Archive News - 2002

Kathmandu 17/12/02. Good news radio.
Merry Christmas to those I haven’t said it to yet!Had a difficult couple of weeks working at getting into the local media. All the doors seemed shut until today. I saw a sign for an international folk festival to be held over a few days in Kathmandu. I phoned out of the blue and found a little curiosity in my offer of participating. Then everything seemed to go pear shaped with not connecting with the right people and language problems, but then this morning, a friend found one of the organizers and he agreed to see me before the final performance. We arrived but no man. Finally barged in and met this man's brother and began talking and sharing about life in general. He became very warm to the possibility of my playing some songs and even though there were a few who were definitely in opposition, I waited. For 3 hours I watched folk dancing from all around the world. It was a folk dancing festival!!! I stuck it out through Dutch, Italian and Slovakian folk dancing...very good, but not folk singing, then they let me loose on the unsuspecting audience. It worked! It was just different enough from the rest of the program without being totally out of order. They responded well and many people came to enquire about the music and the reasons for my songs. I told them and gave the web site for further enquiry and to record the music. The TV and radio that had up to then kept me out were there, and now want to do full interviews. God killed all the birds with one folk dancing festival. What a sense of humor.Thank you for your prayers about this and other things.

Kathmandu 29/11/02. Christmas in Kathmandu.
Dear Andrew, Sharon and family, (and All)
Merry Christmas from Kathmandu!
Hope this mail finds you well.I know I'm a little early but at the speed I type I have to start early. I'm a blessing to the local cyber cafe because of the time I spend. It is slow and the systems always doing strange things as well.The people here make me feel very welcome and try to make my stay as pleasant as possible, but the food they eat here is called 'dhal bat' and they eat it every day. A lot of rice with pea- soup, and some very hot vegetables that blow ones head off! I have difficulty eating hot and spicy food so I'm living on instant noodles and toast. My little Napali helper friend has a toaster, so I'm ok for breakfast. The marmalade is very sad though. Shaym is his name and he worked as a cook in the zoo next door for a few years, so he cooks me egg or fried chicken and chips sometimes. but!! The H.S. as he is known to close friends, is very welcome in this place. The pastor welcomes Him and is introducing his group slowly but surely to the freedom in the Spirit. We danced and saw many receive for the first time last night at the pastor’s conference. (I hope the mail monitors don't do hangman)!I recently received a visa for India after a long day of queuing at a little counter at the embassy here in Kathmandu. It was a good excuse to talk to the many frustrated travelers from many nations in the same situation.Then to the Pakistani embassy to find that they wanted $72 for a visa. It may be tit-for-tat against the high rate we are charging them, but I still want to find a way around it. I'm working on the ambassadors’ son, who goes to the Christian school here where I've been doing some singing. Thanks for your thoughts on that.As you heard from the past mail there have been attacks on the church that I went to a few months back. He is still meeting and getting back the equipment that he lost. Still keep them in mind if you think of them.My body is still fighting this chest infecting, but it's a good excuse to get prayer.

I live above the church and am struggling with all the activity. People in and out all day, beginning at 5.30am. It's good to be in close touch with the heart of the church, but today it got a little too much, so I escaped to a friend’s house to rest and catch up with mail.Hope you don't mind if I send this to everyone, as it seems to encapsulate how I'm feeling at the moment.Have a great time at Christmas and remember me when you are tucking into your nice juice turkey!

Kathmandu 14/11/02. Orphanages.
Dear All,
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers over the last few weeks and months. Sorry for the delay this time but the Maoists called a three-day general strike and all the cyber cafes were frightened to open. Just lost my train of thought as an elephant passed by on the main road. The local zoo takes their elephant to get his food every so often.I've been enjoying level ground and easy breathing for the last week but now all the vehicles are back on the road the breathing will again be difficult. The difference between Kathmandu with and without traffic is amazing.I visited two orphanages in the last few days and saw many of the kids touched by the Lords healing. Some have lost parents to the rebels and others to sickness, but they all believe and are being formed into a formidable army in the Spirit. They really do pray and worship.In the first place, all the little ones ended up flat out for about half an hour.NB My Mum is staying with my sister and is going through tests to find out what is wrong. She has become frightened to be alone in London and is being convinced to move closer to one or other of my sisters for security. Please pray that she will make a good decision.I've picked up a chest and throat condition with the changing of temperature here, but I don't think it's going to be a big problem, especially with all the prayers flying about in the air.I will be looking at visas for India, Pakistan and Iran in the next week or so, so if you would cover that in prayer for me to get smoothly through that ordeal.Thanks again for your faithfulness.
PS Urgent request. I'm out of marmalade in a country that doesn’t believe in marmalade!

