Today I head to the airport
and fly to Calgary, Frankfurt, Germany and then into Almaty-Alta in
Kazakhstan to begin a littlemore than two weeks of ministry returning
on December 1st.
It
is not going to be an easy trip as the rules and regulations in
Kazakhstan are quite severe and certainly limit what we can do and
where we can do it. In fact, I received an email yesterday from one of
the team members which commented that
“My friend from Denmark who does mission work in Kazakhstan said that
for them it’s safer to gather pastors and leaders for training events
in Turkey or Ukraine and thus not be caught and still be able to do
some local underground ministry.” So, we are heading into a troubled situation and could certainly benefit from your prayers.
I meet up with one of my team members in Calgary
and we will fly the rest of the way together. This will give us a good
number of hours to catch up on what has been happening in our lives and
ministries … Meanwhile our other two team members are meeting up in Simferopol (Crimea)
and then coming into Kazakhstan from there. We will all be there by
Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. which is excellent as our first opportunity
to minister is at 10:00 that morning.
On my main web site (www.ralphhoweministries.com) you will find an
excellent article on Kazakhstan and the new captial city they are
building. A city “of the future” centered on the worship of the sun god
complete with temple, pyramids. and everything right out of a good
science fiction novel. One world
religion and the antichrist have a headquarters here in this new city
of Astana. Well worth a read- great pictures. Simply click on
“apostolic travel” and spend a few minutes reading and digesting.
It will help you to understand what it is we are heading into and what it is we will be facing spiritually and physically.
If internet connections can be made I will be posting a dialy blog containing news and information about the ministry that is happening and how our team of four is doing as well as any prayer updates. I appreciate your interest in what our ministry is doing in many nations around the world and really appreciate any and all prayers this current trip can receive during the next 18 to 20 days.
By 4:00 a.m. I was up and mobile moving forward to face the 5:00 a.m. traffic of Moscow where 20,000,000 people live and work. We were picked up and driven without incident (no traffic jams or accidents) although the traffic was heavy even at that hour. A coffee while we waited to go through check-in and security, good-byes to our host and driver.
Just about to leave for Sunday evening’s service at the Church here in Almaty-Alta. The morning service was packed out with standing room only. We missed the worship arriving late which could not be helped as we waited for our two team members from Ukraine to arrive. Their flight came in at 8:00 a.m. and the they needed to clear customs and pick up their bags and drive to where we are all staying. So, we arrived at the service late.
I taught on How to Know the Will of God and Then Walk In It”. Well received and very attentive. Then led the team of four in prophetic ministry to a number of couples as well as individual men and women. It was great ministry with the Holy Spirit touching many lives. The feedback on both the teaching of God’s Word and the prophetic words began as soon as the service ended and was very encouraging and uplifting. Ministry – supernatural ministry – here is not taken for granted and neither are those who minister the Word.
One feedback – spoke over a man about ministry and that he would need to be careful to stay within his authorized sphere of authority. I then named the territory that he would be allowed to minister in and included, and specifically named the country of New Zealand. Afterwards, a lady with a New Zealand accent who spoke English came up and told us that he is a former drug addict and in training to open and head up a new recovery center in a city north of here and would eventually be going with her to New Zealand – her home. God is good!
Lunch – for 15 – back at the apartment where we are staying. They are treating us to some of the local food and drink. So, part of lunch was to have horse meat. It was different, good, but not something that would become a staple of my diet should I live here. I washed it down with Horse’s milk which is rather thin and very tart and leaves a tingle in your mouth and throat after you swallow it. The chaser was a small glass of Camel’s milk (yes, there are camels in this country) which was thick, sweet and had a definite bite to it when swallowed. But good – and worth adding to the diet. They say it is very healthy as well.
Evening service – went from 6:00 to 9:45 p.m. Bob, a great team member, taught and his teaching followed up and expanded on one point from my morning teaching. The Holy Spirit is good and showed us the connection and where to go. He had spent time after lunch quietly working with his computer sorting it out and filling in some details. Excellent work. Then each team member took a turn and spoke a word of prophecy over whoever they choose and only one team member per person. So, we covered a lot of people because usually all four team members speak into the life of the one candidate (more like a presbytery). So, it was a great night and many livs were permanently changed. Again, feedback almost instantaneous and very encouraging.
