THE LAST BIG YEAR TEAM REPORT

SORRY - it's not been easy to get internet access this time so I have waited until today to finish the story!

MONDAY 31st
We all made it safely back to Heathrow at 7:00 this morning and are either soaking in bathtubs or washing the red dust of Africa out of our clothing. It has been an amazing two weeks and the verse that kept coming to me last night on the flight home was from Mark 16:20 - ‘And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs’.
The team’s confidence grew each day as we saw how open people were to hear about Jesus and to receive him into their lives – even in the departure lounge just before we flew home!

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US WITH YOUR PRAYERS

SUNDAY 30th
Our last day in Freetown was full of sad farewells to all the friends we have made - especially our new friends at Iris Ministries and at the Tity Hotel. Life at the hotel will never be the same again as almost all the staff has become Christians and many were filled with the Holy Spirit.
In the morning the students led and spoke at a united service in a very dark old warehouse and once again many people responded publicly for salvation, baptism and healing. The young handicapped man, Saidu, who we met on the beach earlier in the week came to the service with his friend Elijah whose hand was severed during the war. They were both baptised on the beach after the service with about twenty others.
After a late lunch and packing we boarded the water taxi to the airport.

SATURDAY 29th
We spent Saturday relaxing with the Iris Team with more beach time and a celebration meal in the evening - THAT’S ALL I’M SAYING IN CASE YOU ALL GET JEALOUS!

FRIDAY 28th
The team divided again and swapped locations with more clinic and jail visits. It’s such a privilege to pray with such needy and desperately poor people.
After lunch we travelled to the Presidential Lodge for a meeting with the First Lady – Her Excellency Madame Sia Koroma. She was so welcoming. Di and Vicky introduced the team and Terry presented her with a book of collected writings of John G Lake. Then we were able to have a conversation with her and she allowed us to pray and bring her some prophetic words. When we asked what we could pray for the nation she said just one word ‘REVIVAL’!
WHAT A PRIVILEGE!

THURSDAY 27th
In the morning the team were divided into two teams – one went to a clinic / hospital and the other visited Lumley Police Station to visit the prisoners in the lockup. It wasn’t difficult to share Jesus with them. In the afternoon we had some more beach time! On the beach we met Saidu, a 21 year old man with a bad deformity of his left leg – it was very short because his mother fell when she was pregnant. We were able to pray for him and help him buy some roof covering for his shack to protect him from the rain. He began to move his leg a bit more and the pain seemed to be going. The Iris Team will follow him up.

MORE NEWS

WEDNESDAY 26th

In the morning we encouraged each other as a team by sharing stories of what we had seen God do – too many to write here!

After a DIY snack lunch at the hotel we went to book a meal at a local restaurant for Saturday night. We discovered that the restaurant run a very smart 20 seater water taxi to the airport so that will make a change from the helicopter! After an hour at the craft market in the afternoon learning how to barter we spent the evening praying and prophesying over the Iris Ministries Team at their base. It was so great to be able to bless them after all that Andrew and Angella Sesay and their team have done for us.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING
Most people have had some kind of stomach bug – nothing too serious though

STOP PRESS
As far as we know (as Terry keeps on saying!) tomorrow afternoon (Friday) we will be meeting the wife of the President for a time of prayer and worship – what an honour. We will be presenting her with a hardback copy of the writings of John G Lake.

Also Terry has heard that his friends Sheka and Rose Tarawalie will be joining us at the Saturday night meal. Sheka is the President’s Press Secretary.

SORRY - We are not able to put any more pictures on the blog – it just takes too long!

MORE BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

TUESDAY 25th

In the morning we had planned a relaxing ‘tem time’ in the hotel but it turned into a Holy Spirit revival session! We were praying for each other in a small lounge and many of the staff who heard us came to join in. We prayed for them and they all had an encounter with God. It all ended with a ‘fire tunnel’ (jargon for two lines of people praying for you while you walk down the middle). It was prophesied over the team before we left that we would carry an epidemic of joy and it certainly happened that morning!

