' Teach me Lord.

Just found out that Heidi Baker is coming to Cornerstone in January. We heard her speak here last April and that was an amazing experience. She is coming in the second week of January 2008 ... if you fancy a great wee trip just after New Year to somewhere different why don't you plan to come to Singapore for a week. Your soul, body and spirit will be truly uplifted as you see Singapore, experience Cornerstone and hear Heidi. Selah.

Will blog soon. Here are a few wee updates before I go:

Margarita - she is slowly improving. Hope to get out of hospital today.
Mona Lisa - Praise God, she is starting to eat regularly... and he hair IS growing!
Mary & kids - pray for them as when i am away the enemy always tries to do something that will discourage them. Pray for angels to watch over Sefton Village.
Students - we also had 2 students in hospital last weekend. One is discharged now but Gawina is still there. Pray that she will be discharged today.

Be blessed and have a great week ....

Pray for Our Little Ones

Hi folks. Well, I thought it was too good to be true. Our Internet was off for almost a month and we had it back for a whole 6 days! But on Saturday night it was cut off and it hasn't returned. I am back in Manila in an Internet cafe trying to write this very important blog in an environment of very loud heavy music! Aaagghh .. I admit it .... I'm getting old! Please forgive me for any spiling mistakes or bad grandma.

I have some urgent requests for you to pray about ... all concerning kids. Over the last three weeks so many of the kids at Sefton have been so sick. Many in the nursery had severe diarrhea, sickness and fever. Josiah and Jonathan's son Daniel ended up in hospital as well as Karis, a daughter of one of our staff. Then two of our teachers' kids ended up in hospital. So much to take at one time.

And this week has been just as bad. Please pray for the following:


* Mona Lisa - not a pretty picture!

Mary had a very hard day on Tuesday. A mum was brought by the Social Work Department with her two young kids. The mum was mentally unstable and was a manic depressive. She had 6 kids but was not capable of looking after them. When it came time for her to leave she went hysterical and almost broke the little girls arm.

Mona Lisa is a beautiful girl but her mother has tried to cut her her and made a terrible mess. Little Mona Lisa has been on a very poor diet and when Marilyn went to see the home last week her mum was feeding her sand. Hard to believe, but true.

She is VERY malnourished and does not have the will to eat. She is a lovely girl with a beautiful personality. We need her to start eating to have a chance. Please pray.

* Margarita - Dengue fever

Margarita is our oldest child in the Children's Home and she is never ill. But this week she has had high fevers as well as other flu like symptoms. She started having nose bleeds... and we began to worry. Our worst fears were realised when we took her to hospital. She has dengue .. worse than malaria and very serious.

She is in hospital now but her blood platelet levels are dropping. We need you to pray that the Lord would touch her body and that this dengue would disappear.

* July - the rice sack kid!

On Tuesday night I got a call from a member in Nagassican that there was a 4 day old baby there that was almost dead and was convulsing. Pastor Danny ruched there and brought this baby boy to hospital ... all the family had to wrap him in was a rice sack (see picture above). Story is this. This baby was born and the mum could not produce milk. They are very poor, so they went to the little store and bought some packets of Coffee Mate. Yup, that's right. So for four days this baby had water and coffee mate. He dehydrated and almost died.

Thank the Lord we got him to hospital in time. Pastor Danny said that they should name him ... so they called him July! Strange but very Filipino.

PLEASE pray for all these kids and also that all these bouts of illness would go. Pray for our protection. Even for us as a family the last thing we want is for our two kids to catch dengue as it is very serious for western kids if they catch it.

Thanks for standing with us. I am going to Singapore for a conference on Saturday so please pray for Mary and the staff as they minister at Sefton Village.

Be blessed .. and stay healthy!

PS - Thanks to the 35 folk who have signed our guetbook ... but what about the rest of you?? Come on .. it will only take a minute! Thanks ....

Tabitha

Hi stranger! My fault ... not yours! I just want to thank everyone who prayed for Josiah. He was discharged from hospital on Saturday morning and since then his eating has improved, he is gaining strength ... and he certainly has his singing/shouting voice back again! He is a real character ... a wee comedian!

