|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zech
4:6)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This verse is the theme verse for CATCH THE WIND, Dr Dave Ryser's ministry. Dr Ryser is still the Dean of my school, World Revival School of Ministry, but he is not teaching any more, because the Lord has taken him into
a new season of his life, part of which is Bulgaria. It's been exciting to be
part of the birth of what the Lord is doing here and there, and a great
privilege to share and contribute. You can read the story at www.catchthewind.injesus.com
. Presently I'm taking care of the webpage, as well as the e-mail newsletter,
that keeps people up-to-date, especially when they are overseas ministering,
like right now.
Since CATCH THE
WIND has become such an important part of my
life - and I have the sense it will be beyond my time in Kansas City, though
not sure to what extent in light of my call to Mali - I'm forwarding the
e-mail newsletter I wrote yesterday about what's going on in Bulgaria. While
a team of 5 is there, I'm having short nights (3-5 hours of sleep), calling
Bulgaria, writing the newsletter, and taking care of Dawn's kids (she's in
Bulgaria), all in addition to school, office work, church and now the Todd
Bentley conference that's starting tonight, until Saturday night. All this to
say that I'm asking you to hold me up in prayer, since I do feel the physical
effects. The team will be returning from Bulgaria next Monday.
The Lord is so good! There's nothing like being a tiny piece in his huge
machinery of Kingdom building!
Love,
Claudia
BULGARIA:
Kazanlak & The Power Of God
Claudia Wintoch
Nov 12, 2002
Dear friends of CATCH THE WIND,
The Lord is confirming His word with signs and wonders, as He opens doors
before us that we simply walk through to watch Him move in power, as we yield
to Him and follow Holy Spirit.
SATURDAY
Last time we neglected to tell you of one significant miracle the Lord did
Saturday night. We had just arrived in Kazanlak and spent some time praising
the Lord and worshipping Him in the living room, when Nelly
- pastor Bozidar's wife - shared about the tremendous pain she was having in her feet.
She had been praying and fasting, when her feet started to hurt more and
more, to the point that she could not even stand at times. When she told us,
we prayed for her and she was INSTANTLY healed.
SUNDAY
It was her testimony in the church service on Sunday morning which opened the
door for the Lord to move powerfully with His healing power. Last time I told
you about the shriveled claw-hand that was healed - it was a man (not a woman
- sorry about that). We prayed for this man, and he was instantly healed as
we watched him open his hand for the first time. The following day, when we
visited the sanctuary they are building, that man was there, building the
church with his own - now fully functional - hands. Glory to God!
MONDAY
On Monday morning we had an appointment with the mayor of Kazanlak, Stefan Dervishev. Because of a change of schedule, it did not work out for the other
politicans and businessmen to be there. We were warmly received by the mayor
and spent nearly two hours with him. The main fruit from our meeting was a
strenghtening of our relationship and building the mayor's confidence since
he saw that we had not forgotten them but come back, meaning serious
business. We talked to Stefan about the Millennium Challenge Account (see last e-mail). The mayor is not a politican or businessman, but a
general in the Bulgarian army. Therefore he wanted to hear from us what ideas
we had about investing in local businesses. We ourselves could not answer
that question, but pastor Bozidar has contact with businessmen and has ideas.
He will now have to put down some suggestions and plans of action for
consideration.
After our meeting, we went to look at the progress on the new sanctuarý and
spent some time in worship and prayer there. Then we visited one of the
church members, who we had already met in September, at his workplace. He is
a surgeon, so we visited his clinic where he practices, had a great time of
renewing our friendship, and had an opportunity to pray with him and over
him, praying for discernment and healing hands as he reaches out to save lives.
TUESDAY
Today we had a rather casual day. We went to get the material for the
upholstery of the chairs for the sanctuary - an undertaking of several hours.
Then we went to an ammunition's factory where 20,000 people used to work. Now
some business people are occupying it who have ideas about remodelling it -
seems like one possibility for investment.
