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Published: August 12th 2010
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Let the games begin!
Just before the water fight started, everyone is bone dry! 60 seconds later we were drenched! The week began with a huge water fight involving 700 water balloons, a group of 12 Malaysian doctors and 20 kids from House of Hope. It took Stephen and I around 2 hours to fill the balloons and it was all over in less than 5 minutes but the craic was great! Thoroughly enjoyed by all!
On Monday Stephen celebrated his birthday, his 34th birthday! What a celebration it was!
It all began with a meal at a 5 star hotel which was fabulous, then came birthday cake number 1! We were so full from our meal that we could not eat it so we brought it home to enjoy later that evening.
After arriving back at the church, one of the students had very generously ordered another cake for Stephen. It’s the culture here to give gifts to others if it is your birthday, so because Stephen didn’t have a cake to present, a student felt he should buy one on Stephen’s behalf. Spoke a lot about the kindness in the culture I thought. Actually I quite like the idea of nurturing an attitude of giving gifts when it is your birthday. Wouldn’t it be great to do
SOM students
Most of the students who are attending the School of Ministry. We count them as dear friends and see it as a privilege to be able to have influence in their lives. that at home? I think we would have a better attitude and outlook if we did that rather than insatiably wondering what others are going to give us. I think it’s a good lesson to learn in a world fraught with materialism.
We arrived home later that night to birthday cake number 3 for Stephen and a very well decorated room! He really did enjoy a great birthday. Everyone was very generous and I know he appreciated all the thought and attention to detail.
On Tuesday our hosts had a barbeque in honour of Stephen’s birthday as they could not celebrate with us on Monday. It was a real taste of home, really great! We were sharing the house with a medical team from Malaysia and had been to a Miracle meeting in church that evening. We thoroughly enjoyed the praise in Tamil and then had the opportunity to minister to people through prayer. It was a true privilege as we were invited into the deepest places of people’s hearts.
This time of year is very significant to the Hindu people in this part of India and many are worshipping at the temples in a more intense
Leaders of Ministry
The leaders of the ministry have become close friends of ours. They have had such deep influence in our lives. way than usual. They participate in many different practices which include parading their gods down the road while dancing to the beat of a drum, smashing coconuts and watermelons on the road and in fact on some people’s heads. We even heard stories of people piercing their cheeks and tongues with metal rods as a means of devotion. Thankfully there were many local Hindu’s in the church on Tuesday evening and quite a few of them came forward for prayer which was a fantastic opportunity for them to become more aware of the Power of God. We know that many were touched that night. We prayed for healing, for breakthrough and for freedom. It truly was humbling.
Stephen then enjoyed birthday cake number 4 today (Thursday) with the students in class. To be fair it was a shared cake as there were 3 others also celebrating their birthday this week, but nonetheless, it was more cake! I can say with a great degree of confidence that he won’t forget this birthday for a long time!
I (Bronagh) have been given a fabulous opportunity to sit under the teaching and guidance of Tommy Tenney (writer of God Chasers) in
Cake number 1
The first of 4 birthday cakes! a writing workshop on Friday and Saturday. I have to admit that I feel very humbled by this and am amazed that God has cleared a way for this to happen, especially here of all places. A few weeks ago as Stephen was praying for me he asked God to open the door for me to develop and use writing and God opened the door very promptly! There have been a few wee nudges and encouragements that this would happen so when the chance came to participate in this training, I was very humbled to accept. Who knows where it will lead, but I have felt God impress upon me heart a real desire to write for more than ten years. It’s just difficult to think that you have anything to say that others want to hear. I suppose that’s why all I can do is follow where He leads meanwhile letting HIM speak, we will just have to see after that.
Only a few days left for me, I’m flying home on 18th. Will do a quick update before I leave. Trust you are all keeping ok and enjoying the summer, if you can call it that from all I’ve heard!
God bless you
Bronagh (& Stephen)
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Sha
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Bronagh
That's fantastic Bronagh..such a blessing and i look forward to seeing more writings then!!