Been down in Manila and the Scottish Team are well and truly home now. We had a great couple of weeks and my two kids loved having other Scottish kids around. We had a really good programme organised for them - a mixture of ministry time, kids time and learning time. I will write a blog with a report on all the great things that happened.

In the meantime, I want to totally inspire and encourage you by an amazing story that happened here this week. As you know, one of our ministries at Cornerstone Church is our Hospital Ministry every Wednesday morning. I asked the Lord, "If you came to Santiago, where would you go?" I felt in my spirit that He would go to the place where there is the most helplessness and need ... the local Government hospital. A terrible place. Every time we go there, desperation hits us in the face.

For example, the lady at the bottom of this blog was in a desperate situation. She had to have a cesarean as there were complications with her twin babies. She had the operation and the kids were healthy. She, however, was not. She had an infection that was so severe she was at the point of death. Listen to this .. when we talked to her she told us that she had to sell one of her twins just to pay the medicine to keep her alive. Tragic. This week, Pastor Danny said that she was not there. We don't know if she is even still alive.

I have been challenging the leaders, and myself, not to pray 'safe' prayers - "Lord, I pray that by this time next week he'll be out of this hospital" or "Lord guide the hands of the surgeons" or "may she wake up tomorrow feeling better". Know what I mean. We are excellent at safety. Keep our pride and dignity at all costs.

But ...we need the Peter & John anointing - right here, right now. In the Name of Jesus ... walk, be healed, blind eyes open, asthma be gone, high blood pressure become normal, heart disease flee etc. I have been challenging the leaders to ask "How do you feel, what is happening" after they pray. These people literally need a miracle now. Some of them are teetering at the edge of life and death ...

There was a little boy called Joshua, only 8 years old from Santiago City. He cut his thumb on a piece of rusty iron and it became infected. In the UK, tetanus jab, no problem. In the Philippines ... life threatening. His thumb became black and septicemia began to run through his body. Two weeks ago Pastor Danny, Pastor Winston along with David & Grace Strachan from Peterhead prayed with the boy and his family. David left a card with a verse on it to encourage them.


Last weekend, wee Joshua's conditioned worsened and his family was called to the hospital. They watched helplessly as the poison took the last breath from the little boy ... he died. The Doctor pronounced him dead and the family were distraught.

Five minutes after he died something amazing happened. Joshua's grandmother began to hold this boy in her hands and began to cry out to the Lord. She said that she began to 'pray the same prayers as the Cornerstone people'. She rebuked the sickness and cried out "God, if you are there ... have mercy on this boy and hear my cries."

Whenever she prayed this prayer, Joshua's eyes opened. He was back! Over the next few days the poison in his body began to disappear and last Wednesday his grandmother was waiting to tell our pastors the amazing story. Look at the picture at the start of this blog. His thumb is completely healed! No puss. No black poison. Our God is a healing God. Hallelujah! The book of Acts is still being written ....

Well, that's OK in the Philippines... but it wouldn't really happen in the West. Really? Who prayed? Who had the faith? Who believed against the odds? An old grandmother in the depths of despair. She wasn't a member of a Pentecostal Church. She wasn't in a cell group. She isn't even an evangelical. But she thought ... only Jesus can hear me.

In Scotland, England, Ireland & Wales .. in the USA or Australia ... wherever you may be, God is searching for those whose hearts are fully committed to Him .. so he may strengthen them. Why don't you ask the Lord, "Lord, if you came to my town ... where would you go?" or "lord, can you use me?"

It will open your eyes and change your life. In the meantime, there are people in hospital right now who need the same miracle as Joshua; they need love' ... they need to know someone cares. The church MUST break out of her four comfortable walls and begin to walk the streets. For there you will find needs you never knew ... and at the point of need you will find a saviour waiting for His people to speak faith into the most helpless of situations.