In the afternoon we went back to the big shed at King Jimmy for more worship and ministry with the beggars, prostitutes and kids living on the streets. After a time of worship and a short message from one of us we began to pray for people again. There were countless headache, and stomach ache healings. Their appreciation really melted our hearts. \there was a group of mainly men and some women with crutches or wheelchairs. Some of them were receiving a measure of healing after we prayed. We had lots of opportunities to hug many of the children and it seemed that they were experiencing some kind of healing through this. Back home in Maidenhead a prophetic teacher from Canada – Jim Paul – had prophesied over the team that we would do this and people would be healed.

MORE BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

SUNDAY
We were picked up around 9:30 and distributed around four churches. This was a great opportunity for the team members to share some of the things that God have given them as they prepared back home. YOU CAN BE PROUD OF THEM ALL – THEY ARE AN OUTSTANDING TEAM!

One of the young men from close by the hotel who received Jesus on Thursday came along to the central church and really enjoyed it. Next Sunday, all the Iris congregations will meet together for a celebration.

Back at the hotel we changed for the beach and ate rolls and fruit on the bus. Burah beach is an amazing tropical paradise but I better not say too much or you will all want your money back.

MONDAY
We had a rest time at the hotel this morning – so far five of the team have had to take time out with tummy upsets – however hard we try to prevent it there are always some bugs that get through. Most are recovering well after a day’s rest.

At 12:00 we left for a snack lunch at the base and then we travelled into the King Jimmy area of the city which is one of the poorest. Iris are partnering with a lady (Christiana) who works with the beggars and commercial sex workers. We met in a large shed with no doors or windows – just holes. In the shed there were people working on sewing machines and a pig running around. Andrew’s team led some worship and a couple of our team members spoke. At the end 49 people came forward to receive Jesus - the team members took all their names for follow up – IT WAS AMAZING!
Almost everyone came out for prayer for healing – they all have some kind of sickness.

A group of men and women with crutches and wheelchairs had come along and one of the men with crutches was very excited after prayer to be able to walk without his crutches. He was still walking with a limp but much faster. HE WAS VERY HAPPY!

Back at the hotel Andrew had arranged for a hot meal to be brought so we dined on chicken ground nut stew with rice, then more pineapple and mango, followed by England v Mexico on a big screen TV – LUXURY!

This afternoon we go back to the shed for a ‘Banquet’ with the beggars and prostitutes.

KEEP LOGGING ON AND PRAYING – WE LOVE YOU
THE BIG YEAR TEAM

BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS

SATURDAY 21st
Today was our first ‘village’ day and the team are gradually getting used to never doing anything on time or in the order we had planned it. What might have been a 2 to 3 hour drive took us 4 hours because of heavy weekend traffic in the city centre. Andrew was travelling in a smaller minibus and never made it because the engine oil ran out. The change from city to rural is quite sudden. When we arrived, there was the usual reception committee of enthusiastic children hanging off our arms. We made our own lunch of bread rolls and fillings finished off with pineapple and mango. We dined in a round mud hut.

After lunch Andrew’s assistant Moses showed us the secondary school they are building – the carpenters are finishing the roof. Kids from the village walk over two hours to the nearest school at the moment. Then we split up into teams of four and went through the village praying for the sick and sharing Jesus. It’s not always easy to know exactly what has happened but some were obviously healed from headaches and some prayed to receive Jesus. Candy’s team went into a hut where a woman had given birth to a baby about half an hour earlier. The baby is now called Candy!

Then we all got back on the bus for the drive home which only took three hours! BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.

