HI - IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE IN BLOGGERLAND?

A lot has happenned since our last blog in the summer - after our return from Sierra Leone in May Mo seemed to be suddenly getting worse - but that is sometimes the way with Alzheimer's

I was beginning to feel very despondent and wondered whether Freetown had been our last overseas trip together - but - as usual with us - God was busy making much better plans!!!!!!!!

In September I heard about a conference coming up in Toronto where Heidi Baker would be speaking - the best tribute I ever heard about Heidi was from Bill Johnson of Bethel (Redding - California) who said "When I grow up I want to be like Heidi!" Bear in Mind that Bill may well be just about old enough to be her Dad! Heidi and her husband Rolland have seen over 8,000 churches planted in Africa in the past ten years - around 50 people raised from the dead - and just recently Rolland was amazingly healed of terminal vascular dementia - THAT GOT OUR ATTENTION BIGTIME!

We are making plans to take a team from River Church, Maidenhead to work with Heidi and Rolland Baker's team in Freetown next May.

Beacuse of Mo's condition we live on State Benefits (Thank you Mr Brown!) so we have no spare money, but we began to pray about going to the conference. After a couple of weeks we received a large cheque from someone who owed us money and I thought this is it! But God said we were to give most of it away - sometimes I wonder about God! We didn't argue but I didn't feel good about it. THEN during the next six weeks God restored back to us five times what we had given away - more than enough for us to go - HALLELUJAH!

The day I began to make plans to go to Toronto, Mo began to show some small signs of improvement - she seemed to be just a bit more aware of what was going on and was giving us some 'cheek'! Some of the lovely people who help me to care for Mo noticed the difference too!

SO - on Friday 23rd October Air Canada will be taking us to Toronto where we will have two Sundays in the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship as well as attending the conference.

This is us enjoying our first ever upgrade on the flight to Freetown last May - if you like you can pray that Air Canada will do the same.

If I am able I will add some Blogs while we are in Toronto - so do log on to www.fuego.org.uk and check it out - some comments from you would be great - especially if God gives you something to share with us.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US

MUCH LOVE - TERRY & MO

WALKING ON THE MOON

SOMETIMES WALKING WITH GOD FEELS LIKE WALKING ON THE MOON
You wonder how you got there, why you are doing it, and if it's really happening!

If, like me, you receive prayer letters and information from Mission Organisations and people in Christian Ministry, you may sometimes wonder either; if they EVER have any problems like normal people, or if they are ALWAYS in difficulties, especially financial ones!

It reminds me of the 'glowing' Christmas letters that some of us send out in which we cover up all the problems and difficulties of life with a broad sweep of success and triumph.
I guess the same can be true of bloggers.

Right now I don't mind admitting that Mo and I are going through the toughest time of our lives as we approach our 40th wedding anniversary on August 9th, which happens to almost coincide with the famous moon-walkers.

For those of you who don't know anything about us, we have been in full-time Christian Ministry for over 20 years, but everything came to a shuddering halt in January 2005 when I was diagnosed with serious Lymphoma cancer and Mo was diagnosed with Alzheimers. I was suddenly, completely and wonderfully healed in March 2005 through the 'laying on of hands' and 'anointing with oil'. I wish I could say the same for Mo. The Alzheimers has been stable for quite a while now, but seems to be suddenly getting much worse.

Earlier this year we launched our new ministry under the name of 'Fuego', believing, that in spite of all the outward indicators, God had much more for us to do in reaching nations. What is happening with Mo right now, and the frankly disappointing response and lack of financial support from all but a few of our friends has meant that I am losing confidence in our ability to break through into the place I believe God wants us to be. I am carrying a big financial burden because of the cost of our last trip to Sierra Leone, plus all that was involved in the setting up of 'Fuego'. Hopes and dreams are crumbling fast and I am hanging on to God like never before.

I am enough of a realist to know that it is uinlikely that anyone will ever read this blog, but if you are the exception, please pray that we may get the physical, spiritual, emotional and financial breakthrough we so desperately need. We want to walk on the moon!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry & Mo Murphy - www.fuego.org.uk

"Expect great things from God. Attempt Great things for God."
William Carey

Phillipians 4:19-20
"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen."
The Apostle Paul

It is almost two weeks since our last blog and our return from Sierra Leone.

So much has happenned during these few days.