Got a cup of water? An old jacket? An extra meal? A bit of time? A letter of encouragement? An shoulder to lean on? A prayer of faith? (Please read Matthew 25:34-46)

Go ... the world is waiting for you. If you won't go ... what will happen to the Joshuas of your generation? Miracles are waiting for you ... only believe.

Selah

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

Pray for the Wee Man...

Wehey! After 3 weeks we have Internet! Back in action now.

This is just a tiny blog to say that we are fine ... well, almost all of us. Little Josiah has not been so well these last 3 weeks. He had bad diarrhea in the last fortnight and we couldn't get the back of it. We think now it was because of a change of water at the school.

On Wednesday he started to be sick as well and on Thursday he was getting worse. We went to the Doctor who said that wee Josiah was really dehydrated and he was admitted to hospital.

Even after 2 hours of the dextrose drip he made a bit of a recovery and was getting back to his normal self. Yesterday he continued to recover and today he came home. Sorry for not getting the prayer request to you all but we were out of time, out of energy and out of Internet!

We are just hopping in the car now to go to Manila. We have had a great time with the Scottish Team and I will update you soon. So many great things are happening here. Storms and battles are to be expected.

Better go ... pray for us - especially wee Josiah and his exhausted mummy!

Thanks ...

The Farmer Who Sowed Sorrow...

There was a man - probably a farmer - who decided one day to prune his coconut tree. He took out his very sharp sabre and began to cut the leaves of his tree. He wasn't an evil man and indeed, he had no intentions of causing great sorrow and heartache to an un-named Scottish missionary. But then he made a mistake. Misjudging his aim in a moment of folly - hey, maybe the sun was in his eyes? - he took a swipe at his branch but instead cut a wire that was hanging close by. He thought nothing of it.

But my friends ... that wire was an important wire. It was the wire that connected this poor missionary to the rest of the world. It was the wire that brought me my beloved broadband and my life outside Sefton Village. To this farmer, it was only a wire, but to me it was a lifeline! And that was 13 days ago! The phone company said that my line was a 'very very long line' and that they would have to order new wire from Manila. So here I am, phone-less, wire-less and internet-less. Woe is me! He He.

But, then I had an idea. I have a new mobile phone on my contract and it is a beauty! A Nokia N95. Amazing. When I loaded the software there was an icon that said 'use my phone as a modem'. Mmm ... can this wee phone really link me to the world again? It did! It is not so fast as broadband, and it is more expensive, but it works! And the very fact you are reading this proves it.

These last two weeks have been very busy but so amazing. We had a team from Cornerstone here for a week and we had an excellent week. On the day they dropped them off we picked up the Scottish Team from Manila and they are here now. they are doing great and we are enjoying their company. So much to share - the funny, the challenging, the good, the bad, the ugly ... but I will wait and see if we can get our broadband back in the next day or two!

If you ever come to Santiago and you see a farmer-looking guy who has an embarrassed look on his face ... he's the one!

Blog soon .... promise!

p.s. - thanks to all who have written in our guestbook. If you have not ... please please do. We would love to know who you are and where you come from!

Cardboard Boxes Can’t Cut Grass.

I went down to Manila last Wednesday and came back on Friday night. We really desperately needed to get a pile of stuff for Sefton Village and so Jonathan & I headed down in my van with a local Pastor who came to help. It was non stop shopping! We got new lights for the Fire Centre, new PA for the church, heaps of things for the Children’s Home, 40 ring-binders & notebooks for the students etc. etc. We were jam packed.

One of the things that Jonathan really needed was a new lawnmower. We had two really old ones but they graduated to the big lawn in the sky a few months ago. Jonathan tried to resurrect them, but the old mowers were no mower. Ahem. Well, we managed to get a good deal on a new Briggs & Stratton 4hp lawnmower WITH a grass catcher! Wow, in the Philippines usually the guy who cuts the grass is also the grass gatherer at the end! So Johnny boy was over the moon.