Back at base we were served with a wonderful hot meal followed by another amazing time of worship led by Andrew and his team. Then back to the hotel for some rest. We need your prayers for team members who are finding it difficult to sleep and one or two who are going down with tummy upsets – nothing too serious

BIG YEAR TEAM NEWS - SATURDAY 22nd MAY

It will be IMPOSSIBLE to explain in this blog what an amazing time we are all having here in Freetown!
We arrived safely on Wednesday night and Andrew our host had arranged for a friend to assist us through customs and immigration to the helicopter. It has never been so EASY! The first surprise was that the Helcopter crew are all Romanian so one of our team members (Lina) who is Romanian was able to chat with them and tell them all about our mission – she was so excited. Yesterday Lina and Tom visited them and they were really interested in her ‘story’!
THURSDAY
We had a briefing session with Andrew then our ‘transport’ – a really good 30 seater bus – took us into Freetown for our first experience of the stresses of city life. Our plans were to visit the museum and market, have a snack lunch, then on to the beach. In the heat, humidity and chaos, all we could manage was to get some lunch. I couldn’t have set up a better exercise for the team to be exposed to the frustrations of life here in Sierra Leone! After a short rest at the hotel we went to Andrew’s base for snapper (a local fish) and chips followed by an absolutely wonderful time of worship.
FRIDAY
After breakfast we went out in teams of 4 plus a member of Andrew’s team to offere to pray for people living around the hotel – God had told Andrew that we should start in our ‘Jerusalem’. What happened was the beginning of the fulfilment of the prophecies we had been given – a time of harvesting – catching many fish – an anointing for ‘breakthrough’. IT WAS AMAZING!
After only 2 hours every team came back with stories of healing and people receiving Christ.
JUST ONE OR TWO HIGHLIGHTS
In a shack next to the hotel an elderly man with cloudy eyes had his sight restored and was able read to the amazement of his family – he then prayed to receive Christ, followed by his grandson and some other members of his family. A builder with a stomach ulcer felt some thing changing inside as we prayed – he went on to receive Christ. Andre believes he can now plant a church here! We will tell you more when we get home. We estimate that at least 9 people prayed to receive Christ on the streets.
After lunch at the hotel we spent a couple of hours on the beach (SORRY) then back to the hotel for a rest followed by supper at the base and another time of worship and sharing about the amazing time we had in the morning.
TODAY
After breakfast we will take a 2 hour drive to a village where Andrew is already working to do more of the same – WE CAN’T WAIT!

All the team are well and working hard – HONESTLY!
On Sunday we will send the team out to local churches where Di, Vicky, Tom and Terry will lead the team members in sharing their stories
Please keep up the prayer

LATEST FOR BIG YEAR TEAM

HI EVERYONE

TEAM MEMBERS
The latest information from Terminal 1 and BMI is that our flight will leave on time
See you @ Heathrow 11:30
It's going to be a great day!

For everyone else who is praying for us - THANK YOU
In case I have problems logging on in Freetown our schedule for the next few days is as follows:
THURSDAY - Orientation and meeting the Iris Team during the day and a talk on the history and culture of Sierra Leone in the evening
FRIDAY and SATURDAY - up to Andrew but we are likely to be doing visits to prisons / hospitals / clinics
SUNDAY - the team will be sent out to some of the local churches to speak / share testimony / pray for people
In the afternoon and evening it's beach barbecue time!
MONDAY - Andrew has planned a "Street Banquet" when we will be feeding "around 500 beggars - amputees - prostitutes and sex slaves" (Andrews words)
Iris Ministries are working on the streets all the time with these people so we will be following up something they are already doing - AMAZING
The rest of the week is not yet clear apart from a daytime Pastors Conference and evening Evangelistic Meetings from May 26th to 29th
SO WE'RE GONNA BE BUSY
OUR LOVE TO YOU ALL - DI / VICKY / TERRY / AND THE TEAM

MESSAGE TO BIG YEAR MISSION TEAM

HI TEAM
I phoned BMI this morning and they are not expecting any problems with our flight time tomorrow
I will post the latest after I have phoned them tomorrow morning
See you @ Terminal 1 - 11:30!
TERRY