In the evening, we all gathered at the apartment of one of the church's
families, about 20 people altogether. We had dinner and a wonderful time of fellowship
and laughter. After the meal, we went into another room to pray. Like Nelly
on Saturday, there was a lady who had also been praying and fasting and who
was suffering from the same pain in one of her feet. We held the foot, broke
the enemy's hold, and the lady was instantly healed. Another lady had sever
back pain that even extended into both her legs. She could not walk or lie or
lift her legs without pain. We prayed for her and she was instantly set free!
Then there was a guy with neckproblems that he attributed to anxiety. As we
broke that stronghold, he was healed.
Dave talked to them a little about the fire and lightning of God, and we
prayed for those who were hungry for the Lord. The heavy glory of the Lord
was filling the room. They were good receivers and responded as well they
could. We also prayed for some of the young people and shared what God showed
us for them, about His hand on them, His call on their lives. We admonished
them to guard their hearts and be careful about things that compete with God.
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday night, Christian Centre Bethany has a worship service where we will
be ministering. Dawn, Martha and Phil are going to play and sing again -
including the three songs in Bulgarian - then Martha is going to preach what
the Lord has put on her heart. After that, Dave is going to talk about the
parables of the pearl of great price and of the hidden treasure. He will
share that these are not about the cost of following Jesus, but about the
great value of Jesus. The question is not whether
you are going to pay the price, but what
are you going to pay for. He will take about the value of other things
compared to the value of Jesus. Dave's goal is to build the people up, create
hunger in their hearts, so that they are able to experience more of the
presence of God.
That service - or the one on Thursday - will be taped by a journalist from
the TV station and parts of it aired next Sunday to an audience of 20,000
people in the region. We have already had feedback on last Sunday's TV
program that we did live. As people watch, they see that we love God and that
we love Bulgarians, which gets their attention. It neutralizes some of the
fear people have of cults, so that they slowly start accepting the
evangelical Christians, watching the TV show every Sunday. No doubt the
healing testimonies have also been significant in getting people's attention
for the kingdom of God.
THURSDAY
It will probably be Thursday, when we'll go over to the new sanctuary to
dedicate it to the Lord. We'll be spending time in praise and worship - in a
hall with a high ceiling and great acoustics (see the pictures at www.geocities.com/catchthewindnow
) - before dedicating it. We are expecting an awesome time in the presence of
the Lord. The journalist might actually be taping that service instead of
Wednesday's.
FRIDAY
On Friday we'll be having our last service in Kazanlak. Dave is praying about
talking about the gospel that comes forth not just in words but in
demonstration and power. The main way we've seen the Lord confirm His word
the last few days is through physical healing.
SOME THOUGHTS
While our first trip to Bulgaria two months ago was primarily a time of
building relationships and encouraging the people to be lovers of Jesus, this
trip is characterized by the manifest power of God.
However, we very much desire to get it into their minds that it is not us who
have to be credited, but that the Lord will use anybody who's a willing vessel
for him. We have all been ministering to show them that anybody can do it,
and are looking for ways to involve their people as well. We have been
reiterating that we are not the wine, but just the glass, and it does not
matter who the glass is. When you get a glass of water, you don't get excited
about the glass. We are so grateful to be the glass for them and show them
how to be the glass themselves, as our hearts are knitted together more and
more, so that we feel like we have known them forever! They are such loving
people, so open, free and so giving. They are generous givers and shower us
with all they possess; you simply cannot outgive them. Even in their
hardships they enjoy one another, their family and friends, are happy and
laugh a lot. You can't help but love them, wanting to do anything you can for
them. It is as with God: it gets your attention. Those people are lots of
fertile ground for the blessings of God.
Wherever we have gone, the Lord has shown up and done something. The people
of Kazanlak are givers, worshippers, in need of a lot, but only hungry for
God. It is a great privilege for us to be here and do the works the Lord has
prepared to do through us for them. May His kindgom come in power!
We appreciate your prayers and ask you to keep up the good work for the glory
of our King.
In HIS service,
Claudia
CATCH THE WIND
cwintoch@catchthewind.net
www.catchthewind.net
www.catchthewind.injesus.com
|