We got back and unloaded all our stuff. Of course, being a good dad and living in the Filipino culture I had brought back my two kids Pasalubongs (gifts). Just a set of 3 cars from ‘Cars’ for Josiah and a Care bear for Lydia. They started playing enthusiastically for about 3 minutes and then I noticed them looking out the window. There, with a humungus (?) grin on his face, was Jonathan unpacking and building his lawnmower. “It’s very big dad”, “Can I have a go?”, and “Do you think Uncle Jonathan will give it to us?” I was initially very impressed at their apparent interest in things mechanical … but I was confused by their desire for a lawnmower.

They ran outside and the next thing I knew they had brought the object of their desire into the house … no, not the lawnmower but the box of the lawnmower! They played and played, tossed and tumbled, laughed (and cried!), jumped and slid around for around an hour. You should have heard their laughter and obvious excitement. They poked their eyes out the sides and pretended they were serving at McDonalds! Such imaginations. Lightning McQueen and Tender Heart were soon forgotten.

Got me thinking. When Briggs & Stratton built this box, they did not have playing in mind. They didn’t have kids in mind. They didn’t have McDonalds restaurants in mind. All they wanted was an attractive but strong cardboard carton that would protect and advertise their product. But my two excited kids they saw it as a boat, a car and a fast food restaurant. They were not interested in cutting grass; they were interested in having a good time.

A bit like us. Spiritually … we love playing with packaging. We love making the minor major. We often make the major minor. We love to miss the point. We love to dwell in the insignificant. We love to talk. We love to play in the shallows of greatness.

Don’t believe me? God has amazing things for us to do. He shows us plans, dreams and vision. He gives us gifts to use to do the job. He gives us all the authority in heaven to use in any given situation. He gives us His name to combat the works of the enemy. He bestows upon us all the power inherited and won by His Son.

And what do we often do? We argue, we debate, we plan, we consider, we procrastinate, we dwell … anything but get the job done.

Take evangelism. We read books, we watch DVD’s, we talk about it, and we debate the different styles and methods. But only few churches have an evangelistic department or programme. Gifts of Holy Spirit – we know all about each gift, how to use each gift, the purpose of each gift, the power of each gift, we can categorize them into different groupings … but so very few actually use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church … or just as importantly... on the street. Prayer – we know we should pray, how important it is, when we should pray, we know we should be at the prayer meeting, but … our prayer meetings are empty. Often our time with the Lord is pushed aside.

We love packaging. We love to talk. We love to play. But packaging will never cut grass. Jonah loved packaging. He was more concerned about a stupid little tree than the eternal destination of 120,000 people.

My friend, there is ‘grass to be cut’. There are people to be won for Christ. There are places that have absolutely no Christian witness. Whole towns and villages are going to hell. There are people who are desperate for a healing touch … just someone to visit them with some encouragement. There are broken people, oppressed people, lonely people, damaged people. Just down your street. You don’t have to walk far to find emptiness.

The crunch of my life came when a couple sang a simple song at a youth conference in Fraserburgh. The song was about a farmer who was a father. All his family and friend were in his house having a party. They were having a ball! But as he looked out to the fields and saw the huge harvest he said to himself, “My house is full … but my fields are empty. Who will go and work for me today?” For me, this was the call of God.

Don’t play with the packaging any more. It’s time to ask the Lord of the Harvest to equip you for the work he has for you. It’s time to seek Him. It’s time to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. It’s time to cry out for your purpose, your vision, your destiny.

Because cardboard boxes can’t cut grass ….

Selah ...

The Beauty of a Tranformed Life

Last Saturday at 9am we had another Cornerstone baptismal service here at Sefton. We had eleven people follow the Lord through the waters of baptism. It is always a lovely time when we come together, worship and watch our friends enjoy being obedient to the Lord.

Nine young people from Naga were baptized … and Pastor Danny was so delighted! Pastor August has now left Bible School and is the Assistant / Youth Pastor at Naga and he is making a big difference. Some of the testimonies of these kids are heartbreaking. Below is a picture of Pastor Danny praying with a wee 11 year old boy who is going through a difficult time. Two years ago his dad just suddenly left the family home and has never contacted them again. And every week Wilfredo comes to the front of the church to pray that his dad would be safe and will come home again. He loves his dad. Wilfredo was also baptized on Saturday... please pray for him and his family.

