Leaving
Vienna
The 25th of July, Rainer (who is in the same
ÖSM-team) and I left Vienna, heading with my car towards
Germany. I had been looking for a third person who could come
with us to Britain so that it would be cheaper. The only other
thing that wasn’t arranged yet was where to stay the night
in Germany. We knew we had to stop near Nürnberg. A short
time before we left, I got a letter from the summer team leader
in Britain telling me that there was a team member near Nürnberg
who needed a lift. Wow !
So we arrived that night at Mark’s house
where we spent the night. The next morning we left for Paris where
we arrived in the evening at Colette’s house. I know Colette
from my time in Paris and was happy to see her again. All three
of us stayed there from Wednesday to Monday morning. I showed
Rainer and Mark Paris and had the chance to meet some friends,
as well as going to the French church I went to when I was in
Paris and to the Anglican charismatic church I used to go to in
the evening (which is very special to me).
Monday morning we headed up to Dover where we
got on a ferry. Some time later we arrived in London / Harrow
where we had the joy to stay with Louise’s (my ex-prayer
partner) parents for three days while Louise was still in Austria.
I showed Rainer and Mark some sights in London, as well as (not)
seeing some friends.
IFES-Summer Team
Thursday afternoon, the 3rd of August, we arrived
in Bournemouth. We immediately went to the beach and enjoyed the
last hours rest before the outreach started in the evening.
We were 18 students from 11 different countries
plus 3 English leaders. The first weekend was a training weekend
where we got to know each other better and had some more or less
helpful teaching. Monday morning we then started with the daily
routine : 10 to 10:30 worship, 10:30 to 11:15 Bible exposition,
coffee-break, 11:30 to 12:15 small groups for questions and prayer.
Afterwards we immediately went out, taking quickly something to
eat with us. We mainly went into town doing questionnaires (which
I didn’t find too good) with international students and
inviting them to the evening coffee-bar. We then met again for
dinner which was cooked for us by different church-members. The
outreach was supported financially and in prayer by around 15
churches in Bournemouth.
We then went to the coffee-bar to pray for the
evening before it was opened. Some of us also went into town to
do the questionnaire again. I personally liked most going to the
pub where hundreds of students met. We went there as customers
and just started talking to other students. I was surprised how
open people were to talk about Christianity. We even went through
an evangelistic leaflet (Bridge to Life) with people.
After the first week we had the Saturday off
and all went to the New Forest (which was quite brown because
of the drought). On Sunday we were sent to the different churches
to witness about the outreach.
In the end of the second week, we had a barbecue
for the international students in the New Forest. Meanwhile we
had made friends with several students who came on a regular basis.
The following day, we had a special service for the students,
followed by lunch together, which marked the end of the outreach.
That last weekend three people prayed a prayer of commitment together
with team-members. It was wonderful to see how God had even provided
for the follow-up in their countries !
Eun-Hee
There were a lot of Korean students in Bournemouth.
I got to know Eun-Hee better during the last days. She had been
in Bournemouth since the beginning of the year and had been doing
regular Bible studies with the leader of our team. We had really
good conversations and she is very close to a decision. She is
even embarrassed to say she is not a Christian and says that she
wants to be a Christian. Meanwhile she has returned to Korea but
I’m in contact with her. We really became friends in the
end. Please pray that she would find Christian friends and a church
where she can feel at home so that she’ll be able to make
a decision soon.
Viola
Rainer is a real evangelist ! We also used to
have sports afternoons. When there weren’t any students,
Rainer just started walking around the park and speaking to people.
That way he met Viola from Hungary. After having talked to her,
he prayed for her. (Remember News from Vienna 8 where
I wrote about this fantastic revelation about the power of praying
for non-Christians after having talked to them.) She then came
to the coffee-bar where I got to know her. After the mission was
over, we went to the beach together where I had the possibility
to talk with her quite a lot. I told her my story and the wonderful
things Jesus has done in my life. Then I asked her whether I could
pray for her. She said, “Here, on the beach ?“ She
couldn’t imagine at all that you could speak to God outside
the church, having grown up in a catholic surrounding in Hungary.
After having prayed for her, her first comment was, “Could
you have continued speaking like that on and on ?“
Viola is very open and interested. She had been
given Luke’s gospel but it was “too boring“.