LATEST ON MO

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS & GOOD WISHES
The last month has been one of the toughest I can remember, but I can honestly say that God has been working 'all things together for good' in our lives.
Mo's fall on April 10th suddenly changed everything, with two weeks in the general hospital recovering from surgery and three weeks in the local recuperation ward learning how to walk again.
It soon became obvious that Mo would not be able to come with The BIG Year Team to Sierra Leone on May 19th and I had to work through whether I might need to cancel too.
God made it very clear to us all that it was right for me to go - I was sure that this is what Mo would have wanted if she were able to communicate.
What has happenned since then has been a totally miraculous piece of timing from Papa God!
Yesterday I transferred Mo to Sandown Park Care Home in Windsor. It is the best and most remarkable care home I have ever seen - and I have seen a few!
It was opened in November last year and is still only half full. Last Thursday the local authority approved the funding for Mo to stay there indefiniely. This was the last fully funded place available - WOW!
I just wish you could all see it! It is run like a really good quality hotel with private en-suite rooms - a hairdressing salon - a sensory room - beautifully furnished dining and sitting areas - God never does things by halves does he?
So for however long Mo needs this provision it is secure for her and that gives me such peace of mind as we leave for Sierra Leone tomorrow.
I know that our family and wonderful friends in Maidenhead will make sure that Mo is not short of visitors while I am away.
MEANWHILE PLEASE KEEP PRAYING AND LOGGING ON TO THIS BLOG - I WILL TRY TO SHARE FRESH NEWS FROM THE TEAM EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS - TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRICITY PERMITTING!
LOVE TO ALL - TERRY

MO IN HOSPITAL

MO HAD A FALL IN THE BATHROOM ON SATURDAY MORNING
Sadly she has fractured her right hip and on Monday afternoon she received a replacement hip joint
Because of her limited understanding we are both finding this a tough challenge
It is likely that she will be in Ward 1A of Wexham Park Hospital until at least the middle of next week
The she will either come home or be transferred to a respite care ward while she gets fully mobile

This means that Mo will not be able to make the trip to Freetown in May but we are working on the possibility of me still going with the team. Mo has a respite care home on hold so that we can keep that option open

PLEASE PRAY FOR A QUICK RECOVERY AND WISDOM ABOUT THE DECISIONS AND CHANGES WE WILL NEED TO MAKE

By the way - it is Mo's 64th birthday on Friday (16th) and I am baking a cake - it smells yummy!

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG

I haven't blogged for a while and I have been asking myself why.
I think it's mainly that I prefer to blog when things are going well and I have good things to share - when life gets tough and I am confused about what God is doing I just don't feel like blogging - BUT THAT'S NOT VERY HONEST!
If King David had been like me most of the Psalms would never have been written!
I read today in my time with God - speaking about Israel's struggle to get into Canaan - that 'you cannot enjoy what you do not posess'. That was a challenge.
Right now I feel overwhelmed and defeated with the problems and impossibilities of my situation - spiritually - financially - emotionally - everthing.
Yesterday I took Mo to a lovely local Care Home for three nights of respite care and I feel terrible - even although I know I need the break and I know she enjoys it there. Getting into an empty bed last night was really really tough.
Like many of you I am looking for major breakthroughs on just about every front.
So was Joshua when he stood on the banks of the Jordan river in full flood looking over into the impossibly distant 'promised land'.
It was in that very moment that God said to him "Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. GOD, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 The Message
WOW! - SO here we are again Lord - BY FAITH Mo WILL be healed - we WILL get to Freetown in May - the money WILL come for the whole team - the nation of Sierra Leone WILL be impacted - people WILL be healed - souls WILL be saved - Jesus WILL be lifted up
WE WILL POSESS AND ENJOY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR US!!!!!

