Saturday, April 16, 2011

Yay Colorado!

The Randy Clark Healing Conference in Colorado totally rocked. It was great to see many of our friends at the conference get charged up for Jesus. They all got a little taste of what Chris and I get to see on a daily basis - people getting healed and set free. Yay, Jesus! It's fun to see people's eyes light up when they realize Jesus still heals bodies today.

I actually felt cartilage being restored in a woman's knee, and watched as she was able to rapidly move her knee and leg for the first time in many years. But the greatest joy came from the people in the conference when they realized they could pray for others and witness God's healing for the first time when they took a risk and prayed for someone.

It's just a fun day when people realize that we don't just get freed from sin and bondage in Jesus, but we get freedom to live in a new life in Christ Jesus, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to this kingdom on Earth.

Colorado will never be able to reason why it doesn't have any bread any longer. Once you witness a miracle, it opens Heaven up for more of God's grace in our lives.

Chris and I can't wait to get back home and catch up with everyone. The last two years have been totally renewing for us. Blessings and thanks for all who sent us and poured into us during this period of training and equipping.

Chris and I will be heading back to Colorado very soon. Yay. The Lord made way for a job for me.

We were able to make some great connections in Tecate, Mexico also this month. Chris and I have plans to return to the orphanage (hopefully with some of our grandkids) and work on some projects, and help in the hospice house to pray for the terminally ill. The Lord is doing some very interesting work in this little complex.

Maybe some of you will join us and be overwhelmed by some south of the border hospitality, love and fun. You can't help but fall in love with everyone at the orphanage. I can't wait to tell you all in person. Only 4 more weeks. Yay!

Blessings and my love to all.

In His service,
Rick

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Churches come together in Tecate, Mexico

Something big happened in Mexico when we were there. It's difficult to know its ramifications, but our team was privileged to witness and participate in a weekend that brought churches in the Baja Peninsula together for the first time. Our leaders, Eric and Candace Johnson joined pastors from La Paz, Tijuana and Tecate for a conference hosted by the ministry school at Rancho de Sus Ninos in Tecate.

We also helped dedicate the new hospice / healing home - a beautiful building that will care for the terminally ill with expectations of releasing them fully recovered by the healing power of Jesus.

The children who live here at the orphanage are all ages, living in group homes under the care of a house parent. They are beautiful children and are much loved here at this place, where they have built schools for the children of the orphanage and the surrounding community.

We spent many hours during the conference ministering in prayer over the people at the conference, giving them words of healing, encouragement, and love. We joined one little boy from the orphanage who was praying for the sick and seeing miracles. His name was Brian, and he and Rick became pals while we were there.

Our team saw miracles of pain and disease disorders disappearing from bodies, and many were touched by the power of God's love. Messages of life and declarations of goodness over the region and over Mexico brought an atmosphere of hope to the people in this border region that has seen much despair.

It was fun to worship in Spanish with our friends of Mexico - the same songs we sing at Bethel. The trip culminated with some fun playing with the children, who were delighted with gifts of frisbees and small toys Rick brought from our dollar store in Redding. These kids are growing up at the orphanage, either because their parents are dead; they were abandoned; or the parents could not afford to take care of them. There are many miraculous stories of God's provision for this place - and sometime I hope to write the stories as I learn more.

Rick and I are hoping to go back with a team of friends someday to help with a construction project. This place used to see many people come to visit and help. These mission trips helped fund the orphanage and mission, but since violence in the border region due to drug cartels has been so publicized in the U.S., numbers of guests have dwindled. The whole time we were there, we felt very safe. Walls around the complex provide security, and our dorms were secure, clean, comfortable and safe. (We had to get used to bucket showers and port-a-potties, but we just learned that the complex received funding for a new plumbing system. Yay!)