Travel Archives - Page 28 of 40

How do I title the last two nights’ meetings? Running out of adjectives already….

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Thursday evening we were at a church that both Chris and I love dearly – for the life of me I can’t remember its name, but it’s in a mountain district (barrio), Alto Napoles, quite high above the city of Cali. The Pastors are Jesus and Ángela (An-kela) Mondragon Moreno. The church meet in what as (maybe still is, when it isn’t church!) garage of their home, we guess. It grows every time we are there, and it has the most lovely spirit, and such a wonderful sense of God’s presence. (I’m probably going to be repeating that sentence about Friday’s meeting, too!).

This week, I’ve wanted Chris to do all the preaching, no because I don’t want to or because I’m lady – though I’ll admit that, even after 30 years of preaching, I STILL get nervous and ask myself why I say ‘yes’ to invitations. I’ve said before that one of my greatest joys is to bring people with me on trips and give them the opportunity to do things they might never get back home. Again, Chris spoke really well, weaving in and out of the Isaiah statement, ‘Here am I: send me’. It’s great for me, because I met Chris and his lovely wife, Abi, and their sons Reuben and Caleb, at a meeting in Exeter, where I was preaching and they were leading worship, about 8 years ago. The friendship with them has grown and grown. During my ‘preach’ bit, I had a prophetic picture for them, seeing them in an airport with instrument flight cases along with their luggage. About 3 years ago, God got hold of Chris with that Isaiah statement, but didn’t know what to do with it, so he thought to ring me to ask if he could help out in any way with things that I do. He admits his thoughts were to go to places in the south est of England, around where he lives, and was rather stunned when I said, ‘Come to Cali’! Three years on, he’s in love with the place, this is his 4th time here, and his anointing increases with every visit.

Jesus and Ángela’s church is beautiful: not so much the garage, but the people. The response for ministry was, as always here, almost 100%. Alto Napoles is a small community, probably quite a large proportion of the barrio hear the meetings, as the sound system is quite loud, and the doors to the street – which is pretty much the width of one car – are wide open. Wilmar and I prayed together for people, as did Chris and Johan. Already, just two evenings on, names have evaded my memory, but God did some lovely miracles – Wilmar would confirm that of those we prayed for – upwards of 25 people – all were healed. Rather than list names and ailments that have gone, I’ve put here a clutch of short videos of people telling their own stories of the evening:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDl9QvDDVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWQ4pSLYIqo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTrvt6TTGs8&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmF4Lyidcps&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co69354yb4Y&feature=youtu.be

It’s indescribably wonderful to see people healed instantly, as you KNOW – as opposed to just hope, or believe – that the power of God has been right there, right then, and you get to touch it – dare I say, impart it?

Chris’s report is, again, on his Facebook page – Cali Colombia 2015 – but here it is:
I realise that you are getting several posts one after the other today. We have had no internet access yet again, and the frustration caught up with Paul, who went out to a shopping mall to get a wifi link. Ironically, it came on in the apartment about ten minutes after he left, though is gone again now so I will keep writing until the light goes on again.
Last night, we went to the mountains to a church led by the lovely Angela Monndragon Moreno and her husband Jesus.
The road to the church has recently been improved. Last year, in torrential rain, the unmade road turned from a dirt track to a river. With apologies to those of you who don’t know Our home town, the final 200 or so yards was like the Crown and Anchor Way in Paignton – except that the road also served as a patio for families having their evening meal together, which we rudely interrupted!

Their meeting place is a wonderful, well decorated room with beautiful vivid blue drapes on the ceiling, contrasted with white walls – my artistic friends in the UK would love it.
The people of Cali are kind and passionate, and this group of God’s people are a shining example of these qualities. Their worship is amazing, their prayer is fervent. The room had more chairs in it than I remember from last year, and was full to overflowing, with a few outside the door on the street.
After I spoke on living a life of obedience for the Lord, I talked about some of the many healings we have so far seen. Yet again, almost all of the church wanted prayer, either for themselves, or for family or friends. Several were healed instantaneously of back and knee problems, and two of migraines. Others asked for a touch from the Holy Spirit, and either wept, shook or gently fell under His power.
Every time I come here, I feel the prophetic anointing grow stronger, bringing to people words of confirmation or words of changing seasons for individuals. When I pray, sometimes even before I start praying when I take hold of someone’s hand, God starts moving in them and the tears flow. Every night, my shirts get stained with make up, mascara, lipstick, tears, sweat and snot!
We are off in a few minutes to Simon Bolivar district, to what I call the church in Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13) a little group in a very rough part of the city – at least they were little the first time I visited – the pastors Hernandez and Aida with their son, the five of us and ten others. Last year the Lord had added to their number and there were over 100 of them!

The lovely folk there fed us well afterwards, too, which made our time there well in excess of 5 hours – the praying alone taking at least two, and for those of you who pray intensively for people, will know how exhausting that is!

Yesterday morning, we had the joy of going to see the adorable Ana Beiba, at her home, where, you’ll know if you read this blog regularly, cares for old people that she rescues from a life of living on the streets. Last year, I emptied my credit cards so that she could begin the building of two additional floors on the house bought for her ministry with money raised in the UK primarily, so that she could take in more people. Then, she had her ‘babies’ as she calls them, almost wall to wall – 60 of them in a relatively small house. It was great to see the new construction: it’s far from finished, but she’s already using it, and has another 40-50 – well over 100 now – whose lies have been saved, given a good home, kept well fed, clothes that smell of washing powder, and very, very happy…. she has NO income, no government support, no social security system to fund her. Everything is faith based. She’s such a lovely Godly woman, it’s been my joy and privilege to pray for her twice to be healed of different cancers.