TREASURE HUNTING IN WINDSOR

Last night 11 of us from The BIG Year (a discipleship course run by River Church Maidenhead) were out on the streets of Windsor. We had an amazing time and had significant meetings with 3 people.
An Arabic DJ with hearing problems - God touched him and he could hear better.
A gypsy guy from central Europe who had been thrown out by his wife - hungry and homeless. We took him to MacDonalds and had a good time praying for him.
Then there was a guy outside a bar who fitted 9 of our combined clues
> Near the station
> The Royal Oak pub
> Bald
> With tattoos
> Best friend called Steven
> Had a cycle accident when he was 13
> Was bullied at school involving water
> Wrote poetry - songs
It turns out he has friends who are Christians - has done work for a church - he has done the Alpha Course!
None of the prayer needs fitted him and he started looking a bit uncomfortable. He was backing off, so we only managed a short prayer of blessing. We pray that he won't miss out on how much God knows and loves him. Lord please get him to speak about last night to his christian friends.

WHATEVER NEXT?

I seem to be making a few friends at BBC Radio Berkshire
After my live interviw on Wednesday and the article on their website, they now want me in the studio at 8am on Sunday (7th) to discuss terminal illness and assisted suicide - PLEASE PRAY
If you want to tune in go to www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire and click 'listen live' or 'listen again'
WHATEVER NEXT?

I'M A LOCAL RADIO STAR!

It's been an interesting day!
On Monday I joined a live phone-in on our local radio station - BBC Radio Berkshire
It was a discussion about Sir Terry Pratchett's ideas on setting up tribunals to decide whether individuals with terminal diseases and their relatives might be given the legal right to terminate their lives. Sir Terry has Alzheimers.
As a result of what I said they decided they wanted me to do a live interview on our situation. They wanted me to comment on what it's like to be a carer and what I thought about funding for research and about support for carers. A reporter from the BBC brought a 'box of tricks' so I could do a studio quality interview from home this morning.
THEN - as a result of the interview a reporter from the station wanted to interview me about my own story of healing from cancer. So if you go to www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire you can read what she wrote!

THE BOOK OF ELI - AGAIN

Now I understand why this film made such an impact on me.
Denzel Washington is a Christian and that's why the bits when he prays seem so authentic - THEY ARE AUTHENTIC!
Here are some Denzel quotes I found on the internet:
I was raised in the church. My father was a minister for 60 years. And I've been a member of West Angeles Church of God in Christ for, now, about 27 years, since I've been out here in Los Angeles.
When I was about 20 years old, when I first started acting, I was sitting in my mother's beauty shop. And a woman just kept looking at me. I was looking in the mirror, and I saw her across the room. And she said, "Someone give me a piece of paper." And she wrote down a prophecy. She said that I would speak to millions of people, and I would travel the world and preach to millions of people. And I didn't know what she was talking about. But this was March 27th, 1975, 32 years ago now, almost 33 years ago.
So my work has been my ministry. In fact, I asked my pastor, years ago, "Do you think I should become a minister or a preacher? And he says, "Well, that's what you're doing already." And he felt, as I feel, that that's what she was talking about back then.
GOD BLESS TOU DENZEL

THE BOOK OF ELI

With the kind support of so many of our friends in caring for Mo I am able to get out to the movies occasionally.
Yesterday I saw Denzil Washington in The Book of Eli and I was profoundly and unexpectedly moved by the message of the film. Almost anything I say risks spoiling the film for you so I will say very little, but it might also encourage some of you to see it who would otherwise miss out. It paints a shocking picture of what a post-nuclear world might look like where every printed copy of the Bible has been destroyed. If you cannot cope with strong violence and foul language then it's a film best avoided. Parts of the film took me straight into some of the more violent parts of the Old Testament. I remember one member leaving our church when I preached a series on Joshua! There was too much bloodshed. It took me into the exploits of Jonathan and his armourbearer - David as he hacked the head off Goliath. This is film with a strong message about how God's protection hovers over the one who will value and protect his Word - even if that man is not perfect in himself. There are some very clever twists and turns in the film and it ends well. I encourage you to risk it.