So I gave her John’s gospel, assuring her that it won’t
be boring. She has a lot of questions and is hungry for answers.
Very early I was already alarmed by different comments and behaviour
patterns which made it clear that she must have some similar dark
past like I have. E.g. she says that she runs away from her father
but she hasn’t opened up more yet.
Now the good news : Viola studies in Vienna.
I asked her whether she would like to meet regularly to read the
Bible together and she agreed. She liked the Christian songs we
sang in England very much and was even looking forward to come
to VCC ! I met her “by chance“ at university shortly
after my return and she told me that she had been to a Baptist
church in her home town - on her own !
The following Sunday she came to VCC. Even before
the service she said to me that the atmosphere was so good. The
message then was very appropriate (about God’s heart) and
even touched me deeply. She then left quite quickly after the
service. She said she wouldn’t be able to come the following
Sunday but the one after. Please pray for our Bible study and
that she’ll soon make a decision.
Personally
Personally were those two weeks a terribly hard
time. If you remember News from Vienna 8, you will remember that
the end of June / beginning July were already quite hard for me.
Things got better the week before I left for England, when I had
the possibility to join the Viennese summer-team from time to
time. That’s always the case when I witness and “seek
first the kingdom of God“. All the other things seem to
be unimportant then.
So I was really looking forward to the summer
team and couldn’t await telling people about Jesus, especially
with my new “technique“ of praying for people.
The first weekend of the outreach was great.
I was excited and eager to go out on the streets. I enjoyed being
so close to God and didn’t want to live differently again.
What are You doing, Lord?!?
But I haven’t told you yet why I felt so
especially close to the Lord.
I was so happy when I realized that all the girls
would sleep in the church I considered my church in Bournemouth
(Winton Community Church). Every night during the mission I played
the piano as long as possible (up to Midnight) and then enjoyed
having my time with the Lord while everybody went to bed, singing
and talking to Him in this big church hall, with the doors shut
of course.
It was the second night in Bournemouth when I
again went into the hall and started praising the Lord and singing
to Him. I was so full of love for Him and thanksgiving! After
a short time, I suddenly fell forward to the floor. What was happening?
I hadn’t really fallen under God’s power yet being
with Him alone. So I lied there wondering and enjoying God’s
presence, waiting what would happen. Suddenly God just poured
out His Spirit on me in an absolutely amazing way! Wave after
wave of His love came on me, even increasing till I nearly had
to say, stop, it’s too much! And then I started to sing
in tongues in a way I had never before! It was so beautiful and
God was so close! I didn’t want to stop at all! When I finally
got up and went to bed, about one and a half hours had passed.
Later I saw that God being so gracious to me
that night was Him equipping me so that I would be able to survive
the following weeks.
Anna
Monday came and we prepared to go to the language
schools to hand out invitations. I wanted to take some gospels
and tracts with me, but it was impossible to find any. I felt
terribly uncomfortable with going without any but what choice
did I have ?
On the opposite side of the language school,
there was a girl sitting on the pavement, not doing anything.
I went over to her and invited her to the coffee-bar. I didn’t
usually do that but I asked her name and where she came from.
She was Anna from Germany. As she didn’t seem to want to
talk, I went on. Having left her, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging
me to go back and talk to her. As I continued walking I asked
the Lord why and whether He wanted to tell me anything about her.
I sat down and prayed a little bit, listening to God, but didn’t
get more information. So I obeyed and went back to her. I sat
down at her side and said, “Have you read the invitation
I gave you before ? I am a Christian and I believe God wants me
to speak to you. Can I help you in any way ?“ She shook
her head. I then asked her what she understood by Christian, getting
the typical answer. So I told her what it meant for me, giving
her my testimony about how Jesus had turned my darkness into light.
All the time, I could really see the Holy Spirit giving me the
words to say, as I shared from the depths of my heart. After having
finished, she briefly told me her story :
She was born in Brazil. When her father
died, she returned with her mother and brother to Germany to live
with her uncle. This uncle was beating her with his belt. After
some time (how long ?) they left this uncle. Then the mother couldn’t
afford having two children any more and gave them away. Her foster
parents weren’t very good to her either, claiming to be
Christians.