Ana Beiba and a man with a broken neck :) — Ana Beiba and a man with a broken neck 🙂

Last night, in the equally lovely church, Nacer de Nuevo (Born Again), pastored by such a beautiful couple, Hernan & Aida Gonzalez, God turned up in power – and fun and tears. Outside their church, they have this wonderful sign! –

Again, everyone that Wilmar and I prayed for, were healed. One lady, Juilana, when asked what was wrong, just mouthed an answer with a few squeaks. She’d woken three days ago with no voice. I prayed for her, and, as is my ‘wont’ asked if she’d felt anything. She SPOKE ‘No’ before bursting out laughing that as she that ‘no’ it was with her normal voice! Then her head got very hot (reminiscent of my great friend in Bangor, Northern Ireland, Alan!), and she was off, making up the ‘missing’ few days off speaking!!

A delightful man named Wilter, had had a bad motorbike accident (they are prolific here), a year ago He’d been unable to close his left hand into a fist, and his middle finger wouldn’t bend at all. He’d been in a lot of pain with it for a year, and constant therapy. After praying, I asked him, ‘what do you feel, Wilter?’…. he instantly clenched his fist, meaning that all the ligaments, tendons, and muscles that had been damaged, were healed. He just burst into tears as all the pain went too.

Hernan & Aida, passionate, fun Pastors of Nacer de Nuevo church

In both places, endless pairs of knees were healed (Thank you, Lord!! Now mine??), gastric pain, a lady with failed surgery on her uterus, felt fire in her abdomen, and was healed. Another lady, with severe arthritic pain all down her left hand side, was healed’ Johan’s daughter, Juliana, 16, was praying with us: I told her to pray for the lady’s hip – her whole left side was healed. I ‘attacked ‘ her knees – ALL her pain went. And so it goes on… so much arthritis, bronchial conditions, failed surgeries, some awful ‘infirmities’ caused by the bite of a specific mosquito, varicose veins, ulcerated legs, skin of the wrong ‘consistency’ that over-reacts to the sun (a REAL problem here) causing an unsightly and irritating rash. We must have prayed for a similar number to last night: everyone healed… it is SUCH a privilege to see God do this stuff!

Brian and Paul will be here in a minute, and then begins a busy day, topped off by two church meetings this evening (so a late night is in store!) followed by a 6am stat to Tulua, a city some 2-3 hours away tomorrow: 5 services, including one in a drug rehabilitation centre. Back in our little beds by about 2 am the following morning, I guess!

Chris’s healing and ministry testimonies from ‘Discipulos de Jesus’

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Yesterday was the day when things really kicked off! Following our hospital visit in the day, we went to an evening meeting of a church in the north of the city, on the way to the airport. I had not been there before, but recognised some of the people from a “healing on the streets” type event last Easter in Palmira, where they basically left us to get on with it, with no translators!
It always intrigues me, having visited over fifty churches here over the years, that the same healing issue will repeat itself again and again in a congregation – in one place it will be back problems, in another headaches, and in yet another, stomach issues, but we find that often over half the people we pray for in a place will have the same problem. I have asked this before, but I wonder if any of you have thoughts as to why this is?

Last night I preached again, and in a meeting with up to 100 people present, we must have prayed for more than two thirds of the congregation. Paul and Wilmar saw three people healed of arthritic conditions, had one woman with ovarian issues who said as they prayed “all of my insides are on fire!” A girl with flat feet was prayed for and they and her mother looked on in amazement as the arches formed as they watched.

Johan and I prayed for a number of people with various social and relational problems, as well as those needing physical healing. One woman, about 5 feet 6 but not far short of my weight Paul: Chris is 6 feet 3 inches, and, er…not light!!) came forward asking for prayer so that she might know God better. I asked her if she had ever been baptised in the Holy Spirit and she said no, so asked if she would like to be and she said yes. I took her by the hands and simply prayed, “receive the Holy Spirit,” and blew gently on the top of her head. Immediately she was under God’s power and started to fall backwards. I looked to Johan to help me support her, or help her gently to the floor – his eyes were shut! In a panic, as she was falling backwards, I managed to nudge Johan with my elbow, and he swiftly placed a chair behind her with about half a second to spare before she fell to the ground with me on top of her! She was out cold for about 15 minutes, completely motionless, with tears streaming down her face.

Another lady came up with her daughter. We prayed for the mother, who started shaking as wave after wave of God’s power pulsates through her. The daughter looked on somewhat anxiously, but she was fine – I prayed that God would give her dreams and visions, and as I prayed this, her eyelids flickered.

An old lady came up with her two grandchildren, who but for her intervention would have been taken away from their mother. The children had obviously been neglected, and although he was eight years old, the boy could not speak properly. He did say amen at the end of my prayer. The girl, Sarah, aged six, was a bundle of joy, and pointed at me, asking her grandmother, “is he Father God that we pray to?”

Tonight we are off to the mountains again, to the church led by the lovely Angela Monndragon Moreno and her husband. We had an amazing time with them last year and I am really looking forward to being with them again, a group of people filled with faith.