After the service ended I had 9 people come up and through Timor my interpreter for the first few days while I am here ask me to bless them or pray over them. Of course, they have their cell phones out ready to record the “blessing” as they really want a prophetic word. I kept telling Timor that this would be the last one as I was tired – but he kept bringing another and another. Same “just one more” syndrome as exists in Ukraine it seems. By 10:40 I had had it as I was simply very tired as I have had 5 hours sleep in the last 72 hours due to flights and time differences. However, when we got back to the place we are staying – time to have supper and talk business.
One of the Ukrainian brothers brought up some concerns that were spoken of regarding our ministry at a council meeting of a network of churches (I knew it had been brewing and have been in contact with the leader of the network who lives in Canada at the present time). It seems my ministry was the topic of conversation for three days as these men and women gathered to discuss the life of their Network. Yet, in a previous meeting with the leader in August little was said about any of the concerns expressed at this council meeting and since then emails have not be answered by him swiftly and are always answered vaguely and without dealing with some of the issues that I have with him and about which I have been very open and honest. He is not dealing directly with me but seems to be working at poisoning others about us and what we are doing is Ukraine. So, there is something serious brewing and I will need to make time while here to speak with this Ukrainian brother who sits on the specific council and was at those meetings.
Prayer would be appreciated. Ministry is never without hassles.
It is Monday morning (I think) and in spite of the lateness of Sunday night, the pace we have been keeping, and the work that we have been doing – I was still wide awake at 5:30 this morning. So, I spent a half hour thinking through the situation of our ministry being openly spoken against by another Canadian and the ruining of reputations that is taking place and how this grieves the heart of God our Father. I thought brothers and sisters are suppose to work together and encourage one another. And, I thought that the Bible was our handbook of operations and that it set out how to handle offenses and deal with disagreements and misunderstandings. Apparently I am wrong. And, I suppose I think too much.
So, up at 6:00 while the other team members are still sleeping and I’m working on yesterday’s blog and a few other thoughts I have been processing. The brain is an amazing creation. Now (8:15) the guys are beginning to stir and it is time to go outside and turn the valve on the gas cylinder and light the stove to boil the water for morning tea and eventually fruit, cheese, bread and cold meat and uncooked fish for breakfast (cereal anyone?).
Today we are being picked up at 9:45 to finish with the registering we must do as foreigners in this land. We must register with the government within 72 hours of arriving and so need to accomplish this today for all four of us. So, with passports and legal documents in hand off we go.
Then, a trip up a mountain to get a view of Almaty-Alta (the city of 2 million we are working is) and then on further to more mountains for a half day of sightseeing after lunch together in a restaurant (always an experience here in these nations – good food and nothing like the west’s version of a restaurant). Then we check in to our new digs for the next two and a half days … I repacked earlier this morning … and begin a two and a half day leadership school with about 40 people. We will be living at the Baptist University. I know nothing more about it. So, I will finish this blog upon my return to my new place to lie down and sleep late tonight after the day has ended and the first teachings of the school have been accomplished. Like General MacArthur said – “I will return”.
I have returned…
We have been to the mountain range that is near this city and had fun as a group of 6 men. The fellowship was great and the fresh air wonderful. The mountains are tall and the mountain air was great to breath after having to breath the seriously polluted air in the city – the most polluted city in the country as it is in the valley between a series of mountains and the air and pollutants are trapped in the valley. We went to the very top of this mountain – a long series of rides on ski lifts with cold feet and cold face but a warm heart as the presence of God was very real as was the fellowship. Lunch before the trip up the mountain was a surprise. The food was great as always but the layout and furnishings of this restaurant were up to western standards … other than the washrooms were reached by going outside and entering another building. But, at least they were indoor bathrooms with running water, toilet paper, and actual toilets with seats (rare in the former Soviet Union). Equal to any good restaurant in my home nation.
Supper was late and held at the Baptist University. There are no students in this university. Not really strange. Religion is not in good standing here in the nation and so this university did not pass inspections and meet the academic standards now being applied by the government. So, they were not granted the right to teach students and all financial grants were cut off. So, they have the land (campus) and the buildings and no students. So, all 45 of us have rooms and are staying right on campus and can enjoy fellowship to all hours of the night. And, we have been doing just that.
