Monthly Archives: April 2013

….always with a degree of sadness, wishing as usual there were a few more days left to be here, but also with the same desire to be home – though not looking forward to that particular process! Benny left yesterday, Chris went this morning, and I leave the apartment here about 5 pm, to fly – blessedly! – not via Bogota, but direct from Cali to Madrid – still 12 hours non-stop, a long time in one position, but without the need for changing terminals in Bogota. I don’t arrive in London until after the last flight to Belfast has departed, so it’s a few hours sleep in Surrey, then back to Heathrow at 5 am Saturday, indoors by abot 10 am….

What an amazing trip it has been! Everyone who came saw, prayerd for, witnessed salvation, miracles, healings: a handful of people receiving some deep inner healing too, freedom from rejection, persecution, fear. People who couldn’t walk – walking: people under terminal prognoses – healed… what more can you want?

Our last night here didn’t quite work out as we’d planned: Chris and I ended up chilling out at the love French bar over the road, with the customary plate of chips, and a beer (non-alcoholic, of course 😉 – but with strengthened, deepened relationships with people like Wilmar Gomez, William Castano, Oskar Munoz, Francisco, Edwin, Fernando Sanchez…. for the next visit, October/November, much of the itinerary will be put together by wonderful and highly regarded/respected friend Pastor William Castano. I’m looking forward to working closer with him.

Thank you all for your prayers: they’ve been answered, and then some. Journeying safety for Chris – in the air for the longhaul in a few hours, and for me – tonight, 1015 pm Colombia time (4.15 am UK time), when my longhaul begins – is coveted in your praying. Thank you for ‘being’ with us.

Yesterday was Benny’s last full day with us: he hit the road at 5.30am for the airport this morning. It had already felt like limbs being cut off when Katie & Lee went, now, it’s just Chris & me – Darby & Joan. I’m not quite sure which one of us is Joan….

We’re sad that Benny’s gone: he fitted into the team from the moment he arrived, until he left. He’s got an amazing ‘western’ sense of humour, he’s preached excellently, seen miracles and healings, and seems to have been totally blessed by being here in Cali, as much as he has been a blessing.

Great day yesterday, meeting again with the businessman, Jaime, and Lucy & Alba, his wife and daughter: Wilmar too, who, bless him, had been up at the crack of dawn to go to Anabeiba’s home to talk to her about necessary changes in her foundation to make it more ‘water-tight’ so that she could be relieved of the running of it, and just look after her babies. She was thrilled at that prospect, so now Don Jaime & Wilmar will meet with a lawyer next week to start a new foundation (no, don’t worry, she’ll still have the home!) but one that is legally established.

Then, a wonderful couple of hours with Pastor William Castano, the most respected, humble, and lovely pastor I think I’ve ever met in this city, who is willing to organise much more for me in Cali in the future. William is respected everywhere, a theology doctor, lectures in Bible Schools and Universities across Latin America, so I’m feeling ‘good’ about the future

Last night, we were ‘supposed’ to go to three different churches – both organised by me, until on Friday last, we heard that a 3rd church ‘was planned’ to start at 7pm. I had to leave for mine at 6.30, Benny at 6.15: by 6.45 when my life came, we still didn’t know where, what, who, or how of the ‘other’ church. When Benny got a call, miles north of the city, at 720pm, it was to let him know the details of the church at 7pm… so Chris by then was already with me, and we were in the middles of both meetings!

Benny had a marvellous night with my friend Francisco, in his church in Metroploitano: Chris & I a wonderful evening in ‘La Vinia’, pastored by fantastic Oskar & Claudia  Munoz, right close to the dangerous city centre streets, the Calvario. Many were healed, set free, delivered, released, prophesied over…. people came up to me to testify of their healings LAST time I was there, in November, so it was a great way for Benny to go….

Today, we have two meetings: but, as yet, at 11am, have absolutely no idea when or how we’re going to get there!

And then…home to pack…. 🙁 – but the October/November team is coming together well, and looking good….so it’s always nice to have at least one date fixed here to come back to!