I’m addicted to the love of God and the power he blesses his people with

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Busy day today. The whole programme is now like this, apart from Easter Monday, until the last of us leaves on Monday afternoon, 13th April. This morning we went to a top hospital, to pray for the very sick mum of a lovely friend, Maria Helene Bagui. I’ll be honest and say that my flipping knees were so bad I almost considered not going, but I refuse to give in, and met Maria Helene outside. Then we tried to get in… 🙁 . Colombia is the only only place I’ve ever seen a sign on the door with a gun on it, and a diagonal line through it (no guns!) – there wasn’t one here – but there’s ALWAYS obstreperous guards on the door of all hospitals, who are utterly unreasonable. Maria Helene, who is a medic (she was director of a Social Security Hospital when I first met her). She tried ‘these men have come from England to pray for my mum’ but it didn’t work…. so they let one + translator in. Even if my knees had been ok, I’d have wanted Chris to go, as I always want the guys I take with me to have every opportunity to see God move.

It meant I could stay in the car, so God was gracious to me! Turns out they have about five sets of stairs to climb, so I’d made the right decision :). Maria’s mum felt a great measure of healing: other people got prayed for, some feeling distinctly better, and Chris was thrilled to have had the opportunity.

Lunch with Pastors Wilmar and Hendrik, and lovely Carlos Escobar, sorted out the money ‘blockage’ that had occurred for dear Ana Beiba’s abandoned old people’s ministry. It was great to spend time with three really wonderful guys – well, four, counting Chris!

This evening, we were in a church called ‘Discipulos de Jesus’ – pretty translatable into English! – fabulous Pastor and wife, Christian and Carolina. Lovely worship, Chris spoke really well. The pastor spoke about miracles that happened last time I was there: it was fantastic to hear. A little boy, Alejandro, with no arches in his feet, got them. A young man, Diego, who’d had a dreadful motorbike crash – not wearing a helmet – had been healed…. he lost the top of his skull in the crash, and a considerable number of brain cells, and wrecked his neck and throat. Doctors said he’d never recover, never breathe normally, never speak again, never eat again except through a tube. He had a gadget in is throat to help with some sounds. Having prayed for him, I’d heard no more, until now. I’m waiting to receive a video of him giving his testimony: he breathes, he speaks, he eats, he’s perfectly normal….what an amazing God! I want to try and meet up with him before I go home. I videoed the pastor telling the stories – including a prophetic word that this time next year (now!) they’d be in a much bigger building as they’d have grown such a lot. They are….

Here’s the pastor, telling some of the stories that occurred a year ago during my team;s visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6kLi2vU2m0&feature=youtu.be

I think you can hear the translation well enough… hope so!

After Chris had spoken, then the tsunami of people for prayer (almost) overwhelmed us. Fortunately we had two guys, Wilmar and Johan, who could translate, so we were able to split up, but

Lovely mum Carolina, with Sabina and her new arches

Sabina, so beautiful, chronic flat feet from birth...new arches tonight! Mum was in awe... — Sabina, so beautiful, chronic flat feet from birth…new arches tonight! Mum was in awe…

Wilmar reckons we payed for 50 at least…. 2¾ hours of praying is utterly exhausting. BUT – first up, for Wilmar and me, was a lovely young mum, Carolina, and her beautiful daughter, Sabina, 3 years old, who had been born with chronically flat feet. As soon as I started to pray, I had my hand on her foot and it began to move, and in seconds the arch was there, both feet. Mum’s face was utter astonishment and amazement…

Next came a dear man, Guillermo, in terrible pain from – you might guess! – severe arthritic knees (!!), arthritis in his back, pelvis, legs, and hips. He sat and agreed with every word of the prayer, and then I asked him to walk… first time was a bit shaky (I know that feeling), second time was good, third time was perfectly normal! Thank you Father, thank you… takes my faith for my healing of the same problem to a new level. His smile was as wide as the channel tunnel….

Others with pain issues were healed, more arthritic knees, arthritis in other people, a lady whose face suddenly became paralysed 20 days ago, had a large patch over her right eye as the paralysis had left her right eye swollen, unable to close it,and with damage to the tear ducts. The patch was to soak up the tears. Prayed briefly, she said she felt very warm, and I asked her if she’d be willing to remove the patch. She did: blinked, closed her eye, and it was dry. A lady with ovarian/womb pain, failed surgery, had all her pain go.

An older lady, Ana, riddled with arthritis, troubled even to walk a metre from her chair to the one we had for her. I LOVE praying for arthritis: it feels like I poke Satan in the eyes and kick him hard where it hurts most every time when someone is healed. Ana sat there for a moment, I asked how she felt, tingling and hot she replied, AND THE PAIN IS GONE. From her whole body. Then she walked, perfectly, no limp, no delay, perfectly, back and forwards a couple of times. She was blown away….

What an awesome God…

Guillermo, a dear man, totally healed of all arthritic pain in his body tonight

Ana could hardly walk, needed assistance getting out of her seat, totally healed tonight

More testimonies of healing and miracles

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Journal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Yesterday was a quieter day for Chris and me, you might think ‘why do they need a quiet day after only 3 days?’!! – well, if you’ve ever preached and then prayed for sick people for some hours afterwards, you’ll know why! It’s totally exhausting. If you read here often, you’ll know that my ‘style’ is NOT to have a long line of people, and walk along it, tapping each person on the head (worse still, pushing them over!): I love to sit with EVERY person, giving them time, building even just a small bridge of relationship, giving them time, care, compassion, and in doing that, you ‘give away’ a lot of yourself, and it’s phenomenally draining. So four long meetings in 2 days meant we were both shattered.

