FEBRUARY 2020 NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2020

A BIG THANK YOU

We both want to say a big thank you to all those who are praying for us. Only heaven will reveal how much those prayers achieved in our lives and ministry. Please continue praying. We really need and value your prayers.

CHALLENGES

In the past few months we have faced many challenges.

In October last year we arrived home from the USA where we had been ministering. We discovered that our home village, Penderyn, had been hit by a massive lightning strike three weeks before we got home. Many houses had their TVs, computers and other appliances destroyed. We discovered that our home had been damaged, with a hole in the wall of our conservatory. Our WiFi was fried; our telephones were fried; the thermostat for our combi boiler was fried. Our electricity had been off for three weeks so we lost two freezers full of food. It took a long time to get all these things functioning again. We thank God it could have been much worse. The house of one of our neighbours caught fire. In another house further up the village one wall collapsed completely.

HEALTH CHALLENGES

We have both faces health challenges over the past year. After we got home last year Julia was suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea with blood. We went to the A&E at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr. After several hours waiting for attention she was told: “We could admit you but you would probably get more infection in the hospital than you would at home.” She was given a prescription but it was no use because the pharmacy at the hospital closed at 5pm and no other pharmacies were still open.

Shortly after that Colin was hospitalised for one week with diverticulitis.

Since we got back to Malaysia, Julia has had surgery on both hands for “trigger finger”.

We are aware that as we get older we will probably face more challenges. Please pray that we will have sufficient health and strength to continue serving the Lord for a while longer. There are so many needs.

After Colin finished teaching in Singapore in January, a lady came to thank him for “being an example of those who finish well”. We hope that wasn’t a prophecy.

MINISTRY

In September last year Colin had the privilege of going back to Mexico after an absence of five years. It was great to minister along with our good friend, Steve Wilson. The leaders conference with around 250 pastors and leaders was a significant time. This was followed by an itinerary of some of the churches. Please pray for the saints in Mexico. The drug cartels control vast areas of the nation.

We arrived back in Malaysia on 2 January this year. It has been a real joy to teach in Tung Ling Bible School in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. It really is a privilege to teach students who are hungry to learn. We have ministered in local churches on each of the Sundays and we can report that the church of Jesus in Malaysia is alive and well. We have also conducted Saturday seminars.

FUTURE

In March Colin will be travelling to an Asian country (not wise to name) to teach in Bible School for two weeks and also at a leaders’ conference. Julia will fly home to UK take care of some essential things in our home.

The month of May will be spent in Australia and New Zealand, ministering in Tongan and Filipino churches.

In June and July we will be back in Malaysia for more ministry.

The privilege continues.