London Irish lost the Guiness Premiership to Leicester by ONE POINT - no doubt due mainly to the fact that we were not at Twickenham to cheer them on!

We managed to get along to Oxford and Tonbridge to hear Heidi Baker and to take her a video greeting from her team in Freetown.

On Sunday 19th were given a wonderful send-off by Jubilee Church as we negotiated the 'transfer' (no fee involved) to River Church. The pictures show Terry & Mo with some of the lunch guests, and with Stuart Otto - the Lead Elder of Jubilee Church.

Terry was given the opportunity to preach at River just yesterday!

On reflection there is so much to thank God for now we are back home.

The whole Mission Direct Team were outstanding in the way they worked together - THEY CAN ALL COME AGAIN!

For us personally, it was great to see Mo being herself and getting alongside people and praying for them - especially the children. Just like back home, Mo had her down moments of confusion and panic, but she soon came through them with the support of the rest of the team.

For Terry it was a time when opportunities to minister in healing seemed to reach another level, and time spent with the Iris Ministries Team (Heidi Baker) was challenging and inspiring.

It was encouraging to see The Mission Direct projects making such good progress. Who knows what will come out of the team visits to Kroo Bay - one of the worst slums in W Africa. The leaders of Mission Direct will need a lot of wisdom to know how to make an appropriate response to this massive humanitarian need.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR US - WE NEED YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT & SUPPORT

MUCH LOVE - TERRY & MO

Wednesday 13th May

Today is departure day!

YESTERDAY - after a breakfast of scrambled eggs Terry and Mo went into Lumley with Joelle. Sadly the Internet Café was not open so there was a lot of waiting around for things to happen again. Joelle did a supermarket shop for our packed lunches.

Terry and Mo spent the rest of the morning with the Iris Team at The Good Shepherd Clinic in Lumley. They go there every week to pray for the patients. Yet again God was doing some amazing things. We prayed for a man with his arm in a sling (a dislocated shoulder) as he was waiting to be seen. He was totally healed with full movement and went home a happy man! Others on hospital beds were also touched. A woman with very painful knee joints – completely healed. A very thin woman with low blood pressure who could hardly speak regained her strength and was up and out of bed straight after we had prayed. IT’S JUST AMAZING!

Andrew, Dave and Joelle were escorted to Kroo Bay by the Sierra Leone army Chaplain, Moses Kargbo, in the afternoon. Moses was passionate about his commitment to try to help the people of Kroo Bay. The place is on the coast of Freetown, and is a corrugated tin land of shacks quickly built with narrow passageways filled with silty mud. The land was previously used as a rice field. Pigs, chickens, dogs and goats all share the pathways and their excrement is mixed with the peoples and the huge volumes of rubbish washed down towards the sea. The previous night’s heavy rain had made the area was worse than ever. The “school” meets in a small building with several classes crammed into a tiny area, insufficient for the number of children there. The children don’t pay except for uniform, the teachers therefore are working for next to nothing and really just doing it for God.

In a couple of hours we will have our final meeting and farewells to the Pastors and after some beachside relaxation we will board the hovercraft for Lunghi airport. Our flight takes off at 11:50 and we should be back at Heathrow by 7:30am.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS – WE NEEDED THEM!

Tues 12th May

Yesterday you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing a Bob Marley track wafting across the streets. “Let’s get together and feel alright” – “No woman no cry” – it was Bob Marley Day!

With two extra days available due to non-availability of seats on flights, we have been able to make some extra plans. After a breakfast of fried eggs and frankfurters we made our way down into Lumley to change some money and for Terry to do his ‘blogging’. While we were waiting for our money Andrew, Dave and Joelle had a guided tour around the school that operates at the JEEs church buildings. Then we were picked up in the Iris Ministries bus to spend the rest of the morning with their team. They are such great people!
We got to see Andrew & Angella Sesay’s two week old baby Heidi. Terry made a video of the Iris team to give to Heidi Baker when he and Mo meet her next weekend in Tonbridge. Then we worshipped together. Terry shared some encouragement from the book of Esther and we prayed for one another.

After a snack lunch at our guest house, it was time for a rest before supper. Then we decided to hit the nightspots – we were expecting the whole town to be partying to the sounds of the Marley Man, but frankly everything was a bit quiet. After a couple of hair-raising taxi rides and a mixture of local drinks and ice creams, we crawled into our beds at about 10:30!

