MORNING THOUGHT 3 Wednesday January 5th 2011

Good morning. We have recently come back from Mustard Seed Jersey’s Christmas trip to Romania and I want to share some more of our experiences with you this morning. All of us have memories that are special to us from this trip. Today I want to share you what was the most memorable time of Neil’s trip. Neil was one of the drivers bringing the 12 tonnes of aid to Romania, it was his first trip to Romania and his first time to drive a long articulated vehicle.

On the Saturday it was arranged that he would go to Oradea to spend the day with Nelu and Cristina from the Romanian trust Fundatia Increderea, as he had met them when they visited Jersey. This charity assist many of the poorest of the poor in the city of Oradea, many elderly pensioners struggling to survive on tiny pensions or people unable to work for medical reasons also struggling to survive on their meagre medical pensions. It is incredibly different from the help available in Jersey. In Romania many cannot afford to buy medication or to visit the doctor as they simply do not have the money and may have to choose between pills or food for the week.

When Neil went to the poor homes of several different pensioners, many were suffering and in severe pain. The first woman he visited had pain in her whole body, especially in her heart area. Neil was moved by the suffering he saw before him and felt quite helpless to do anything constructive other than to pray. So he asked permission of the woman and he and Nelu the social worker simply prayed asking the Lord to heal whatever was causing the pain and to take the pain away. Immediately the woman felt relief from the pain especially in and around her heart and she said she felt her strength returned. That was an answer to prayer.

In another dwelling they found another woman in great pain. This woman was bed bound with a cast over her right leg. She had no money for doctor or hospital treatment or painkillers. Again Neil and Nelu offered to pray with her and the woman accepted and agreed they should pray for her. After praying once this woman said she felt no change, but a sense of peace and calm. After a second prayer the woman began screaming in excitement that the pain had all gone. That was an answer to prayer.

We believe prayer works and is effective because we are asking   for God’s intervention. You do not have to be someone special to pray. Neil’s co-driver Bob could tell you of answers to prayer on previous trips when he ran into problems with the aid lorry. My husband Phil could tell you of countless prayers he has had answered, so could I, so could Neil, so could many others.

Too often in our society we only turn to God as a last resort and not as the first source of help when problems come, but God is always longing to hear from any of us.

If you do not normally pray or talk to God, can I encourage you to take time out to pray. It doesn’t need to be an elaborate prayer just be yourself and be honest. Maybe something along the lines of God I know I have neglected You and ignored You for a long time. But here I am again. I want to change things and make You a part of my life. I know I don’t deserve Your help but please help me and show me the way to change & sort things out for good. You can be 100% certain that God will hear your prayer and respond.

Have a good day and please take time or make time to pray.

 

Back To Prayer Updates