After supper we held our first meeting of this 2.5 day school for leaders. They had asked that we teach on one topic but we felt that the Lord was directing us to go in another direction and so, with permission, we did. I spoke on the need for the church to, once again, become supernatural. In the first service we managed to do the introduction to the teaching. Their response was tremendous and loud and very encouraging. We will finish the teaching Tuesday morning before moving into the various sets of gifts in the New Testament and focusing later on hearing God correctly and then speaking on prophecy and this wonderful gift.
After the teaching we began, as usual, to prophesy and minister in the supernatural changing a number of lives in very exciting ways.
After the service – 10:30 in the evening – an opportunity to answer questions and answers as we sat and had tea and cookies together. Then to my quarters for a meeting with my interpreter and during that meeting we were interrupted by another team member saying that our host pastor was concerned about something that had happened Sunday night in the second service in his local church. So, we had another meeting with him which went to 1:00 in the morning. Then I followed this meeting with another one with my teaching team members to determine the flow of the next day (now today). So, at 2:00 I am now able to go to bed – to get up at 6:00 a.m. as I need to outline today’s first teaching – the one we decided that I was to teach at the first service of the day.
It has been a very long and full day. God has been glorified and many lives have been permanently changed by the power of His Word through both the teaching and the prophetic. This is why we came to this great nation.
We have just arrived in Kazakhstan and we are off and running. Due to the 12 hour time difference (we are on the other side of the globe from home) we lost half a day while travelling. So, we left on Friday and arrived here at 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning. By the time you read this our Sunday will be over and four very tired men will be looking for a place to lay down.
This morning (yesterday afternoon for you) we ministered in a good-sized church here in the city and then, in the evening, began our leadership training school. This school will run until Wednesday supper and be held in three different locations due to the religious police. It is by “invitation only”.
Thursday we have a day to tour the local sites and go up into the mountains. Then Friday and Saturday - 2 services a day (each 4.5 hours in length) in a Korean Church here in the city of Almaty-Alma. Then, on Sunday, a morning service in another church before heading north by plane to the city of Karaganda to begin all over again with a new group of hungry believers and leaders.
Ministry trips such as this one are always a whirl of activities, events, opportunities to minister, questions and answer sessions, fellowship, prophetic ministry, team meetings, planning sessions … it is usually non-stop.
So, I would appreciate your prayers as I fight to have space each day for my own personal time with the Lord. The pace of the ministry that has been set up for us and the limitations of the human body become evident quickly. So, your prayers for me personally and for my walk with the Lord - and not just for the ministry opportunities and the people - would be greatly appreciated.
Remember - you are loved and I continue to pray for you.
I am sitting in the evening service on Monday evening … I have taught all day since 10:00 this morning. Rapid fire – huge quantity of information and impartation. I spent the first teaching time finishing up the teaching on becoming a supernatural minister of the Gospel. Well received. When I came back in to the chapel after lunch a Korean pastor was praying and leading the whole assembly in a prayer of repentance – serious, in-your-face prayer of repentance for the Church not being more supernatural. They take seriously and personally what they hear.
After the teaching - the team prophesied over a team of three ladies from three different ministries here in the city. During this ministry time I had opportunity to rest and switch hats – from teaching to prophetic. Even though both are apostolic ministries it still takes time to switch feet and begin to minister differently.
Before the ladies sat down we were also to prophesy over each of these ladies individually and at this point I jumped in and began to prophesy in depth over each one. Powerful time ministering to individual needs, generational curses, and wounds as well as details about their next steps in their individual ministries. In depth and powerful. God is certainly blessing these leaders and indicating some neat roles they will be playing locally and nationally.
Lunch break – and a short walk with a team member. Only able to walk around the building and the grounds as we are surrounded by a tall and locked fence so we were unable to go off the grounds to walk down the city streets. Then into the afternoon services.