We had a lovely hour or so with my delightful friend, the Rev Dr William Castaño, who, along with best friend Wilmar Gomez, organises our whole schedule here. I think I can hear people thinking, ‘A theology doctor organises Paul? One of the least theological experts in ministry?’!!! – yes, he does! We love him, he loves us, and willingly opens up his churches to us, and negotiates visits to hospitals, prisons, drug rehab centres too. So yesterday, the schedule filled out even more than when we first arrived, hardly any space to put anything else in over the next two weeks. Many churches, hospitals (no prison, this time, yet), and at least three visits to drug rehabilitation centres.

Then the afternoon yesterday was going over the re-worked schedule, with Wilmar, his lovely wife Marlene, and getting some time with their two lovely daughters, Sophia and Sara. Then mundane things like shopping! – essential if you don’t want to run out of loo rolls and cold drinks!

So, to some more testimonies! Sunday night, in the church picturs, Centre of Faith and Hope, was up an unmade mountain track that you’d have though led nowhere! – and it had rained heavily, so the road was…er…interesting! It’s the church I mentioned in yesterday’s blog where many were healed, and, seemingly, one resurrected, during the visit 6 years ago. (If the cynics want proof, two pastors present will confirm it!). Rubiella had chronic arthritis, osteoparosis, and liver problems. She’d had dreadful problems walking – all pain disappeared as God healed her, did miracles in her joints. The (very) short video is her telling her story, you can just make out the English translation…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS3cJ-mT6C

Isabella had various arthritic and spinal issues, including arthritis in her spine, and her pain subsided considerably.

Nelsie had an acute pain in her chest and high blood pressure. The pain disappeared completely….

Maria Virginia, with acute womb and uterus pain, and tinnitus

Adele – Bad bronchial problems, pain in her throat, tinnitus

Maria Virginia had acute womb and uterus pains, which were gone by the time we finished praying…

Adele had bronchial problems and tinnitus. By the time we finished praying, she was breathing freely and the ringing in her ears had stopped.

The church Pastors, Alcides and his wife (name disappeared fom memory – sorry!!) was once again, over the moon. It’s a church I want to go back to time and time again, as the likelihood of any overseas visiting preachers going on the long journey up unmade roads like rives in the rain, to a church in that village, is virtually nil. They’re the places I love…

Morgan Freeman lookalike, Pastor Alcides!

Alcides has a real claim to fame, though, as he’s pretty much a Morgan Freeman lookalike!

SUCH a joy and blessing to be in his church, and the countless other small churches like it. Who’d NOT want to go there when the Presence of the Almighty God is so evident, and the Holy Spirit is running riot healing people?

I mentioned yesterday a young man, Gerardo, who’d been shot 16 ties on Christmas day last year. He’d been wheelchair bound since leaving hospital, and had not been able to get himself out of hi wheelchair. To live in a mountain village, with un-made roads that really ARE like rives in the heavy rains (it’s the heavy rainfall season now – more in the next paragraph!) is impossible. Like I said, he didn’t walk out of the church, BUT – he got himself up from his wheelchair, and stood for some moments under his own strength, at least three times…. he’s lost so much muscle in his legs that would prevent him walking, but I’m pretty certain that we saw strength coming back to his arms and legs: we wait for the next instalment! He DID give his life to Jesus – which was far better than anything else! Video here…

Yesterday was the most spectacular thunder, lightning, an rain I’ve seen here since our car was ‘transported’ by God on a mountain journey back to Cali, from Buenaventura about 5 years ago. It was awesome! The noise…the rain (you couldn’t see more than about 10 yards) in front of you), and in moments, even the busy city streets were like fast-running rivers. The only problem is: it took out the internet (which is already pretty grim here this time!)…

Wonderful… just wonderful

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

This morning, Chris & I were at a lovely church – Dios es Fiel (God is Faithful). It wasn’t one that rang any bells with me from the past, nor in that barrio (district), La Nuevo Base. We arrived to be greeted by the Pastor, Jaime, whom I recognised straight away: he was a member of a church I preached in a good few years ago, Communidad de Fe y Esperanza (Community of Faith & Hope). It was a ‘prophetic’ day that day, as I’d spoken about the Spirit of God being poured out like a waterfall… there were 4 services in the church that day – 0800, 1000, 1200, and 1600. In the short break between services three and four, it began to rain. I’ve never seen rain like it anywhere, not even in India in the monsoon. About 30 minutes into the service, the roof collapsed under the weight of the water. Thousands of gallons flooded the church, people rushing everywhere to get rid of it, especially on the platform, with all the sound gear and instruments… Jaime heard God’s call that day, knew he should become a pastor, and has been one now for about 7 years. Today was my first time in his church: and it was wonderful.

I think everyone prayed for was healed, with the exception of Johan, the translator! – Chris logged all the details, but he’s fast asleep again now! One lady – the first for prayer – Gladys – had chronic spinal arthritis, and arthritis in many other joints. She was in a lot of pain. Rather than me tell you, she’ll tell you herself (apologies for the sun behind her, but you can see enough!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK7sMyS9jPg and here she is walking, pain free –

Spondylitis was healed, migraines, bronchial and pulmonary problems were healed, the pastor’s mum, sisters, cousins….all healed. Again, I’ll need to get from Chris the details when he’s less jet-lagged! This lovely young man, Brian, was healed of migraines (he had one, but came to church to be healed):

A lovely man with an unusual name – I think it is Deusdario – a Pastor to Street kids and a passion for them that shone from his face, had real sight issues in his left eye(20$ vision, if I recall), and suffered migraines, was healed – that’s him to the left, with moi!