God is doing a great work through Danny and his team in a very poor area of Santiago. Many have given their lives to the Lord and the great thing is that now the husbands of our lady members are giving their hearts to the Lord! Last Sunday they had over fifty attend our church - 40 adults & young people and 15 kids. God is going to turn that place from a place of shame to a place of honour!

There were a couple from Santiago who were baptized – Jimmar & Marie ‘Che’ Gutieres. Their story is a testimony to the grace of God. They were both Roman Catholics but they were never happy and were spiritually seeking for the Lord. It got to a stage where Che wasn’t really attending any more.

I met Jimmar (right) a year ago when we were trying to get my brother David’s broadband working. Jimmar is a computer expert and works for a local Computer company. I asked him to church and shared about the Lord, but it was not the right time.

Last Christmas they went on vacation to Manila and they found out that Che’s mum lived next door to a Pastor. Her mother went to the Cornerstone Church in Manila and gave her life to the lord. So when Che went to Manila they went to Cornerstone Novaliches, pastored by my friend Fred Abad. They loved it!

We came back from Scotland in January and I just could not get my Mac configured to the web. Jimmar came and the fist thing he asked was “Do you know any Cornerstone Church here in Santiago?” Not only did I know one … I pastored one!

So that week they came to Cornerstone with their wee boy Raj. Two weeks later they gave their lives to the Lord and the change in their lives is wonderful to see. They are radiant and so hungry for God. They are so responsive and desperate for more of God. Jimmar is so keen to help us with all our I.T. in the church and Che is now playing guitar in our Sunday services - as well as joining us in our Hospital & Prison ministries! Pastor Winston took them through baptismal classes and on Saturday they were both baptized. On Sunday, Jimmar was baptized in the Holy Spirit! Unbelievable. So amazing.

The unforced rhythms of grace …..

Selah

p.s. - This is my 100th blog!!!!!

p.p.s - Have you signed our Guestbook yet? C'mon, it will only take 2 mins!

Be My Guest ...

How are ya?

So much has been going on over here and it is hard to stop and catch a breath! Mary has been ultra busy with the start of the new school year and it became even busier because one of the Teacher's assistants started a new job without informing us! We are so glad Vivian could step in to help ... she has done amazingly because she cannot speak Tagalog. What a gal!

So Mary has to do interviews ... yyeeeuuuchh ... not what we wanted on top of everything else going on.


Josiah is doing well as school. After 4 days he is going into the class alone and really enjoying it - especially the stories (in Tagalog!) and the songs! Funny story: they were playing this game where the kids have to shout out their name when the teacher points at them. Well, at home wee Josiah has convinced himself that he is a certain cartoon character, and as Teacher Mary Jane pointed at him he shouted, "I am not Josiah ... my name is Pingu!" LoL!!! Wee Josiah, sorry Pingu, is a scream and I think his sense of humour is going to put a smile on many faces throughout his life.

The new students at the Bible School are doing great. I prayed for 40 students ... and that is the exact amount we got! We have 26 full time 1st years, 10 full time 2nd years and 4 part-time students. I will get a picture of them for the next blog. We had our 'Welcome Party' last night - what a laugh! We all enjoyed it so much. Pictured below is Philip, one of our new students, going through the pain of the 'stocking' game! Now, what kind of farmyard animal does he look like???!


I have a favour to ask you. At the right hand side of my blog, just under the pictures, there is a new wee graphic saying 'Please Sign our Guestbook'. Sometimes, as I write the blog, I wonder "Who is actually reading this?" I look at the Cluster Map and see many dots all across the world, but I have no idea who you are. A few people put in comments, but usually nobody leaves their name.

So now ... here's YOUR chance to sign our Sefton Village Guestbook and let us know who you are. Just click 'Please Sign Our Guestbook' and away you go. I would love to know who you are and you can even leave a wee comment there. Maybe you have some ideas for my blog that I could integrate? Let me know. You can also see other people's entries.