In the afternoon – no prophetic ministry. I simply taught from 2:00 to 6:15 p.m. on the three sets of gifts found in the New Testament … Motivational Gifts, Charismatic Gifts, and Ascension Gifts. We looked at all of them in depth and linked the three sets together and showed them how to know which gifts in each set belonged to them… So, they were able then to declare who they are in Christ and what their gifts and calling were. Very productive time with all of them and they were very attentive and hungry for all that was being taught and ministered.
Supper and a ten minute break – and now in the evening service where Bob is teaching on how to hear God. This is the natural next step after discovering who we are in Christ and the gifts that we flow in. Now they need to hear God as to how and when to use these gifts and what the next step is to fulfill the calling on their lives. In other words, they now need to learn to hear Him accurately so they will know the plans and purpose of God for their lives and can do what He is asking them to do. And, then be able to accurately hear God for others who are still separated from Him by their sins and thus are not yet born again and so cannot hear Him. We will follow the teaching time with more prophetic ministry before calling it a day and getting a little more sleep tonight than we all had last night.
Once again God has been faithful and touched a number of leaders through His Word.
Time here in Almaty-Alta – a city of 2 million people – is going by quickly. It is now Wednesday morning early. It has snowed a bit and so the grounds keeper here at the Baptist University is out clearing the paths, sidewalks and steps. It is cool out but nice and cosy inside as this university is not sparing the heat in the rooms as is the case many times in apartments and homes in the former Soviet Union.
Today is our last day here at these facilities as we move to another location one again. We end tonight at supper and move back to where we were staying before this. Decent facilities with enough space for the four member team to sleep, eat, and meet for prayer and discussion times. The day after tomorrow we start ministering in the Korean Church with two 4 hour services on Thursday and then again on Friday. I am assuming these services are open to the public and so the numbers we will be working with will be far higher than here in the leadership training time. I am also assuming this is a registered church as it does not seem to be a secret that we will be ministering there and so we will need to keep an eye open for the religious police and react or respond accordingly.
Last night the other teaching member of the team left as soon as he finished teaching and went straight to bed. He was not feeling well in the least. Have not seen him since although one of the interpreters went up to see him during late night coffee and he asked simply to be left alone so he could sleep. Hopefully he will be better today as he is to teach the three sessions … Tonight we do not have a public event and I am hoping that we will manage to be left alone so we can have some time as a team together to simply build the relationships that already exist and to discuss the progress of the week. As well, Dima from Krasnoarmeysk, Ukraine has come with a dozen or so questions about his situation in the church that he pastors there in that city. So, not a real night off but certainly time away from public ministry and a little less formal.
Prayer as we make this transition and reestablish ourselves in a new location would be greatly appreciated.
It is late Wednesday night and we have had a phenomenal day in the presence of the Lord and the Holy Spirit has simply been so gracious in every aspect of our ministry activities today.
The day started off as they all have so far – early. An early shower to avoid the rush when the leaders get up out of bed. It was 6:30 when I awoke. Really not early for me as I am use to rising at 5:00 and 5:30 at home. However, I am also usually in bed by midnight or a little later. Here I am crawling in to bed at 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. so it is a little harder to get back up on so little sleep. Thus I sleep in as long as I can.
As breakfast is most often something I cannot eat – I stay in my room and drink my hot drink I bring with me when I travel. This morning and afternoon other team members are teaching and I am not so instead of reviewing or writing a teaching I was able to work on emails. We finally have a system worked out that allows me to connect to the internet and download / upload emails and work at posting my blogs on line. It is good to be connected, once again, to the outside world. Much appreciation to all those who worked on the technology and designed a system using a cell phone as a modem and then programmed my computer to actually hook in to that connection to make everything work as it should. We struck oil and voila I am able to do what I can do from the comfort of my home office and study or any internet friendly coffee corner I visit in my city (I always have my laptop along with me these days) and communicate with the world out there. I love modern technology.
Then three session – 10:00 to 1:00, 2:00 to 4:00 and 4:30 to 7:30 followed by packing and heading home … well, heading back to where we were staying when we first arrived. There we had a late supper and relaxed a bit. We cleaned up our dishes and headed to our respective rooms to work on emails, blogs, and assorted other preparations.
Let me comment on the prophetic ministry that happened today … For me it was the best ever. We had a few we worked with after each of the first two services … people I had spoken to and promised to speak over their lives. The team was amazing with everyone adding something to the picture as we all took turns prophesying over the candidate(s). It was seriously amazing and life changing. Awesome, in fact!