In the afternoon, at 5 pm – 1700 – we went to a church I hadn’t been to for 6 years – a day of real re-connections! God really blessed the meeting there then, and got the Pastor to relay one or two of the healings on video. His name is Alcides, for the life of me I can’t remember the church’s name, but it might be on the video! When he began the meeting, he told of eight cancer sufferers being healed, a man with AIDS, and someone coming back to life from the dead – that TOTALLY gob-smacked me, a real shock, and utterly unknown to me…. I DO remember a hubbub going on at the back, which I joined with and prayed for someone flat on the floor, with no idea that they might just be dead. Does that count as number 2 in the ‘raising the dead’ list, if I didn’t know they were dead??!! Here is Pastor Alcides with just a little about 6 years ago:

http://youtu.be/YXar7cHG9wk

Tonight, just about everyone was healed – again, much to my delight, many arthritics, which to me means that my ‘knee healing’ must be getting closer and closer! Chris had preached excellently again, and beloved Wilmar had – by default – ended up as translator… he puts down his English so often, but he was brilliant tonight. I really will get the list from Chris tomorrow – but one young man, Gerardo, gave his life to Jesus: he’s in a wheelchair, as, on Christmas day, he was shot 16 times, and one of the bullets damaged his spine. God obviously has his hand on him, as 16 bullets would generally, I reckon, find something that would terminate you… and, for the first time since then, got out of hi wheelchair under his own ‘steam’ – not pulled, pushed, or tipped! – no, he didn’t walk out of the building, but he did get up two or thee times, each easier than the previous time, and I look forward to hearing how he gets out of bed in the morning. People who’d had real trouble walking (empathy, I think, is having a great impact on the way I pray for people!) all walked away, pain free. Breathing issues were healed: more migraines: chest pain: one lady with great pain in her breast (no, we didn’t lay hands there!) had the pain go instantly. Another, awaiting surgery on her very painful womb, was healed instantly….

A brilliant, wonderful day… some free time tomorrow after a few long meetings this weekend, and Chris and I can get our heads together on the testimonies….. just seen one of Chris’s posts on his Cali Colombia 2015 facebook page – some of this morning’s healings:

Gloria, with arthritis in both hands and more acutely in her spine. Much of the pain in her spine disappeared and her hands were totally healed.Brian, a young lad with a bad headache, instantly healed.A pastor for street children, whose name I didn’t catch, with headaches and eye problems, completely healed.Several others whose healing couldn’t be confirmed without a medical examination, but who all said they felt better and believed that God had healed them.

Cali!! Wherever I lay my hat….and sooo hot! Miracles on arrival!

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Well, it’s good to be back in the world’s loveliest city (to me – there are many ‘prettier’ and more grand, but none that touch Cali for ‘atmosphere!). After the horrors of the Germanwings plane crash, and what seem to be the ‘reasons’ for the crash, flying even Belfast – London, let alone London – Madrid, Madrid – Cali (11 hours across very little other than the Atlantic), it WAS a blessing to get here, even without an upgrade! To see the lovely, smiling faces of Pastors Wilmar and Marlene Gomez, just made it perfect.

Because of the ‘lung attack’ last August, this 9 months is the longest I’ve been away from Cali, or Colombia a a whole, for many years – it might be the longest gap ever. So though the old knees were objecting, there as NO way I wasn’t going to come! This morning, Chris arrived, about 0800, so it’s great to have a few days with him, he’s a great guy, and this is his 4th time here. We straight into meetings this evening, so no delay! – AND then…after the meeting, we’re going to the home of Dario and Erica, so to get to see Dario on day one is something EXTRA special. Chris hasn’t met him yet, so it’ll be great for them to get to know each other.

I arrived to stories of two miracles from July – one, a guy who had dreadful flat feet: he’s got arches since then (! – yes, Lord, please! – as the way I walk with the ‘diseased’ knees that I won’t take ownership of (the infirmity, that is!!) has flattened my feet). AND – a man who, years back had a terrible road traffic accident, and, among many other injuries, had damaged/severed his vocal chords. He had some gadget in his throat, which enabled him to make some attempt at talking, but mostly noises. Pastor Wilmar has seen him, got him on video (I’ll be seeing him later in the trip, so will video him too!) – as HE HAS SPOKEN since that day! Yeeeeaaaahhhh God!!!!!! Thank you, Lord! It’s so wonderful to arrive and hear of miracles straight off the plane: if faith needed raising (it doesn’t!) it rose then!

We’ve got a great programme already planned, and more will be added to it as the days go on…. tonight at (2200 UK time) if you’d hold Chris and me up in prayer, we’d appreciate it: we’re at a church high in the mountains to the south, with a pastor who opened up to us, in July, a very, very poor hospital, where Caroline, Carly, Grace, Peter, and I saw many miracles in July last year. We’re back to the hospital this time, but want to ask him to get us in there maybe 5-6 times during this trip. Carly, Grace, Peter, Caroline – pray for the same miracles as last time, ok??!!

Up and running (figuratively speaking! – though now I’m here, the knees feel easier this morning, thank you Lord!) – nothing’s gonna stop us now!

It’s been a hard (drive) days night!!