I then told her that Jesus could heal her from
those things etc. and encouraged her to read a gospel. Can you
imagine how I felt now, having no gospel or tract with me ? I
then asked her whether I could pray for her. So I did. All the
time she had hardly spoken anything and at that point, she was
obviously touched. I wondered what I should say or do next when
the guy she was waiting for arrived. So I just reminded her that
it was God who wanted me to speak to her and said that she should
never forget that but react.
When I had left her, I was deeply moved. Isn’t it amazing
how God brings me together with hurt people who have similar pasts
again and again ? I had to sit down as quickly as possible. I
could have cried for this hurt little girl, for all the pain she
had suffered and the darkness and despair she was still living
in. During the following two weeks I prayed a lot for her, but
she never came. I’m still praying for her as God has laid
her on my heart.
Satan Reacts
The following day, before the coffee-bar, I dropped
Rainer at his appointment. On the way to England we had talked
a lot and I realized that he needed help. So I managed to arrange
this appointment with one of the church leaders of “my“church
as he acknowledged his need of help. I had two other team members
in my car who didn’t know what was going on. They started
making jokes and suddenly I became really angry because it was
so serious and replied to the girl ( I can’t remember what
she had said), “You don’t know what it’s like
to want to die day by day !“ She was stunned. The immediate
response I heard in my head was, “You do want to die, Claudia.“
I replied, “No, I don’t!“ I was shocked about
this thought although it was obvious where it came from.
This was the beginning of my going downhill.
Day by day new things from my past were being brought up to the
surface and I tried to stand firm in the truth against all those
lies. Now, I was already quite tired at that time, from the work
of the whole year and really needed a holiday. I was also tired
of struggling and fighting all the time because of my past, especially
after those hard weeks end June / beginning July. So day by day
I felt like being on the losing side when Satan attacked me with
all those things. He tried to paralyze me and that’s exactly
what he achieved. Going out into the streets became suddenly a
struggle and I was hardly able to witness in any way.
Thursday
On Thursday then, I was put together with a team
member (let’s call him S. - in case he wouldn’t like
to be mentioned) to go to town with the questionnaire. I had already
heard before in which way God had been using him to pray for people
and somehow God was leading our conversation in that way that
he offered to pray for me some time. Before going back to church,
he said he would just pray for me shortly. So we stood on the
pavement in front of the car, when I suddenly went down under
God’s power without having expected it at all. So sat down
on a small wall and he started to minister to me. It was amazing
how God used him; he went right to the root of certain things
which really helped me. After some time we went back to church.
It wasn’t really very private there on the pavement.
The Second Week
After that time of praying the accusations even
got worse. I was reading a book which was really helpful, with
a lot of testimonies (Neil T. Anderson, Released from Bondage).
As I got to know my problems more clearly, I was getting more
and more discouraged. God was also showing me things from my past
I had already forgotten. So I started looking more at my problems
than at the God who delivers and sets free. There were times when
I was in total despair, crying out to God to help me. The strange
thing was that all the time I enjoyed having my quiet time in
the morning as well as in the evening - and even managed to have
them nearly daily.
All the time, nobody ever asked me whether I
was okay. I missed the personal level in our small groups, where
we prayed for people we met, as we didn’t talk about the
way we felt. I would have liked to share with somebody but only
felt alone.
It was then Thursday / Friday when my darkness
and struggle were somehow overcome and I returned to my “real
self“. Thursday night I got to know one of the team members
more closely and we really became friends. It was then when I
was able for the first time to share the way felt and it helped
so much to pray for each other ! Probably that’s the reason
why I recovered the next day.
Winton Community Church
That’s the church I consider my church
in Bournemouth and where the girls were sleeping. I’ve never
seen a church like this one, with so much love and concern for
each other!
The first Sunday in Bournemouth I was “accidentally“
sent to this church to testify about the mission. (And I rejoiced!)
The same night I had the possibility to go to the evening service
which is freer than the morning one. This service was a commissioning
service so that there was no ministry time afterwards.
The following Sunday, they had an open air service
in the morning (where I couldn’t go) and therefore no evening
service. So it was the last Sunday of the mission, when they had
ministry time after the service for the first time. I was looking
forward to being prayed for after those terrible weeks.