Sad….because it was REALLY tough to say goodbye this morning to Lee & Katie, and, as I write, they are probably heading towards the coast of Africa en route to Madrid on their way home. They have been fantastic: friends, flat-mates, ministers. Sometimes, when you have a bunch of single guys, to ‘accommodate’ a married couple can be awkward. With Lee & Katie, it was a real blessing. Fun, Spirit-filled, moving powerfully in the Holy Spirit, and a computer genius (Lee that is!). Katie was a wonderful in many, many ways, not least for the fact that her skill and knowledge as a Doctor have made my knees so, so much better this week. Safe journey home guys, hope work goes well Wednesday! Lee’s on a 12.5 hour shift from 9am Wednesday!

Great time this morning with Don Jaime, Lucy, and Alba Lopez Velasco. Don Jaime & Lucy introduced me 18 months ago to Anabeiba, for which I’m very grateful: and we now want to help her ‘structure’ her foundation using The Velasco’s brilliant business brains, and with a lawyer friend of theirs, to deal with paperwork. They are a terrific family.

This afternoon, a quick trip to the ‘artesenias’ shop (craft shop) run by my pan-pipe professional friend Polo, in Loma de la Cruz. Polo’s become a friend of many years of taking people there, but there was a sadness in his eyes today that I think was related to his family. His mum and sister run the shop, and they always ask me to pray for them….just likethe staff in Tesco’s (not!!).

This evening, the long drive north to Barrio Metropolitano again. At first, it looked like there’d only be a couple of people, but pretty soon the place was packed to the ‘cage’ doors! A wonderful evening of ministry, Chris is prophetic overdrive as we prayed for most of 30-40 people there. Pedro, father in law of the pastor, Francisco, was instantly healed on long-time neck pain (he had very little sideways movement either way but did after prayer), two massive hernias, which he said felt ‘very hot’, glaucoma, and 9/10 of his right hand, and the tops of all the fingers on his left hand, missing…. looking forward to seeing him next time, just feel that God’s going to do a miracle there… I got Pedro to pray with me, after that, for everyone else: he loved it, was in tears, and was blessed and a blessing.

A wonderful ‘older’ lady, 85, a pastor of 45 years, Fanny, had a fissure in her spine, open almost an inch, extreme pain: her back went ‘hot’ then the pain went, totally – first time in donkey’s years. Her back appeared to straighten, too, as she asked for healing from an ‘s’ shaped scoliosis. She was almost beside herself with delight. She’s got a good few years left to minister, yet…

A young lad, Johan, a neighbour of the church who’d never been to the church before, just KNEW he’d been healed of haemophilia: how he’d know, I don’t know, but I guess proof will come when he cuts himself!

Names are already fading from my mind, but these were amongst the things God healed tonight: two sets of knees(!), osteoporosis and contracted upper arm muscles, two bladder disorders, sinusitis, shoulder (rotator) pain, at least three migraine headaches (in pain there and then – see yesterday’s blog about my comments there!), circulation disorders that – at the time – were causing issues in feet and fingers, and much, much more.

Then followed the most amazingly quick, and rather hair-raising, drive home, with my good mate Edwin, who’d translated for us. Benny went out tonight to a football match with Walter, so it was sad he missed such a miracle-packed evening.

A diverse day in terms of locations: Benny in the south at Walter’s church, Lee & Katie in a ‘township’ high up a mountainside, Chris at Wilmar’s church, and me up north with my friend Francisco’s church. The end products were diverse in terms of what God did at each, too, though the end product was, it seems, immense blessing at all of the places. I love that God is so diverse in his blessing of people!