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

And I’ve not been sleeping for too long, either! It seems the opposition to this Cali trip is going on right up to the point of departure! It’s normally then, when the opposition knows that he isn’t going to stop me – or my friends – going, he tends to back off. Causing me to fall and smash my knees on hard floor, and then killing off the hard drive on my computer, were, hopefully, the enemy’s last throw of his dice! I’m praying that the knees will recover a bit – a lot! – by Thursday morning, when I head to Heathrow at about 0545 am. for the delightful prospect of about 25 hours in the air or in airports! One of the frustrations for me is that I’ve been in Barajas Airport, Madrid, many times: but I’ve never been in Madrid! As things are, mobility-wise today, I might well avail myself of ‘assistance’ in Madrid airport, as it’s a hack of a long way from where British Airways land and Avianca (the Colombian national airline) take off. The riotous time, in November ’13, when my friend Brian (who’s going this time, but not until the week after me) and I just happened to find a wheelchair, lost and lonely, at which point I jumped in, all of our hand luggage on my lap, and Brian going as fast as he could push me – when we already thought we’d missed the connection! We hadn’t: it was delayed. Thank you, Lord (sometimes) for delayed flights…

Seriously, though, I really would value your prayers for these knees: the fall on Friday has done what feels like significant (but I’m not receiving it) damage. At the moment, I can actually move my kneecap with my hands and make it click, on my right leg! So… I’m believing that the ultimate miracle is on its way, and it’d be wonderful to walk through airports – and anywhere, come to that – without a rolling, limping gait, and extreme pain! I feel like an old man…. but only in my legs!

The hard drive on my laptop dying was a real problem – I was in the middle of using it, when with no warning, it stopped… no chance to save anything, back it up (I’m the world’s worst at backing up!). Thankfully, with the help of some kind people, I’m hoping to get another one tomorrow, which my friend Lee will ‘commandeer’ from his home and install at least some software that I need, and more importantly, set up my mail information. What it is to be the Rodney Trotter of computers – moi!! I’ve still got a little way to go on the finance front, for the laptop, but then I don’t need the money until mid-day tomorrow! And as for the expenses for Cali… well, I don’t need that money for a few days either…

I’m just grateful to have one to take away with me. Cali, of all the places I go, is the one I love to report on the blog about, and I’ve got a lovely feeling that the onslaught ahead of the trip is going to mean it’s going to be, as always after trip, the ‘best one yet’!! And this will be my 66th time in Colombia, and 59th in Cali: I’ve got some catching up to do as, of course, I missed the trip in November…

That moment where our ’13th’ hour turns out only to be God’s 11th hour…

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

This ‘season’, as regular readers of my blog will know, is one of the toughest ‘boot’ camps God’s ever put me through: I AM so aware, and assured, that the season was originally God-instigated, but that, at times, the enemy has capitalised by trying to ‘stick his oar in’ and make the going even tougher! I’m grateful for what I’ve learned during these months: I’m grateful for the new, or refined edge, to my faith, has been sharpened. I’m grateful that God has, like right back at the beginning of the life/ministry He called me to, frequently in these months, taken me right to the edge of my faith, and caused me to take a step further than I’ve been before. It’s not always easy – no, let me rephrase that – it’s NEVER easy (!!) to get to a point where you think you’ve already gone past your limit, only to find that the boundary lines of your limit have moved, and you’re in a new dimension of trust, and faith.

Right now, I SHOULD be in Romania: that I’m not, is not down to anything other than my own clumsiness. I tripped up a step in my own house (that I knew was there, of course: I’ve been stepping up it for 5½ years!) and with things in both hands, so unable to break the fall, landed flush on both my knees, with all my weight, while my right shin …er… ‘heavily engaged’ with the steel bar at the edge of the step… for new readers, you don’t have to go back far in the blogs to know that my knees are something of a burden to me – for now! Not being able to walk for 24 hours wasn’t the best thing I could have happen when that day I was leaving for Romania! It was only going to be a 4/5 day trip, with Colombia the day after flying home from Romania: with 3 great guys going to Colombia with me for anything up to 18 days, I know that I had to get my knees somewhat better before leaving for Cali on Thursday.

So it’s given me more time to do things at home, to deal with mail, messages, etc., For someone who’s life is travelling, these days it’s just not possible to travel without a laptop, which is an essential tool for everything I do…. here’s where (I think) the enemy stuck his dirty paws in – yesterday, in the middle of preparing stuff for Colombia – travel details, preaching stuff, and so on – (and not being ‘tech’ minded at all!), I thought the my browser needed to be closed and re-opened as it was running slow… and then it stopped. So I closed the laptop, rebooted it – only to find that it wasn’t the browser, it was much, much more serious. My laptops do take a beating; continually switched off and on, continually carried around in bags, hoisted into overhead luggage compartments in planes, and this current one is 6 years old – positively geriatric in computer terms. The hard drive had died. The screen has been failing for ages – with lines down it, meaning that the monitor is shot, too, possibly the video card. And I’m in the middle of the toughest finance test in 36 years of ministry!! – now, needing a new laptop before I head to Colombia in 4 days’ time…

When a hard drive goes, it’s awful: things like my password manager software is on it: other files that for one reason or another haven’t gone to that mysterious ‘Cloud’, so I’m asking God for supernatural recollection of passwords and other significant data that is on the deceased drive!