We had a great service and then I went to be
prayed for by somebody I appreciate a lot. Lying on the floor,
a time of accusation began - like so often. One lie after the
other came up and every time I spoke the truth against it. After
some time of having been bombarded, this tiredness came again.
I was tired of fighting and just couldn’t any more. So I
let go in the end. People came again to pray for me but it didn’t
help. The last lie (like so often) was, “You’ll never
be free.“ I knew that was lie and tried not to agree. Meanwhile
the congregation had left and the rest of the team just didn’t
care. So I felt very lonely and went to a lonely place to cry
and cry out to God. After some time I made the decision that I
didn’t want Satan to defeat me and went to phone S. who
encouraged me and prayed for me on the telephone. Afterwards I
felt a bit better and went to bed. It was a shame that as a result,
I couldn’t say good-bye the way I wanted as it was the last
night to see most people of the team.
Three weeks later, the last Sunday in England,
I went to my church again and enjoyed the service so much. My
heart was aching a lot that night as I had to say good-bye to
my friends and to the church I like best. That night, there was
a wonderfully peaceful ministry time again and God just filled
me afresh with His Spirit, strengthening me to come back to Austria.
Five Days Off!!!
After the mission, I moved to David’s and
Catia’s house who are good friends of mine in Bournemouth
(who also go to my church). After that Sunday night the day before,
when I was in total despair, I was very sensitive again and aware
that I needed to act in order to be set free. During those days
I finished reading Released from Bondage and God continued to
speak to me and reveal things from my past. I had never known
myself that well as at that time! I knew exactly what I needed
to do and where my problems came from. There was especially one
thing I had never told anybody before and I felt the urge to get
rid of it, being ready to tell somebody for the first time. So
I tried to meet up with the pastor’s wife I had already
had an appointment with in February. But it didn’t work
out.
I was also very grateful for Catia’s and
David’s support.
Hope!
During the mission, I learned that two team members
were going to a conference as volunteer workers. It sounded really
interesting and so I thought of going there. Seeing the price,
I considered it impossible.
I had wanted to meet some friends after the mission,
and phoning up one of them, I realized that he lived just six
miles from where the conference took place! I was then invited
to stay with him and his family for the whole conference! I couldn’t
believe that! I stood in awe before the Lord.
Contemplating my situation, the point I was
at personally, and looking back to former experiences, I knew
that the conference was the answer to my prayers. I gladly applied
and set off with one of the two team members to go to Ashburnham
Place (a well-known Christian conference and prayer centre) on
Saturday morning (26th of August). It wasn’t too far away,
in the East Sussex, south of London.
Peggy - Eleven Years Later
The first time I went to England consciously
(I had also been there in my mother’s womb and as a child),
I was eleven years old and had just finished my first year of
English. I went to do a language course in Seaford, for one month.
During this month, I spent most of the time at the neighbour’s
house where an elderly English lady was living with her cats (as
I love cats very much). Since then I have been in contact with
her. I had written her after my conversion but she hadn’t
really reacted to it.
Now I was passing very near and decided to see
whether she was there. And she was. As she opened the door, I
said, “Hello! Do you recognize me?“ She said, “I
know you.“ Then I told her who I was. She was quite surprised
to see me and invited us in. Her son was there at that moment
and we started a conversation. Her son was speaking most of the
time, talking all the time about Eastern religions, esoteric,
astrology and so on. He said e.g. that just two days before they
had talked about me and that it was telepathy that I was there
then.
But his talking opened up an opportunity to share
the gospel with them. I told him that I didn’t agree because
I was a Christian. The first reaction was, “so am I“.
We then were able to clearly communicate the gospel to them before
we had to continue our journey.
Peggy is meanwhile quite an old lady who can
only read with problems. So I am just about to send her a very
good, clear teaching tape. Please pray that she won’t die
without Jesus.
ICHTHUS Revival Camp
So we arrived late in the afternoon of the 26th
of August at my friend’s Sam house. Unfortunately we didn’t
have too much time to talk during the week, but at least we had
some time.
That night started the conference already. The
topic of the week was The Spirit and Power of Elijah. The conference
was organized by ICHTHUS Christian Fellowship, a charismatic denomination
in England. The only speaker I knew was Graham Kendrick. He was
leading worship some times and held seminars, as well as presenting
his new songs. Other speakers were Roger Forster, Roger Mitchell,
Che Ahn, Jean Darnell, etc..