Here in Cali, over the years, I’ve got used to a number of major ‘artery’ roads being half closed every Sunday morning, for what is called ‘Cyclovia’ – free of all traffic so that cyclists (who take their lives in their hands on the road here any other time of the week!) and walkers/runners, etc., can exercise. So…Francisco used the opportunity to set up a drinks table, with free juices and water for those who mysteriously want to exercise, and the big ‘Healing’ (Sanidad, here, actually!) banner up. We kicked off with a brief time in his church, and a number of people wanted prayer. A lady with a severe migraine was healed: I wondered, having prayed for a good few people here this couple of weeks IN CHURCH with migraines, if they get healed because, instead of thinking, ‘I have a migraine, I’ll stay at home in bed’, they think, ‘I have a migraine, so I must go to church to get it prayed for…. answers in large capitals on the back of a postage stamp please… 🙂

Another lady was healed, and flat on the floor for a time, and then Camilo, whose story I put in a blog of it’s own….then out onto the ‘highway’ for healing on the streets. Francsisco was longing to see people healed in his church and neighbourhood, and boy, did God honour the desire of HIS heart this morning. Everyone – perhaps 30? certainly 20+ – who stopped by on the street was healed, including intense pain, breathing difficulties, depression….so, so exciting. One lady, with her husband, was massively touched by God and all pain – throughout her body, especially neck and hands – was healed.God is so gracious and full of blessing!

This afternoon (well, Chris didn’t get back from his morning meeting until 4.30pm!) we got to go up to the amazing statue that overlooks Cali, very similar to, but slightly smaller than, the one in Rio de Janeiro. Here, Jesus is ‘Cristo Rey’ (Christ the King). It’s a massive statue, and it genuinely does seem to bring the presence of God to the top of that mountain. Jesus overlooks Cali: he’s been here 60 years! The top of the next chain in the Andean mountain range has three crosses on it. Perhaps God genuinely does look over this amazing, wonderful city….this is what he sees (without me in the way!):

Camilo, in the picture, came into church this morning – New Vision, New Testament church – suffering from such long-term acute body pain that he flinched if you even touched him…. very quickly it all went, and not only was he shaking hands but hugging me. His wife was rather happy, too…. 🙂

Friday evening, as we’re in a different apaprtment to normal, this one with a huge balcony, we thought it would be nice to ‘do’ church by inviting a few people whom I’ve known for some years for a barbecue. Lee & Katie did an amazing job with the food, and, we reckoned that at least 20, maybe more, people came. They included translators, friends like Dunia, the doctor: some pastors and their wives. It was a great evening. Here’s what Lee wrote about it on Facebook:

Ok so Friday night we had a gathering at the apartment – we had a BBQ and cooked a load of really good steak. People that know Paul from across the city came, some of whom had never met before. We had I think over 20 people.

It was really nice to chat and hang out and for people that we have got to know, to get to know each other.

Paul said “this is church” which I really agree with – church is not just services but relationships and friendships between people whose paths may not have crossed if it wasn’t for mutual love for Jesus. It was a privilege to host a party in Cali!

One of the pastors who came has featured in my story-telling in many countries – Umberto. I met him about 4 years ago, when he was crippled with both hips wrecked, and extensive referred pain right down both legs. I prayed for him in Spanish: was doing ok, even with ‘carreras’ – hips. At that point I realised to my horror that I coyuldn’t remember the word for ‘bones’ in Spanish, so whispered quickly to friend Diego, also a pastor, to ask. ‘Huesos’ he told me. Of course! I knew… but because I’d lost my train of thought, and ‘nuevos’ (new, in Spanish) and ‘huesos’ sound similar… I commanded, in the name of Jesus, ‘nuevos heuvos’….at which point, everyone looked up, laughed, and flummoxed me asked Diego what I’d just said. ‘New eggs’….same sort of masculine significance as anywhere in the world. Umberto whispered something to Diego: I asked what. ‘He told me to tell you that his wife will be very happy with your prayer!’

A year later, my name was bellowed loudly across a food court in one of the malls. Umberto, walking normally, no limp, no sticks: his wife on his arm. ‘Paul! Paul! Nuevos carreras sobrenatural!’ (supernatural new hips). And his wife added, with her thumb up, ‘Y nuevos heuvos tambien!’ (and new eggs, too!). Oh the joy of my linguistic ability…

This is Umberto….the man in the shorts. His wife is hiding behind my mate Edwin Vargas….and Diego is ‘my shape’ man in the background!