If you pray for me, will you pray very specifically, and urgently (!!) for the means to get a new laptop, please? I need quite a good one, as I do use it a lot for photography stuff on trips, also for video stuff (one day I’ll get to putting those things on the website!!), and it is essential for keeping in touch for upcoming trips and engagements, too. I’m writing this blog on my equally geriatric home PC, thankfully it still works, but it’s a little to cumbersome to put in my hand luggage!

Ministry has been lovely, though!! Last weekend, I’d been asked to speak at a ‘Café Church’ meeting, at High Street Presbyterian Church, Holywood (no, not California! – the other one, near Belfast, and with one ‘l’!). It was a really lovely morning. I prayed for a number of people afterwards, and got to know some of the folk in the church. The minister, Norman, was very encouraging, and has invited me to speak at 3 meetings early in May, so I must have done OK! It was good to meet up with a guy I’d met before, too, but not seen for a long time, who did some songs/worship in the meeting, Marty Clarke. I love connections… for me, it’s the only way I’d ever want to do ministry of any sort, through connections and networking.

I’ve had the opportunity, as always, to pray for a number of people individually, in their homes, and seen God bless and heal, or begin the process of healing, for a number of them.

And so, now – after the longest break in 18 years away from my (spiritual) home, 8 months, I look forward to Cali, Colombia, next Thursday. So much has been a battle to get this far that I’m convinced it’s going to be (as usual) the ‘best trip to Cali ever’! God worked his wonders in getting my airfare to enable me to go: now, I just need the cost of accommodation, food, and general living costs, while I’m there. And a new laptop! The faith stretching goes on…

I will try and blog again before I leave, and, God willing, I’ll have the facility for the daily blogs that are always so exciting (for me, at least!) to blog while I’m there. Please pray for Chris, Brian, Paul, and me, as we long to be a blessing to the churches in that amazing city, and see souls saved, and lives healed. Thank you 🙂

Home is where your heart is…. Colombia and Romania, I’m on my way, I hope and pray!

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

My trouble is, I leave my heart in so many places! – but I think, if push came to shove, and I had to decide where my heart’s home is, I’d have to say, without any doubt, that it’s in Cali, Colombia. It was almost painful for me to have to miss the trip planed last November, caused by the enemy’s attack on my lungs last August: the doctors deemed it ‘unwise’ to fly long-haul (blood clots are the long distance flyer’s ‘risk’), so, being the good boy that I am, I did what they told me. I only flew to Romania instead: well, that’s like an ‘afternoon outing’ compared to Colombia or Australia!!

So it’s with great excitement that I head back there, after being at another of my heart’s homes, Romania, two weeks this coming Thursday, 26th. I’m taking three great great guys, all great friends: Chris Spark – a wonderful friend EVEN though he’s Director of Maths at a big comprehensive school!!; Brian Louden, another wonderful mate, from Maidstone, and a terrific guy, Paul Goodman, from south-east London, and a new great mate.

The massive obstacles that the enemy has put up to try and stop me going suggest he’s scared witless about this trip. EVERY trip to Cali is always better than the last one, this one, the enemy has confirmed with his shenanigans, is going to be just the same.

The financial ‘strictures’ that seem to have been on my life for a few months, are just beginning to show signs of easing, which is a (big sigh) relief! The enemy’s stuck his oar in wherever he could: if I were to tell you some of the utterly bizarre things that have occurred in recent months, you wouldn’t believe they could all come at once. They did. Believe me! Letters with gifts getting lost in the mail and not discovering about them until months later: an electricity bill for my house here, for September 17-December 18 last year – I left for Romania on 12 September, returned 22 December, and in that time I was in my home for all of 3½ days, for which the electricity company billed me nearly £179! From that bill to the day I left for England – 18 February, well over £100! When I was away in England and Scotland, I read the meter when I left and instantly I got home…. two energy-saver lights on timers, and the fridge/freezer left on. £17!! No-one here. I have someone coming to check the meter this week… Before anyone tells me to change companies, that’s actually not really an option in Northern Ireland, as there is only one company… :(. So many more ‘unlikely’ things like that!

So Romania and Colombia loom large on the immediate horizon. I’m loathe to make an appeal for help with those trips: you might not believe this, after my autumn and winter letters, but I really do HATE asking for help for my own needs. Asking for Ana Beiba in Cali – no problem. More recently, for a lovely widow in Romania – no problem (though that appeal fell some way short of what was needed (3900 euros out of 5000 needed), and I hurriedly sold things and dredged every resource I could to ensure that she wasn’t evicted last Monday, from her home. Thankfully, it was reached, though that has left the pot somewhat empty, to say the least! In fact, the pot has had a hole drilled in the bottom… if they put red numbers on bank statements, I’d have a few!

But it’s worth it to know that Andreea, the widow, who didn’t know what was happening, and thinking that she’d lose her home, laughed and cried when she knew she could stay. If I make it there next week, it’ll be a joy to see her.

Can I ask you to pray, please? For both trips… some wonderful friends have ensured that the fare to Colombia is covered, from London. Of course, I have the Belfast-London return to do on top of that (these days, nearly £200, sometimes over that if you leave it late!!). Accommodation is Cali isn’t cheap, but it’s vital that we all stay together as a team: if you’ve been, you’ll know that, if you come with me, you’ll find that out!! And, of course, ahead of that, is the Romania trip – I will go straight from there, with a brief overnight stop in Addlestone, Surrey, to Cali, to save money. I’m praying that my knees are a wee bit better (understatement!!) than they are right now, but there is no way I’m giving up or giving in to them. The two trips work out around £1500 after the Cali fare is taken away: an unreachable sum for me humanly after scraping those euros together last week, but no problem to God, of course. I’d value your prayers, and look forward to returning to daily blogging whilst in Cali, as per usual, with the amazing stories!!