Kathmandu 3/11/02. After Everest.
Dear All,Made it back to Kathmandu yesterday after a very demanding trip to the base camp over the last 11 days. The first day I decided to take water from a stream and purify it myself with iodine. On the third day and up at 14,000 ft my stomach went into extreme cramps and I became violently sick. At -5 degrees outside waiting to be sick and then use the dunnie hanging over the edge of the Himalayas was a night to remember. I asked the guy in my room to pray for me and he got very worried. At about 3 am the sickness broke and I was able to drink a small amount of water without sickness. Half way up the Everest trail with dehydration and the risk of altitude sickness began to worry me a little. Numerous stories of people going to sleep and not waking up. The Boss comforted me and I know some of you were covering me. (26th Oct) Thank you. The location was a Buddhist monastery and the spirit world was reacting to my warfare. From the beginning of the trail there were shrines and stupas (temples) on the high places and breaking through the years of bindings seemed to be connected with the walk. Many generations are under the effects of these sites.Next morning I was able to pray for the guy in my room who was going through a messy separation from his wife before setting off towards to top. Very slow and weak, it took me a lot of effort to climb steep inclines, but as the day went on I regained strength. Along the way I met two Israelis who befriended me and we began traveling together. There were many chances to talk to them and others along the way and share life experiences. The Sherpas were open to receive Napali good news materials and the tourists shared their troubles. Many seemed to be going on their own pilgrimage to work out major problems in their life. Good opportunity to share about the true freedom from problems.We made it to the top (Mt. Kali-Patar) after 7 days, 6-8hours hard walking every day. Helped an Oxford University medical research program by being a guinea pig with some altitude medication for a few days. Very cold at the top. Minus 10 at night. Slow progress with feet heavy and breath short. I anointed the top of the highest point with all it's prayer flags, and felt the mission completed. Next day walked to the base camp and back for one more night at the top (Gorekshep) Sir Edmund Hilary' base camp. Glad to begin the trip down as the altitude made it hard on the constitution. On the last night I did a little concert for those climbers around the fire and the Sherpas sang and danced for us.Seven days up and three days down. To make the plane from Lukla I had to walk over 8 eight hours a day but mostly down hill. I returned to the monastery site, this time with the opportunity to play another little concert to a few travelers on their way up. The anointing was strong. The Buddhist monks let me us their twelve string guitar to praise and play some songs (cheek!).I saw the Israeli guy (Michael) yesterday in Kathmandu and he let me pray for his swollen leg. The Boss is doing something there.NB. The meetings down on the Indian border a few weeks ago were full of releasing power.We were able to get to the local idol and bind it's power, and saw many get free. One guy manifested and stormed the front lashing out at everyone, but with a little restraining and prayer he got free and filled up by the H.S.Thanks for the continued cover. Much still to do here. Yesterday I ministered at one of the only Tibetan fellowships here. Breakthrough evident.

Kathmandu 21/10/02. Beginning of Everest trip.
Just a quickie!
The trip to Burdibas on the Indian border was very hard on the body with twelve-hour bus rides crammed to the brim with festival home-goers and returnees. Very difficult in the heat. I stayed in a very basic village with a whole group of believers and saw the power of deliverance from the local strongmen (monkey god). Celebrations and much dancing in the little mud church. Seven people dunked in the river. (Details upon return) I managed to get flea bitten in the basic accommodation so spent most of last night without sleep, bouncing about in a rough-road bus scratching myself to pieces.I'm off to begin the Everest walk tomorrow and have noted all your requests for thought. Maybe I can find so mountain cyber cafe somewhere along the way.

