News from Glenda

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 16th-20th June 2009

Through a series of divine appointments and building of relationships with pastors, ministries, and apostolic networks, GOD’s plan for us to go to Papua New Guinea was realized in June 2009. Two days before we left for PNG, Philip felt led to say to Pastor Daryl Roos of Abundant Life Centre in Mareeba, that we were going not as Restoration Ministries International, but as ones sent out by his church. We aligned ourselves to them for the task in PNG. It was Daryl and his church that planned for the trip, which almost never took place till the eleventh hour -- Daryl and both of us, totally rested in the LORD to order our footsteps. We arrived on 16th June – the date my husband Steven was shot and killed 32 years ago, and it is also the birth date of my youngest son Samuel who was born 6 years after Steven’s death. I believe that what the enemy meant for evil 32 years ago, GOD has definitely turned it around for good. The 16th June to me represents LIFE! As the plane made its approach into the beautiful country of Papua New Guinea, surrounded by coral reefs and tropical vegetation, I began to weep. The Holy Spirit whispered in my ear “These are my people Glenda and I love them”. I felt then an immediate connection to the nation and more so when we walked out of the airport to be greeted by a group of beautiful smiling women who embraced us warmly. The tears ran down my cheeks and I was overwhelmed by their immediate love for us.

That night we were taken to the Cornerstone Gateway Church in Port Moresby where the Senior Pastor is the General Superintendant of the AOG in Papua New Guinea; he was away on a ministry trip, but a committee had prepared a welcoming feast for us and we met the leaders of the church. A strong kindred spirit prevailed as we fellowshipped and chatted. Pastor Tom jokingly said that we had a few days together and that they would “extract” from us what they could. Little did he realize how prophetic that statement would be.

As we arrived at Cornerstone for our first meeting on Wednesday morning, we met a few girls who worked for a Christian radio station – in Papua New Guinea, the Christian radio station is the most listened to radio station. The announcers from the station were there because they were curious about the heart of the ministry. That Wednesday morning, I started by sharing my life story beginning with the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well as recorded in the Gospel of John. I then shared about broken vessels and Jeremiah 18 and I briefly touched on forgiveness and how empowering and life transforming it has been in my life journey. Women were visibly moved and many wept openly through the meeting. I had seen this before over the years but there was something different taking place in that meeting. Pastor Tom Watinga (President of AOG National Men Ministry) who was leading the meeting said that the ministry and the messages had to be broadcast live throughout the entire nation for the next three nights. Many came forward for prayers. The Leader of the National Women Ministry for the AOG was also in the meeting and shared with me that never before had the message of restoration been heard. It was overwhelming as many people came to tell me that the ministry was an answer to their prayers. The church had been praying and fasting for a breakthrough ministry and were unanimous that the message of restoration was for the widespread healing of the nation and its many brokenhearted people. As the live radio broadcasts were not budgeted for, people came forward to sow – at the end of the ministry on Friday, more than enough funds were collected to pay for all the live broadcasts, and the church planned on repeating the broadcasts nation-wide. 

That Wednesday afternoon, as I was standing on the balcony of the apartment where we were staying, GOD showed me this beautiful country that was lush and green, and yet I also saw vividly dry arid ground, parched with large cracks in the ground. I sensed the Holy Spirit saying “all is not as it appears to be”. We sent text messages to our oversight in South Africa, friends and family in other nations to pray for the meetings. Daryl and his church in Mareeba lifted us up in prayer daily.

I shared each morning and evening from Wednesday till Friday, and was also interviewed on radio. I shared on various areas like Rejection, Trust, Passion and Disappointment, Forgiveness and on Choices in Life. Men and women were deeply moved in the meetings and as the messages were broadcasted live on radio, many people began to call into the station from villagers, towns and cities in various parts of the country.

The radio station was inundated with calls and people voiced that the message of Restoration is what the country needed.

On Friday morning, the message was on Restoring Dignity and it was a Women’s meeting. Once again for 2 and half hours the women received ministry with open hearts. They just soaked in and received the teaching and ministry. For the second session, I answered the many questions the women had – such as how to live with betrayal, abuse, rape. The girls from the radio station were there and began reporting live on air throughout the meeting. Fresh water falling on parched ground. A gentle rain had begun to fall outside.

Praying for the people.

Later that afternoon the Lord showed me that as people prayed around the world, the WORD of GOD would go across the airwaves and into the atmosphere and it would fall like rain upon the nation.

Isaiah 55:10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, Isaiah 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

On Friday night, Pastor Tom shared just a few of the many messages, calls and emails that they were receiving:

• A boy from a village called asking for prayer for his angry father,
• A man said that the messages were not just for the many hurting women, his wife had left him with three children and he had planned to kill her. Now he had chosen to forgive her.
• People called from an area in PNG where there had been bloodshed for many years and where tens of thousands had died. They were now saying that they were prepared to forgive and desired peace.
• Many were choosing to forgive.

At our last meeting on Friday night, I spoke on Choices, Consequences and Compassion. Once again the response was overwhelming and Pastor Tom closed powerfully in worship and exhorted people across the country to respond for the healing and restoration of individual lives, families, tribes and the nation.

Saturday morning, Pastor Ally took us for a drive around the city and then we had a farewell lunch with the Pastors, Elders and Board members and were given a wonderful blessing and gifts and taken to the airport. We look forward to returning to PNG in 2010.
 

Pastor Ally desires to attend Bible College. He has spent 2 years onboard the Doulos (a ship with young Christian missionaries from around the world) where he learnt to speak English. He has also pastored a church in a village in PNG. If you or your church would like to sponsor Ally, do write to us and let us know.

It is such a privilege to be used by GOD to bring life, hope and healing to the wounded and broken. It’s about bringing people into their destiny and purpose as GOD intended and purposed, and for them to live the abundant and extraordinary life that JESUS died to give us.

The trip to PNG also clearly demonstrated to us the value of alignment within the Body of Christ. We have always had the encouragement and blessings of our oversight who have a Kingdom view and mindset and released us to serve the Church. Our trip to far north Queensland in Australia and PNG was all planned by a small fellowship in the country town of Mareeba. We met and ministered for Daryl and his wife Trish last year and the relationship has deepened further with this trip. We are sure that Daryl, Trish and their team had great expectations of our time with them but GOD went way beyond – that’s just who GOD Is. We started the ministry from a church, then we did a seminar reaching out to the community of Mareeba, followed by regional meeting for leaders and pastors in Cairns, and ended our time used by GOD to minister to a nation – it started with a church, then a community, a region and finally a nation. That’s the power of alignment.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (Amplified)
20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]
21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
 

Together with the Ladies on Friday morning 19 June 09
 
To GOD Be The Glory!
Thank you JESUS.

Date Added: 2009-07-13

Back to News from Glenda