I’ve always said to people, everywhere, that Cali is a city ‘under an open heaven’. On the LANChile airline website, Cali is listed is an excellent tourist destination now – a miracle when you think of its recent turbulent, violent, drug-riddled history – and on that website, it states this: ‘Cali – also known as ‘the branch of heaven’….

So, me and my mates are going to become branch swingers and climbers these coming few weeks… watch this space! If you can help me, you know I’d value it enormously: if you need a reminder of how, it’s further down the page, so that the information doesn’t offend those who think I should ‘just trust God’. I do. Often, through his people…. 🙂

Thank you, and bless you… hope to write to you from Romania and Colombia soon!

Stewardship, if you’re a tax payer, and are willing to let me have the tax back on your gift: www.stewardship.org.uk – account Paul Bennison, number 20028331 – their personalised form for me is here: Stewardship Support Form, but online is quicker, to be honest!

Bank: internet (fast!) or over-the-counter at ANY Halifax or Bank of Scotland – sort code 11-08-75, account number 00256003, P A Bennison

PayPal – fast! – paul@paulbennison.com

MoneyGram – fast! – Paul Bennison!! – make sure you state NORTHERN Ireland, or just ‘United Kingdom’ as I can’t get if it’s ‘Ireland’ as it then automatically goes to Dublin – that’d have to be before next weekend, though, as I’ll – God willing – be in Romania next Monday, 16th March, and then I could only get it if it’s sent to Romania, or 10 days later, to Colombia! Not so easy, either of those options!

Wire to my bank from outside of the UK – IBAN: GB06HLFX11087500256003 BIC/SWIFT: LOYDGB2L

Back in the saddle!

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

I reckon that’s a wrong completely wrong statement for me personally: I have no interest or aptitude in riding horses! My only experience was on my 50th birthday, in Phoenix/Globe, Arizona, when my friends John & Kerstin, who are ranchers, for my birthday ‘outing’ arranged for me to go with John, at crack of dawn, to the speying and gelding of the yearling cattle 🙂 – and then, a good few hours on horseback taking the cattle to another ranch… I’d never ridden a horse before. John said that mounting was easy – just put your left foot in the stirrup and throw your right leg over… hmm. All my weight was on my right leg… his ranch workers were killing themselves laughing as this short Englishman in cowboy-land, tried to get on the perishing horse… in the end, they reversed a truck up to the horse, and I got on the horse from the back of a pickup truck! A good few hours on horseback, even going (by my standards!) quite fast, was ok. Then came dismounting…. 🙁 – throw your weight onto the left leg and swing your right leg back over… yeah, right!! As I did it, I manage to take the saddle round, and half under the horse, with me….hanging by my left foot which I couldn’t get out of the stirrup for love nor money!

BUT… yesterday, after my lovely ‘sabbatical’ (if it WAS that), I was on the ferry to Liverpool, to get going again. This evening, I’m with my wonderful mate, Nick, praying for his cousin – 32 years old I think, diagnosed with pretty aggressive motor neurone disease. Please pray for Tim the sufferer, and for Nick and me, as we see God beat this thing into submission. Then, tomorrow, to Plymouth for the weekend, to see my wonderful friends Jules and Olwyn, and speak in their church (they’re the pastors) on Sunday: but to have the weekend praying for Jules, an amazing man of God, a fighter par excellence, as he’s had multiple sclerosis for about 25 years, and it’s way past time he was healed…

I know God’s going to do something good, as the last three days, it seems the enemy has ignited a welder’s torch inside my knees, and I’ve hardly been able to walk: but just the ‘battle’ to get up early, yesterday, get on the ferry, and prove to him that he wasn’t going to stop me, has seen a great improvement in that particular affliction, today.

After Plymouth, it’s down to (almost) the tip of Cornwall to see my sister and brother in law, which I always love doing, and then, on Monday, to my great friends, Graham and Margaret, in Troon, Scotland. (If you’ve got a mental map of the UK in your head… look at the geography of these places and the driving involved…!!). A few days with them, praying for people there, too, along with another great friend, Gordon, who has people for me to pray for. Then over to Edinburgh, to preach a few times, and do a healing ‘practical’ seminar on Saturday, too, with lovely (how many more great adjectives can I use for my friends, eh??!!) friends, Tom and Marjory.

Then….back down south, to Addlestone, Surrey, to leave my car – maybe (though they don’t know it yet!!) breaking the journey about halfway overnight to see friends), and to leave my ‘England’ car here, before flying back to Ireland for a few days, ahead of – 3 days later, money permitting(!), flying to Romania for 8-9 days. Then, on March 28, again, God willing, flying to Colombia, to my home in Cali, for 2½ weeks.

This financial journey, or lack of finance journey, has been a real stretching time, as you can imagine. It IS far easier to live at home without nothing than it is to live away, on a ministry trip, with nothing. But God’s had a real purpose in it, and I know the time at home has been valuable. I’d REALLY value your prayers now, though, even more, as I’m taking a team to Cali, as per usual, so I have to be there! – and right now, I’m the only one who doesn’t have the ticket money!! The airfare to Colombia is NEVER cheap, but ALWAYS worth it….

Thank you for your love and prayers! They are more valuable than support practically, but the practical bit becomes very valuable in real time!

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