EXCITING & SCARY

I closed one of my recent blogs with the words "WE'RE OFF" - meaning that the promise of a gift from a friend meant that we were on our way towards the £3,000 Mo and I need to get to Sierra Leone in May - well we have now almost passed the 10% stage and I always find that moment really exciting as it seems to me to be God's confirmation that we are supposed to go - THANK YOU LORD!
So although the 'scary stuff' is still there, so much has been happening to encourage us.
> The BIG Year Team going in May is now up to 18 - the biggest we have ever taken;
> Andrew Seasy's pre-planning is going well with a promise from the President's wife to support us by opening the conference;
> We have reserved the Maidnhead Rowing Club as the venue for our Auction and Supper in April and are waiting to hear back from a top local celebrity about their availability;
Andrew has given us an interesting 'needs list' so does anyone out there have any of the following they could give us?
Electric or electric/acoustic guitars and strings / cables
Bass guitar
Trumpet
Keyboard
Video projector
Stage lights
Microphones
This is a photo of Andrew and his wife Angella - you can read more about their work on the Iris Ministries Website - www.irismin.com/ministryLoc_sierra_leone.cfm
Just copy and paste this link into your browser.
YOUR PRAYERS ARE A GREAT STRENGTH TO US - THANK YOU

ALWAYS WINTER - NEVER CHRISTMAS

The past 24 hours have been really special and quite unexpected.
We are in the grip of a really cold spell - it's not often we have snow on the ground for more than a couple of days here in the Thames Valley but the cold seems to be affecting everything.
So it was very apt that a session of channel-hopping landed us in 'Narnia' for that wonderful 'wardrobe' film. The one where it was 'always winter but never Christmas'.
As we watched Mo became more and more engaged with the story, and that very rarely happens. It was like she was taking part the story in a very positive way. She began to weep real tears as Aslan's battle with the witch reached a climax with the scene at The Stone Table. There was a look of absolute wonder on her face as Aslan came back to life and started breathing life back into the creatures that the witch had turned into stone. She looked at me as if to say 'could Aslan do that for me?' I PRAYED!
THEN - this morning I read this in my time with God:
Have you ever wished you had a “timer” that would tell you exactly when God was going to fulfill His promises in your life? A way to tell with assurance when your prayer would be answered for a helpmate... the salvation of a loved one ... the end of an extended illness? Abraham must have wished for such a timer on many occasions as he waited year after year for the son God had promised to give him. But in the birth of Isaac God demonstrated that, though His promises may not come speedily, they will come certainly. “At the set time of which God had spoken” (Ge 21:2), He fulfilled His long-standing covenant.
ASLAN IS ON THE MOVE!

THE PROBLEM WITH BLOGGING

I've been thinking - dangerous I know but someone has to do it!
Blogging is such a wierd thing to do - you let a whole bunch of total strangers into the most intimate secrets of your life and that's risky!
What if you blog something you regret or wish you could un-blog - it's too late!
With another trip to Sierra Leone planned for May - a team of 18 from River Church - this is the time when I start to have all sorts of doubts and fears:
> What if Mo's Alzheimer's suddenly gets worse and she can't go?
> What if everyone else on the team raises their funds but we fail - so far we have exactly nothing towards the £3,000 we need?
> What if no-one on the team raises enough money?
What an admission for a so-called leader!
But every trip we have ever made has been exactly like this, with a major sinking feeling inside that this time we will fail.
THEN I start looking at the massive encouragements:
> Andrew Sesay of Iris Ministries has a big vision for our trip and is working hard at the pre-planning in Freetown
> We have found a brand new hotel at a bargain price - it's by the beach and has aircon!
> Just last night a really good friend was on the phone and 'out-of-the-blue' announced that he wants to send us a cheque - I resisted the temptation to ask "how much"?
WE'RE OFF!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

New Year is a good time to try something new, so I have started as I mean to go on by attempting a LIFETIME FIRST!
It's hard to believe, but I have actually started jogging and no one could be more amazed than me. It took me 20 minutes to jog to town and back - just over 2 miles. I just kept pounding the pavement and was determnined not to stop for a rest. When I arrived back home I wasn't out of breath - just a bit sweaty.
London marathon here we come.

Mo and I wish all our friends a year of great blessing and joy!