Can you take 2 minutes and sign our guestbook for us ... please??

Will blog again pretty soon. So much to share. Right now I have a Leaders Cell group to go to and then a Leaders Meeting to lead. Pray for us as we seek to serve and honour the Lord in everything that we do.

Oh, by the way, did I mention about you signing our guestbook???? ............

A New Day ...

Today is a day of a whole lot of new things! I have been really challenged by my dad because at the start of the year he really challenged himself about doing new things ... or things he has always wanted to do. He sent me a list and said that he wanted to do at least one 'new thing' a month. What a challenge eh? If we all ha that attitude life certainly would not be boring! Mind you, I'll have to check up on him to see if the old dog is still doing new tricks! Ha Ha ... sorry dad.

By the way, it was my mum's birthday this week ... happy birthday mum! You are the best mum anyone could ever ask for and we are all looking forward to seeing you 'face to face' in October. Please pray for my mum as she is having some of health problems at the moment and we need the Lord to heal and strengthen her. Many are praying for you mum ...

Anyway, lots of new things happened today or at least this week.

* It's a new start to a new year at Sefton Bible Training Centre. Over the last few weeks we have been interviewing all those called to our Bible School, and yesterday they began to arrive. They live by Filipino time' here, so we are expecting more to turn up even in a few weeks!

But, Praise God, at the time of blogging we have around 22 first year full time students and around 9 second year students (some are 'stay out' students). My vision was for us to minister to at least 40 students this year ... so keep on praying. I have a real excitement in my spirit again for SBTC and I am going to put my best into making this year - our 10th year - a fantastic testimony to the grace and power of God. Will keep you posted with up to date numbers and pictures.

* Today is also the start of a new school year at KMGLC. Everyone was so excited today as the cars, jeepneys and tricycles began to roll up at Sefton Village. The kids were all beautiful and so happy. I just can't remember being so happy when I was at school!

Mary and all the teachers have been working hard for the last 2 weeks preparing for the start of classes. Well done ladies. They are superb teachers and they really see their 'work' as really a 'ministry'. Lydia has been so excited about being a Kinder 2 girl and she looked so beautiful and grown up as she went to her class this morning. She is longing to be 5 now. When do we actually make the change of looking forward to being older to dreading another year??

* Well, my wee boy Josiah had his 1st day at school today! He woke up half excited but had a bit of a grumphy start .. as you can see from the basket picture above! He is going through the stage of repeating our question and making it negative ..."No, I don't want to wash my hands ... don't want to..." It's funny, I asked him if he wanted his fave sweetie ... a chocolate football and he said, "No, I don't want a chocolate football, yes I do want a chocolate football daddy!" He's a bit like the guy on the vicar of Dibley at the moment! No, No, No, No ... Yes.

Anyway, off he went to nursery class. Actually, he did well but I heard him shout a few times, "I want to go home now." Unfortunately, he started shouting this after around 3 minutes of being in class! Poor soul ... it is so hard to have your house just over the creek. He has also got to get into his mind that aunty Mary-Jane - the lovely lady who takes him out to McDonalds sometimes and who has spent lots of time with him in the toddlers room at church - is now his Teacher! Pray for Josiah as we are really hoping that he can adjust to school life ... like his big sister.

* Our youth Pastor Winston has just started to do a blog about his ministry, Cornerstone Youth and life at Sefton Village. It will give you a wee peek at life from a Filipino Pastor. He is just learning and not many know about it yet. So if you could check his blog up and leave an encouraging message I am sure he would be very happy. The blog address for Winston is : http://winstonbaoin.blogspot.com

So there you have it. So many new things. How about you? When's the last time you did something you have never done before? Think about it ... and take a leaf out of my dad's book!

The Start of the Scottish Invasion!