KATHMANDU 13/10/02. EVEREST TRIP
Just a quickie. I booked a flight to the beginning of Everest trail for the 22/10/02. The snow is falling on the upper reaches so I don't know if I can get all the way to base camp. I have to fly in because there are rebel strongholds on the bus route to the Everest area and I've been advised not to cross these areas. The walk will take about 11 days there and back.I'm off to a camp for the next week, down in the tropical south where I visited last year. They are having a youth conference and want a breakthrough in the area. Please think about what they call the monkey god. This is the main opposition in the area.Getting over a heavy cold with the help of antibiotics. My Spirit is in good order.This is the hindu season of dosi, when all the blood sacrificing goes on. It's like Hindu Christmas accept the goat takes the place of the turkey but they have to do the slaughter themselves, so there are plenty of nervous looking goats around at the moment.Good service on Sunday with hardly a person left standing.’ Nepali carpet time’!I will be out of touch for a few weeks but don't let that stop your messages. I may find a place half way up the trail to read my mail.

Kathmandu 6/10/02. Tibet boarder.
Greetings from Kathmandu.Back safe after an extremely successful trip up into the mountains between Tibet and Nepal.Thank you so much for the cover during the week.Some of the aid workers here were very concerned about me going beyond the safe zone and into the strong Maoist regions, but the Boss proved that we can overcome fear with a mustard seed of faith. It was decided that going on the local bus was the best option to blend in with the locals. Two guys from the fellowship in Kathmandu came along to support me and after 8 hours of rough-road bus endurance we arrived at the start of the path to the church location. Many steps, and a lot of puffing later we finally reached the top and a few little shack perched on the mountainside ----and I mean perched! Very sheer, cliff landscape with rocks that are very prone to landslides as you will hear later. We were met by all the local fellowships and asked to start straight away. Tired from the trip, and trying not to let the flesh complain we taught them an African song and they were off. Just the mention of the need to forgive and the whole place erupted with tears. Many teenagers and people caught up with the rebel struggles just let go all their emotions. After half an hour it was still in full repenting, confessing swing and we just let the Boss continue to control. The next day we were asked to visit one of the members on the next mountain. Well! You need Sherpa Tensin just to do a house call. After 3 hours of first down and then very-very up I asked if we were nearly there. ''Oh! see that house at the top there'' said the very fit teenager who was guiding us. Finally we got there and found many friendly people along the way. Many were connected with the rebels, but we seemed to be hidden from the baddies.Asked to speak and play some songs, a group of locals came in and heard the good news. Powerful time. They gave me noodles, which were so hot I cried. Asked to pray with them and then back down. On the way, a group of guys gathered along the path gave me a little concern, but I tried to show no fear and they gave no trouble.The evening service after the hike started a little wearily but they soon lifted me with their enthusiasm. Very keen bunch! Talked about the power of the Spirit and they all received, but no outward reaction. After service the leaders and some of the team received some words concerning a local temple and it's oppressive influence over the mountain. We reacted quickly and went into war against it. Fasted next day whilst traveling to the Tibet boarder. This was probably my worst moment in the trip as the monsoon had washed away much of the road and the sheer drops had claimed many busses during this season. They drive inches from the edge and the bus rocks over bumps and some of the passengers (and me) gasp as the bus rocks back away from the edge. We had to sit on the top of the bus; hanging onto the luggage rack I spent the whole trip trying to decide which way I would jump if it went. Kodari was the boarder town that I got stuck at before when the Chinese wouldn’t let me through. Once again, even with a believing policeman friend to help, they refused me entry, even for just a few hours to meet some Tibetan believers. I had no visa so it wasn’t much surprise. I waited on the border playing songs to a few local and waited for the others to go across and deliver some Good Tibetan reading material. Home again to the mountain fellowship and up to the temple for a bit of subtle warfare under the noses of the spirits.Back to the shack and the Boss began to break through big time. Many freed from the oppression of this power and free to flow in the H. Spirit. Next night everyone got whomped with joy after the pa--or was touched and we danced around the building singing African praise. It was more powerful than I've seen for many years. Right in the middle of the darkness, He makes a spectacle of the enemy. The food was Dhal bat (rice and hot stuff) every night, and no running water to wash. Buckets, holes in the ground, bugs and hard surfaces everywhere.. Heaven!NB I saw them carrying water around the treacherous mountain paths and wondered whether they could run a plastic pipe to the building. We worked it out to just about $150 for the whole job. I can contribute some of this cost, and I thought I would ask if anyone out there would like a piece of this blessing. If so...Reply quickly (days if possible) Thanks again for the cover during this time.