I’ve mentioned Benny quite a bit in these blogs: long-time friend (16 years +). His wife and kids, Ceci & Pablo, are awesome friends of mine too. His mum and dad were my contacts initially: Enrique, Benny’s dad, was an amazing man: medical ‘consultant’ in 5 different areas of medicine (from cardiology to gynaecology!). Sadly, Enrique passed away 3 years or more ago, young – 57 (he was 3 days older than me). Mum, Mimi, is a mighty woman of God.

BUT…last night Benny preached, I know him well, and know enough Spanish to know what his heart and words were last night, and he WAS ON FIRE. So, so thrilled that he’s here, in Cali, with me, looking forward to what he reports back today, and counting the salvation & miracles – between us all! – when we get back together this afternoon…

….and, sadly, Lee & Katie’s last day with us 🙁 . They head off for the airpor in the morning, about 10 am, for the long haul home. We’re all four of us preachers spread from north to south to west this morning. I’m pretty sure I’m preaching out on the street this morning, outside of the church, it’s amazing how an English voice attracts a crowd here!

So, believing for a day of salvation, healing, and miracles….come in your mighty power, Holy Spirit: convict, bless, be merciful, kind, and jaw-droppingly powerful….

Benny, Katie, Lee, and Chris headed off this morning with Walter, Lupe (pronounced Loo-pay), and some others from their family, to the Canas Gordas Country Club, for a morning (theoretically! – Walter got them back to the apartment at 4.30 pm!) of tennis, racquetball (I think we Brits would call it squash…), swimming, jacuzzis, steam rooms, and more… (I suppose someone has to do it!).

For reasons I have no idea of, I didn’t sleep until almost 4 am: I think some of that was turning over and over in my mind the time we had with Anabeiba, battling with my ‘dichotomy’ over Jefferson, and just the fact that I really don’t sleep well…. So I stayed back at the apartment, spent some time with the apartment owner, Alberto (Beto), who has truly become a good friend over the years, and settling up the rent with him, whilst talking about dates to be back in October & November. A brief foray into the market ‘centro’ area to get one my stall-owner friend Manuel’s most amazing fruit juice drinks (where could you get at least a litre of fresh fruit, milk – and a large spoonful of sugar! – ice-cold, for 60 pence? I counted at least 8-10 strawberries go into the blender, too…. this is an area of the city not safe for gringoes, supposedly: Manuel, Rodolfo, Jhon (no, not a mis-spelling!), Marie-Helene, Gustavo, and more – all stall owners – greet me with hugs, and occasionally discounts! It’s a wonderful way to know people, the culture, lose fear, and – when people ask what you’re there for, and you say ‘preaching, healing etc.), they often come to meetings.

What was more wonderful was the great relief of pain in my knees, just the fact that now, I’d CHOOSE to go downtown. It would be wonderful to say ‘God’s healed them’ – which, in effect, is part true: as Katie, General Practitioner Doctor had fairly recently been on a knee-injection course (who on earth would want to do that, but I’m so glad she did!!), assaulted my knees – gently, but it’s a totally indescribable ‘pain & discomfort’ experience – by draining them of excess fluid, and then stopping me from ever running in the Olympics again by putting steroid/cortisone in…. Perhaps we should have had Lee video it so I could post it here…? So her God-given skills alleviated a few days/weeks of extreme pain while God heals other people’s knees all around me, whenever I pray for them, and I wait, in faith believing for the miracle…

She was brilliant (as was her doctor husband last year). The joints feel more bruised than painful, due to big syringe assault (you can buy all that stuff, including the drugs, over the counter in a pharmacy!): today the bruising is less…. thankfully I can walk without biting my bottom lip all the time now!

Then, to the House of Prayer, King Jesus, at 5 pm. One of my great joys is bringing people on trips with me, whom I KNOW can do stuff they might not have done before, as well as people like Benny, who IS a great preacher. So, I just introduced the crew, and then Benny, and boy, he went like a prophetic Exocet missile into the life of the church! It was excellent: huge response. People healed, people freed, people crying in repentance… and all I had to do was tag along in the praying time and pick up the blessing!

Tomorrow, we’re in 4 different churches, which is always a logistically interesting experience, especially as we’re north west, south east, central, and south, trying to get everyone back together, on Colombian time, at the same time….:). Value your prayers, as all the churches are very different!