Well, I am back from Manila (in one piece!). Crazy, crazy people on crazy, crazy roads. Seems like the most logical and acceptable place for some Filipinos with big cars to overtake is

* just before the brow of a hill
* at the outside lane of a hidden bend
* on the hard shoulder when all the rest of us have stopped for roadworks

Yup, I think we have seen a few 'near misses' in the last few days ... but praise God we are still in one piece. I am not joking! Had to laugh though. Many cars in Manila had these car stickers ...


...so funny!

We had a great service at Cornerstone United on Sunday. We had a lot of people there and we had the visit of a YWAM team. A local Pastor spoke about how we need to live in the grace and power of God. Really exciting to be there.

We left on Sunday afternoon to go to Manila. Wow, what a long drive. Monday was the first day of classes here in the Philippines and I think that every car, truck and bus was on the same road as us! We arrived there at 11pm, but safe.

Had a great time with my wee girl in Manila. Lydia behaved so well and really enjoyed herself. She thought she was a really big girl because she helped her daddy and took care of him! (I am only 38 ... not 83!!!) On Tuesday Vivian arrived and Lydia was over the moon to see her 'Aunty Viv-ee'. We left for home on Tuesday afternoon .. and we had a traffic-free journey! Bliss.

From now on it's all systems go as far as visitors are concerned. Vivian is here now and we are also expecting an Australian couple from John Partington's church in a few weeks. I am going down to the south of the Philippines to the island of Palawan to preach at my friend's church. On the way back we will pick up a team of 5 young adults from Cornerstone Singapore. They will be here for a week's mission and will minister in the church and at our various ministries and outreaches.

I will drop them off at Clark airport on July 2nd and then continue down to Manila to pick up a team from Fraserburgh. My cousin Elizabeth and her husband John are coming out with their two beautiful girls Libby & Milly. Another family is coming with them - David & Grace Strachan and their two kids and last but not least is a lovely young lady from Fraserburgh AoG called Kirsty. Lydia and Josiah are so excited to see their 'sorta cousins'!

They will be here until the 19th July and on the 26th July more friends will arrive - Michael & Alison Tait with their niece Jemma. They have been such a blessing in so many ways to Sefton Village for many years and this will be their third trip. It is always great to hear their enthusiasm and encouragement as they see what God is doing. Michael and I also share a love of good food ... believe it or not!

They will leave on 14th August and we have no visitors until October 2nd when some of the Ritchie tribe arrive. I am so delighted that my brother Paul is coming out with his whole family - Ashley, Nathan & Aaron. I am looking forward to some 'nephew time'. My mum and dad will be coming with them (their 123rd trip!!!) and also my cousin Alexander's wife Monica will be coming. She is so gifted in singing and songwriting and she has made two beautiful CD's.

Of course, at the end of September the newest part of our Sefton Team will arrive - the Kerr family. They will be doing the Missions Course at Mattersey and then coming out to join us here. We are about to start renovating their house next week. Please pray that all their practical plans will go smoothly and that everything will fall into place. They are so brave and we know that they will be such a blessing to Sefton Village.

There is word that my other brother David might be coming out with a friend at the end of the year ... so it is all systems go!

And that's not all ... it seems like Sefton Village is in hot demand for Missions Teams. In March, a team from Mattersey, led by Dr John Andrews, will be coming for a fortnight. In April, our good friend Pastor Steve Ritchie is working on sending out a team from Fraserburgh AoG. There has also been contact from a three churches in Scotland who are in the planning stages of sending teams out from their churches next summer.

Phew. It's all happening.

Please pray that, for every person and every team, they would be a blessing ... but be blessed. They would give a challenge ... and be challenged. Be an inspiration ... and be inspired. Bring change .... and be changed. For every sacrifice they make to come here ... God would send the fire on their altars. For every hope and vision they have ... God would do more.

This is my hearts desire ....

Seriously Good Music ....

Tomorrow, after our Cornerstone United service, I am going down to Manila to pick up Mary's cousin Vivien who is coming out to help us over the summer. I am taking Lydia with me ... a real daddy & little girl time! She is all set to 'look after me' and help me buy the hundreds of things that we need for Sefton village that we just can't get up here in the sticks.