The day started with a prayer meeting for the
nations at 7 am, followed by Stretch and Worship at 7:30. I had
made up my mind to be there at 7 every day, but only managed the
first day. So I had my quiet time from 8/8:30 to 9:30 in the lovely
prayer centre, while the others had their breakfast. At 9:30 the
worship time began, followed by the school of prayer, before the
seminar. After the seminar that ended at 1 pm, I had the whole
afternoon off before the evening celebration at 7:30. From 4 to
6 (when dinner started), there were workshops but the only interested
one was on Tuesday (note that - it’s important later!) when
Graham Kendrick spoke on Songwriting. I didn’t get any food
there so I just bought a sandwich or so for dinner and lunch.
As I said before, the topic of the week was Elijah.
All the evening talks were based on 2 Kings, and also the seminars
were based on Elijah. I went to Hearing and Releasing the Prophetic,
Prophetic Evangelism (twice with different speakers) and Coping
with Spiritual and Emotional Pressure. My favourite speaker was
Che Ahn, an Asian American from Los Angeles. His talks were so
encouraging and motivating - and he had great testimonies. After
the conference I really was on fire and just wanted to go back
to evangelize.
What I didn’t like that much was the worship.
They hardly sang any other songs than fast ones where they could
dance to. I missed the slow worship songs where you can just adore
God and enjoy His presence.
Besides, there were around 1500 people there,
all from the different Ichthus-congregations. Sometimes I felt
a bit excluded. The two volunteers I knew from Bournemouth, were
busy all the time and so I had to be on my own.
- And Spiritually?
The first thing I did, was to apply for the ministry
time and counselling they offered Monday to Friday from 4 to 6
pm, at the same time as the workshops. I knew God had brought
me to that conference to do something significant and that was
the only thing I knew to do. They wanted to know, which day I
was unable to come, so I put Tuesday. You’ll see later how
humorous God is!
So the first day, Monday afternoon, I got my
appointment. They had scheduled 45 minutes per person. I was looking
forward to that session, putting quite a lot of hope into it.
I knew I was ready to tell what I hadn’t told anyone before,
relying on the verse in James 5:6. So I told those two ladies
my story and problems (but not this one thing), then they gave
me some verses, prayed shortly for me, and sent me off even before
the time was over. You can imagine that that didn’t help
me very much. How often had I have “help“ like that!
As I went off, I was a bit disappointed. I then said to God that
I didn’t know what to do any more as I was at the end of
my wisdom but that I trusted Him as He knew how much I needed
help.
An Angel?
The following day, Tuesday, I decided to have
something warm for lunch. So I got some chicken & chips and
looked around for somewhere to sit. I saw a lady sitting on her
own and joined her. Soon we were engaged in a conversation, talking
about her family and my family. She even prayed for my family
and by doing that, she gave me so much hope for them as I had
never had before. She also told me different stories where God
had used her. Walking back to car park together, I was getting
more and more down hearing all those stories. I felt a stirring
deep down in my spirit that I would like her to pray for me but
didn’t have the courage to ask her. Arriving at the car
park, it was her offering to pray for me as I had mentioned that
I still had problems. She just said, “My time is the Lord’s.“
I tell you - I have never met somebody like this
English lady called Ann! She is a real prayer warrior, coming
to the prayer centre day by day, being so close to God’s
heart that it’s nearly frightening.
So we then went to the prayer centre together
to find an empty room, but we didn’t. We then went to the
main building where we were allowed to use a room as long as no-one
needed it.
We then went right into prayer - and what a
difference it was to the day before! Quite in the beginning, Ann
became a picture of me sitting at my grandparent’s house
at their table with them, at the age of 4, and crying for my mother.
As she said that, I was really touched. I felt as if I had that
age again and nearly started crying for my mother. I suddenly
got such a longing for my mother to be close to me.
Some time later, I knew the time had come to
tell what I hadn’t told anybody before. It was a real struggle
and when I had said the first sentence in that direction, Ann
came half-way, already knowing what I wanted to say, “God
has told me.“. I was surprised and relieved. As Ann then
started to pray into that situation, we were interrupted at the
most crucial moment and had to leave the room. I was disappointed.