KATHMANDU 29/9/02,
Off to the mountains with a bag full of Nepali and Tibetan tracts. Early bus through Maoist stronghold towns and up towards the Tibet border. I have a few traveling companions, and hope that going by local buss will be better to be less conspicuous. A week of work in various groups in the northern border areas. Thanks for the thoughts.
Kathmandu 24/9/02Door opening to the radio here in the next few day--- please pray.Yesterday we went to pray for a Tibetan believer who has eye problems. As soon as I arrived I got a sharp pain in my chest, which continued to get stronger. We prayed and the Lord turned up mightily and touched everyone but afterwards to pain became worse. I know it was a spiritual attack because it would move as we prayed. Finally it nearly made me seek medical attention but my little brother here prayed and it hasn’t returned since. I had fever for the last few days but no sickness. On the 30th I go to the Tibet border with a guy who goes across to Tibet to preach the gospel. I have to go through Maoist held territory to get there so I would really appreciate prayer during that time. Don't tell mum about pain or trip.People getting saved every day and freed from idols power. H.S. flowing mightily in the midst of the darkness.

KATHMANDU 22/9/02It's been an intense week but very productive. My small helper/manager has been carting me all over the city in tuc-tucs (lawn mower on wheels) and on a motorbike dodging death, to visit the members. Some new this week, some free from wiggly ones. One Indian family heard the singing and came to investigate. Invited us back to hear the good news. They had an Indian sweet making business so we had to sample the goods.(Nice!)Yesterday in the Saturday service the H.S. came mightily and 'whomped' many people. One particular person, who recently came out of a high position in the rebel movement. The strongman in being turned.I am going ahead with the invite to the far north on the Tibet border. I discussed it with the boss here and he thought about it for a while and felt it was a GOOD idea. Please think about it for me on the 30th and the week following. It is an occupied area and a little hot.My health is good and I’m eating OK. Bed getting used to me an bugs defeated. The hole in the ground isn’t improving ...except a light so I can see where the smell is coming from.Irish friends are well and have been inviting me to stay when my body gets a little comfort sick.Everest trip, on for October. Fly in and 7 days walking there and 7 back. It gets a little cold at this time but the sky is clear.Thanks for all the thoughts and support.
NB They have just started an orphanage here if anyone is interested to help.

KATHMANDU 13/9/02Dear All,Greetings from Kathmandu once again, Smooth connections to get here with a small sleep on the floor of Abu Dhabi airport. Met by my Irish friends and taken to the room by the zoo that I stayed last time. Back to hard beds and holes in the ground, fighting mosquito’s through the night---Heaven!!! I made some enquiries about the P walk to Everest and found that due to the trouble with rebels here that it's difficult to travel to 70% of the country, especially by bus. To get to the Everest area I will have to fly to a place called Lukla and then walk for about five days to reach the base camp. I am still keen on going. My health is good and I’m slowly adjusting to the culture shock. No cornflakes!! Met with a group working on the border with China and have been invited to visit. This will be a matter for thought as the area is held by the rebels. Thank you in advance. Last night was the first prayer meeting and there was a lot of positive activity. Freedom from oppressions and one new member. There was a little boy with problems walking and talking. His parents recently been dunked and the boy walking, but not talking yet. We broke some forefather curses and wait to see a change.

The boss here wants me to plug into many meetings and break through in the spirit.
Hope you are not too wet in Blighty.