Ken Ham with Mike.

I just found this picture. This was taken at the Creation Festival 2012.

Blessings,

Mike.

The Amazing Story of Daisy

There is an amazing story of God’s provision and providence attached to Daisy and her cancer. As we ministered to the mother during the hours when her daughter was being operated on, Mike decided to get everyone lunch and went downstairs to the cafeteria. As he was ordering the attendant who was helping Mike asked him how he was doing. Mike proceeded to tell the lady about Daisy and then he told the lady that while it is a difficult situation that because he is a Christian, that he believed that all thing work out for the good of those who love . . . and just as Mike was saying the verse, the lady interrupted it and began to quote the last part of the verse, “ . . . and are called according to his purpose). Mike was blessed to be able to have fellowship with the lady and she said she would be praying. Well, that was not the end of the story because the Chaplain also met the lady, but Mike only heard this part of the story days later when he met with the chaplain on base.

He took Mike aside and said, “I have something to share with you.” “It was one of the lowest days of the week, I was discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned about Daisy.” Being hungary he proceeded to go down to the same cafeteria that Mike had gone to - but at this point the chaplain did not know anything that was going to happen. He happened to be ordering a sandwich from a lady that day and she began to ask him questions, why he was there and how he was doing. He proceeded to share with the lady without giving out Daisy’s name.  The lady asked, “Would your daughter happened to be named Daisy” She asked. Well, that floored the Chaplain who immediately perked right up. He said yes. Still not realizing what was going on, and wondering if God was speaking through the lady, she proceeded to tell the Chaplain about Mike seeing her and sharing with her the day before. She proceeded to tell him that she had been praying for Daisy and she gave the Chaplain a message that he was to go back with his wife and they were supposed to lay hands on Daisy. Well the Chaplain, renewed and reinvigorated, went upstairs to share with his wife what had just happened and they laid hands on Daisy. What began as a dark day turned out to be a day of encouragement and direction. 

The next day Daisy and the family were discharged but before the leaving the hospital, they walked down to the lady in the cafeteria who had been praying for Daisy and was such a great encouragement to all of us, and was able to see Daisy herself and she was so happy she picked Daisy and hugged her. What a neat story of how God leads us and provides just what we need when we need it.

Please keep daisy in your prayers for the long term care she will need. We saw her at youth group tonight and she is doing fine but there is much work ahead and a lot of unknowns. 

Scene Sets for VBS & Creation Fest. 

July continued on with a steady rain that we had most of May and June. In fact, sources say that it has been the wettest Spring in over 150 years. We could not walk outside without our rain jackets and wellies (rainboots). Trying to miss the frogs & slugs that continually lived on our front door step was a constant challenge.

 The month of July found us working together as a family producing the scene sets for the base wide VBS and the Creation Fest. It was a five week project that we worked on with the kids learning to carve styrofoam with electric knives and paint and sculpt the scene sets. We were thankful that Joe and Kate Warren, some of our US contractors, were able to take time to teach us to put everything together for the story of Babylon.  These scene sets made the Bible come alive. These scene sets are used at Calvary Chapel Harrogate, the US military base wide VBS, and and Creation Fest.

Eastern European Appeal 2012

Calvary Chapel Harrogate Eastern European Appeal had one of it’s best years as our family was able to take aide, not only to our dear Eastern European Missionaries, but this year’s aide included care packages for our national pastors and staff in Eastern Europe (Many of these national Pastors and leaders were saved through the pioneering work that we were apart of 18-20 years ago). It was a blessing for us to see Hungarians that came to Christ in many of the church plants that we participated in now pastoring the works and doing the work of the ministry.

The picture above shows some of the people who were the recipients of all of the gifts and donations we received. Some of these missionaries are ministering as far away as the Ukraine. We also have one family who are in Iraq.

The missionaries are very blessed to receive the things we bring over as many of them are either not able to get the things we bring in their respective countries or they have never received a care package in the years they have been on the field.    

Torch runner: Andy McMenemy

Just before we left for the airport to Hungary for our Eastern European Appeal, and just up the street from our place, we were able to see the handing off of the torch for the Olympics ... yes they were right here is Harrogate, right near our street. As you can see we even took a picture with the kids and Andy McMenemy. 

What a honor it was to be able to meet this man. He holds the Gunnies Book of World Records for the most Marathons ran in consecutive days. In May of 2011, Andy completed 66 marathons in 66 days in 66 major cities in England and raised money along the way for charity. He was a very kind man and graciously let the kids and everyone one else take pictures with him.   

As you can tell from the background, people lined the streets just to get a glimpse of the event. It was a sight to remember. 

"Chuck" the chicken

We came home the other day and to our surprise, a chicken in our back yard! "Chuck" the chicken, I just made up that name, came from the "over the fence".  Looking for . . . not so . . . greener pastures I suppose! We lost him again as he jumped over into another neighbor's yard with some other chickens.

Easter European Appeal

Hello everyone.    

Well, we are headed to Hungary today with 22 tubs of items collected for missionaries from the UK and US (see pictures below - pictures taken by Sophia except for the one she is in!). Please pray for strength as we transport the tubs as some weigh up to 32kg. and safety as we travel. We travel tonight at 7:00pm (GMT) and arrive into Budapest at 10:30pm. (GMT) then we travel down to Vajta Hungary.

Many blessings,

Mike and Calvary Chapel Harrogate.

We bring over clothing, food items from local stores in the area such as Costco in Leeds, Clarks, Lush, ASDA, WH Smith, Boots, various items from personal givers and people in our church, another local church in Harrogate who wanted to help and a local airline that helps with the luggage. Thanks to everyone who has given!!!!!

Sophia showing an item we bring over. 

A little sweater.