We then had a cup of tea before we went to the prayer centre where
Ann was supposed to have her daily prayer meeting. She invited
me to join them and so I did.
She set up around ten chairs but only her closest
friend and prayer partner came. So most of the prayer meeting
ended up being ministry for me again.
Hours of Prayer
What else did God do?
He reminded me - and them - again and again of
things in my past I had already forgotten. One of those was that
my mother used to punish me by not talking with me. I then used
to implore her but she wouldn’t talk to me for days. That
also was my “system of punishment“ before I was a
Christian.
One other thing I realised was my incapability
to trust others. While praying I even had problems to trust Jesus
completely.
The second crucial thing, where we were interrupted
again, is still troubling me. Please pray that I will be set free
from a pressure on my breast and on the inside of my wrists. It
got worse in England; sometimes I even have to put down my hands
in worship (as that’s when it appears mainly).
There were several other things we talked and
prayed through, with God constantly speaking to us.
In the end, the other lady was told to anoint
me for intercession. I was really happy about that as God has
already used me in this area and as it was already on my heart.
Tuesday Night
That night after the evening session, God gave
me incredible peace as I was lying on the floor. It wasn’t
but weeks later when I realised the many things God had done during
the conference.
During the rest of the week, I hoped all the
time for another opportunity to meet with Ann to resolve my two
problems left but it wasn’t meant.
Wednesday 30th
That night God gave me a wonderful picture. There
was no talk but a celebration. Coming to the main marquee, they
asked us to walk around the tent seven times and to make the most
noise possible the seventh time. “Oh no“, was my first
thought, “some crazy thing again.“ But as everybody
did it (except the late-comers who just watched us), I joined
in reluctantly. After some time, God gave me the following parable:
Walking is like praying (interceding). You pray again and
again, step by step, having the goal in mind, being sure of the
victory in the end, that you will arrive.
Then I got tired after some time. Even when you get tired
and think of giving up, just persevere and go on. Then I
saw somebody with a stick walking before me. Every time the
stick touches the ground, the earth is loosened. As he walks round
the tent again and again, the earth is getting better and better.
Then the seed can bring fruit.
Thursday 31st
Thursday morning I woke up having caught the
flu. In the evening, my whole body was aching so that I couldn’t
move at all.
Although I felt quite bad physically that day,
God spoke to me three times very clearly:
1. When I had my quiet time that morning, God
reminded me of my father’s parents (his mother and step-father)
who live in England. My mother had given me their address in Vienna
because I wanted to contact them and possibly see them. My father
hasn’t seen his mother since he was 14 (30 years ago) and
it’s very much on my heart to bring them together as well.
So I remembered that and phoned my mother who
gave me their address again. Unfortunately they haven’t
got a telephone, so I just wrote to them telling them my telephone
number in Bournemouth but they didn’t ring. I had intended
to go and see them in any case but God didn’t give me freedom
to do so when I had the possibility.
2. Coming from the seminar at 1 pm, I just walked
towards the prayer centre, as I desired to continue reading God’s
Word. So I found a free prayer room and just wanted to open with
a few words of prayer. But unexpectedly, I went right into intercession,
praying for different people. Suddenly, conviction hit me. The
Holy Spirit showed me how cruel I had been to my brother all my
life before I became a Christian. I sat there feeling all the
pain my brother must have felt, and feeling terrible about my
own cruelty. I asked God for forgiveness for everything and wished
my brother to be there. Then I got this “idea“ of
writing to my brother and asking him for forgiveness. As I did
that, even more tears were flowing and I knew God’s anointing
on me. After having written the letter, I got total peace. I posted
the letter the next day and expected my brother to get it the
following Tuesday. So that Tuesday, I fasted although I was still
ill, hoping God to use the letter powerfully.
3. Later in the afternoon, I met Ann a second
time. I joined their prayer meeting again (this time there were
two more people). Afterwards, I wanted to talk to her but she
was too busy. When I realised that, I got discouraged - when God
suddenly spoke to me very clearly: Take heart, I have overcome
the world. (John 16:33) This verse encouraged me very much,
all the following days through.
Friday 1st
That morning I went to the seminar Hearing
and Releasing the Prophetic by Graham Kendrick. In the end
we got together in groups; we were 7 people. First we had to pray
for the person on our right, then the one on our left, and then
we had to listen to God whether he told us anything about anybody,
which had to be spoken out to be tested.