I will write the second part of 'Plans of a Loving Father' next week. Until then, I want to recommend a fantastic CD that I know you will love. It is by a guy called Paul Baloche and the album is called 'A Greater Song'. When I was in Singapore they sang a lot of wonderful new songs ... the majority were his. He led the worship at Reinhard Bonkke's Fire Conference last year.

It's the kind of Cd where every song just hits the mark. No matter what mood you are in, there is a song here that can minister to you. 'Hosanna' is superb, 'I Will Boast' is upbeat & uplifting, 'Your Name' is beautiful, 'What Can I Do' and 'You Have Been so Good' are so challenging. Hey, there's even a verse of 'Just As I Am' in there!

He also has a website - www.leadworship.com - where you can get the lyrics and chords. You can even listen to sound clips free!

Go out and buy it (or in today's society ... order it online!) and give yourself a treat. If you like it ... write and tell me. If you don't like it ... give it away!

Have a great weekend ... and pray for us as we tackle some of the worlds worst drivers on these crazy roads. Pray that Lydia does a good job of looking after the old guy!

The Plans of a Loving Father (Part 1)

Hi folks. Here is a few thoughts I wrote down. Part 2 soon!

The Plans of a Loving Father (Part 1)

My, son … who is like him?

Perfectly made and a bringer of joy.

His smile makes me feel complete.

He is like a tender shoot, reaching upwards,

Finding his steps and letting his frail voice be heard.

Yet, I know, deep in my heart that he is not as handsome as others.

He is beautiful to me, but ordinary to the rest.

Yet, my heart is sorrowful, as I already know his life;

And it is not easy for me to watch. His experiences will almost break me.

He will be despised by many, completely hated.

He will not be known for his joy, but sorrow will follow him.

Bitterest grief will chase after him, day after day.

Many will turn their back on him … even me.

Words fail me. How can I turn my back on my son in his darkest deepest hour of need? My son.

Nobody will care for my boy.

And why? Why? Is it because of his own selfish ambitions? A wrong choice? A moment of madness?

Because of a mistake that he made, a crime he committed?

No, He will inherit the pain of the world.

He will carry the weaknesses of those He loves.

As he suffers, many will blame my son for his own downfall. Not knowing.

Beaten for peace. Crushed beyond recognition. Bruised for the healing of many.

Because of my son, my children will not have to walk in guilt; shame will be cast away. At last I can find a way of forgiveness. The only way.

I am so proud of Him. Even though He could rightly defend himself, he did not.

He did not waste his words on useless arguments. He knew what he had to do. And He did it.

His silent actions shouted louder than powerful words.

He was deemed to be guilty, yet I know that sin never entered his heart.

I know why He stood silently … for the sake of a lost world.

My beautiful one was treated like a beast.

My innocent child … a criminals fate.

The hardest thing for me? The most difficult confession I must make?

All this … the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the loneliness, the hatred, the utter shame…

… was my plan. My idea. My purpose. My proposal. My vision.

Mine. Not the idea of a demon from hell or from the warped mind of a confused father.

Mine. My plan. I can hardly say it.

My heart is breaking as I write and tears flow down my face.

What kind of a father am I? What father would plan such a horrific end?

And yet, I know I had to do it. Though it brought me temporary pain, I know the eternal benefits. I had to plan it this way.

Like a seed that dies and falls … new life will begin. The blood of my son is the seed of hope.

And, even though he went through indescribable pain for a moment … when He sees the reward of His suffering – blind eyes opening, people now free, the oppressed released, the lost being found – He will be satisfied.

When he sees the multitudes of Africa shout to me; when he hears the millions in South America call on me; when he experiences the throngs of Asians singing my name … He will know in His heart, “it was worth it.”

Because of my son, hell is defeated. Because if my son, death is a friend. Because of my son, sin has been destroyed.

If I could have written down another plan for my son, I would have. But I could not. When He cried out in desperation in the garden for another way ... I shook my head.

For the price of reconciliation was His blood. And I signed his papers.

And if you ever think I do not know what you are going through, the pain of a moment …

…think again.