Unfortunately we were awakened at about 5:00am to the sound of heavy rain. We are hoping it doesn’t spoil the plans for our final full day in Freetown. Terry and Mo will go and visit a hospital to pray for the sick with the ‘Iris’ team. The others will meet up with the army Chaplain – Major Moses – for a conducted visit to Crew Bay, the worst slum in West Africa.

Then I guess that we will have to pack tonight ready for our departure for the airport courtesy of a former Isle of Wight hovercraft !

There may be one more blog tomorrow .

LOVE FROM THE TEAM

Monday 11th May

Apparently today is celebrated in Sierra Leone as ‘Bob Marley Day’. So it will be very interesting to see if we come across any festivities.

Yesterday began with Terry and Mo making unsuccessful attempts to send the blog at an Internet Café. One was closed and the other one was too slow to be any use. As they say here ‘TIA’ – this is Africa!

The morning service at JEEs Ministries was packed with around 500 men women and children. Terry says it was the best he has ever seen it. The people were worshipping with all their hearts – you could see the presence of God on their faces. Most of the senior Pastors of JEEs churches were there and it was so moving to see them worship and dance together. It is so clear that they are the very best of friends and the churches are in good heart and continuing to grow. The church is so full of JOY!

One of the Pastors was very upset on Saturday when he dropped his cellphone and it smashed. Before Terry preached he asked the congregation to take up another offering to replace the phone. They gave the equivalent of roughly one month’s wages – amazing!

Terry preached applying the book of Esther to the current situation in Sierra Leone, and at the end another 12 people responded for salvation and baptism. There were a couple of healing testimonies from the night before. One lady spoke of a painful tumour that had been on her back for about 15 years. As she was prayed for, the lump disappeared instantly. Another woman had eyes that were constantly discharging tears and she could not see to read or work. As she was prayed for, the fluid dried up immediately and she could see perfectly. At the end of the service, the team were all given gifts of African clothing.

After the service there were 24 new believers baptised on the beach and then we managed a couple of hour’s relaxation at the Atlantic Hotel. Joelle and Dave played pool !

After a supper of chicken and pasta with salad, followed by mango we were collected by the Iris Ministries bus and attended their evening service. They now have 13 small congregations planted around the city. We were deeply moved with the simplicity and power of the worship ‘There’s no one, there’s no one like Jesus’. The message was given by a children’s worker sent out by St Aldate’s – Oxford. At the end he asked all the children to pray for the adults. It was incredibly moving and powerful. There was even a 2 year old laying hands on people. We were so privileged to be there. Today we plan to spend some more time at Iris.

Not long to go now – so PLEASE KEEP PRAYING

Sunday 10th May

Yesterday, the last day of the conference and crusade, was very busy.
We arrived at the Church early so that Joelle could set up for a session with the children and Terry went op post the blog at the Internet Café.

The three conference sessions went well. It was great to Hear Andrew Sesay of Iris Ministries tell of up to a hundred in Mozambique who had been raised from the dead through their teams. We hope to spend some more time with his team on Monday or Tuesday. At the end of the morning we gave out around 150 certificates to the delegates.

Joelle had an amazing time with the children. At first we had arranged for her to go in and ‘observe’, but they wanted her to do a session. What a star! She taught them songs – sorted out a colouring sheet and crayons – went out and bought squash, biscuits and lollies and all for nearly 200 children. She now has a bunch of kids following her everywhere and calling her ‘Auntie Joelle’.

It’s very difficult to know what was going on at the crusade last night. There were no more responses for salvation and the crowd was a bit small but some powerful things were happening. Terry invited everyone to kneel in the dust and experience the strong presence of God over the field. Then he invited people with cancer and eyesight problems to come forward for healing. We know that something was happening because around a dozen people – some in tears – shared that lumps or pain had disappeared and eyesight had been restored. We will try to get some more specific information.

At the end about 40 people came out to receive the Holy Spirit baptism and others to request water baptism. Later today the local pastors will baptise them on the beach.

It was good to renew our friendship with Sheka Tarawalie (The President’s Press Secretary). He came to the crusade and we hope to see him and his wife again before we leave on Wednesday night.

Terry is preaching at the host church this morning so please keep praying as we are all beginning to feel a bit tired!