When the first person had passed on a verse,
the girl on my right suddenly said the following to me: God
wants you to know His love deep in your heart so that you lead
a holy life out of this love and not out of duty or because He
could be angry. You can’t imagine how much that touched
me ! It had been a prayer for long that I would know God’s
love deep in my heart. I couldn’t believe God would give
anybody a word for me ! I believe if she had prayed this word
over me, that could have been quite a breakthrough. When I asked
her afterwards to tell me again what she had got, she started
crying.
Wycliffe
The following morning (still being ill) I left
to go to the NW of London, to High Wycombe, where the Wycliffe-centre
is located. They had an open day and celebrated the finished translation
of the 400th new testament. There were several seminars and possibilities
which I enjoyed although I hardly heard any new things. I took
the opportunity to have an interview concerning next summer when
I intend to go to Africa with Wycliffe, as a guest helper on a
mission-base for around two months. The application won’t
be proceeded before January; then they’ll tell me where
they would need me.
As I’ll have to finance this short-term
mission myself, I want to ask you already now to pray whether
God wants you to support me in some way. Thanks!
Generally, I had a nice day there, being where
I’ll be in some years’ time (for my linguistic training)
and meeting “colleagues“.
Louise
The same night I went back to London and stayed
two nights with Louise. That night I already felt terrible - caused
by the flu and lack of sleep.
The following morning, I went to a Salvation
Army church for the first time (where Louise’s parents are
ministers). It was an interesting experience.
In the evening, I finally went to the church
I had heard so much of : Holy Trinity Brompton (where the renewal
started in Britain). It was a “normal“ service.
As I hadn’t seen that it’s not allowed
to take pictures there, here it is:
Nathan
The following morning I went up to Loughborough
(still being ill) where Nathan had been at that time. We spent
the whole day discussing and having fellowship before I returned
to London the following morning. It was great to see him again
(he had been in Bournemouth the year before).
Phil
I then passed at Louise’s house again to
say good-bye “forever“. It was quite hard to leave.
Additionally, I really felt bad physically so that I nearly stayed.
But I was looking forward to meeting Phil again (whom I know from
a summer-team in Vienna). So I left and it took me three hours
to get from the NW of London to the South, as I crossed London
without having a map. I arrived totally exhausted but still, we
had a great evening and next day. It’s so good to meet friends!
Back to Bournemouth
That day (Wednesday 6th) I then left Phil in
the afternoon to return to Bournemouth where I arrived two hours
later.
I had one more week left before returning to
Austria. David & Catia were on their holiday and so, I was
all alone in the big house. But I enjoyed it. I was able to recover
from my flu, and was working all day on my notebook while getting
to know English television.
Unfortunately, I didn’t meet too many people
any more.
Leaving Bournemouth
It was terribly hard to leave Bournemouth. At
least there weren’t any people to say good-bye to, but my
heart was still hurting as I was driving towards London. I was
thinking of all the wonderful things I had experienced in that
special place and really getting sad. Suddenly I saw that wonderful
rainbow from one side of the motorway to the other, and I thanked
God for comforting me, reminding me that he was with me.
Angie & Caroline
Some time before my departure, Angie (who had
been in the IFES-team in Vienna last year and who is in the team
this year) told me that the third girl who was supposed to come
with us, wouldn’t come. That was a shock ! How should we
find a third person so quickly? Nothing is impossible for God
: He brought Angie together with Caroline who was going to study
in Vienna for one year and who could postpone her ticket for Christmas.
I arrived at Angie’s house that night
and the following morning, the three of us left to go to Austria.
We took the ferry from Dover to Calais again and drove through
Belgium to Mannheim/Germany where we intended to spend the night
with a friend. Arriving there, we had problems to find the right
place, so that it was 10 pm when we arrived (13 hours after our
departure). As it had rained most of the time, I was quite exhausted.
Back in Vienna
The following morning we left to do the rest
of the journey. Arriving in Vienna in the evening, I was totally
exhausted so that my parents (who had had my keys) even sent me
home. I had driven 1300 km during those two days.
I had left Bournemouth behind me and was looking
forward to the time to come. God had given me new visions and
fire to serve Him.
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