Then, after we finished teaching at 4:45 (we were to end at 6:00 p.m.) I decided to ask all those on the one side of the sanctuary who had not received a prophetic word yet to stand. 8 people stood to their feet. I invited them all to come forward. Then, instead of each person having words from four team members – each team member picked someone and they were the official prophetic voice speaking in to that person’s life. This way we were able to move much more quickly. If there was anything missed or said poorly over a candidate I then corrected or filled in more details around what had been revealed. Again – it was amazing to see the ways in which the Holy Spirit encouraged people and called others out into ministry of one form or another.
Then I asked all those who were on the other side and who had not received a prophetic word to stand. Nine people stood up and I asked them all to come up to be ministered to. Here I played a bigger role adding to almost every one of the words delivered by team members as the Holy Spirit directed. I have never been under such a flow of the prophetic as I was tonight. Never! It was as if the anointing to minister in prophecy was growing and becoming more powerful … it was simply amazing. In spite of how tired I was the anointing to minister prophetically was tangible and the words were seriously overwhelming. Seriously overwhelming!
Again, I recognize that God gets all the praise and glory as it is certainly not us doing all this as we could do nothing if it were not for God’s presence and anointing on our lives and ministries.
Day 7 (Thursday) and it is early in the day here. I actually could have slept in as I am not ministering publicly today. This is a tour day for the team – going up into the mountains and visiting a spa and sitting in hot tubs and around the pool. I passed on the event as I was really not in the least bit interested in going and I have a head cold that I can’t shake and the idea of a cold mountain peak and racing between hot tubs and pools and locker rooms did not sound like a good idea. Not to mention that a “day off” means an opportunity to ask questions about their local churches, get more prophetic insights into their ministry or nation, and asking me questions about what they should be doing in various situations they are facing.
If they don’t make it into a work day for me then one of my team members who finds himself caught in the middle between our work here and someone else’s work who is speaking publicly against us will want time with me an then I would be back to working once again. That is not a “day off”. And that would certainly happen as he has expressed earlier in the week that he wants to talk with me as well. So, no matter what way you slice it - it would not really be a day off – just a day with a different format for ministry.
By staying home (and one other team member is also staying home as he is feeling worse than I am) I will manage to actually have some extra rest (afternoon nap) and we have invited our interpreter for the last 5 days to have lunch with us here at the apartment where we are staying as he had wanted to speak with us personally and privately. So, an opportunity to rest more, read my Bible, catch up on emails, maybe go for a walk after the sun eventually rises this morning and generally change the pace we have been going at daily now for almost a week.
Last night as we were packing the vehicles to travel back into the city and leave the Baptist University - we ended up in quite the discussion (argument) about two of us not going on this tour today. My administrator, who is here as an apostle-in-training, knew I did not want to go even if I was feeling perfectly healthy as this type of all day and evening tour is very tiring and I end up ministering for hours in a vehicle answering questions in a somewhat awkward situation (leaning forward, speaking loudly to be heard over the road noise, bumping along roads that need repair). So, he told the organizer by email before our arrival that this is not my idea of a “good time” or of a “day off”. Didn’t seem to register as it was not what the organizer of this first week of ministry wanted to hear. So, my administrator said it in a bit stronger manner as we were packing up – that I would prefer a day off in our suite here to rest and have some personal alone time – and an actual argument started.
I entered the room at this point to let them know I was ready to leave when they were and ended up personally defending my preference. It was a “loud discussion”. This discussion continued in the parking lot a little later on as we packed our stuff into vehicles for the trip home … but I stood my ground and said that I was going to stay home but they should feel free to go on the day into the mountains if they wanted to. Again, a heated discussion.
Eventually it was settled (I am not sure the emotions have settled) and I am getting the day to myself with an opportunity to catch up on my world a little bit. The other two team members who are going on the tour are now up and getting ready.
It seems that when coming on mission trips I will need to let my hosts know that I want to be in on the discussions regarding activities and events that they would like to involve me in – work or leisure. Partly this is because of personality and age, partly the pace they will work you at if you don’t say something upfront (as they don’t actually realize how much effort and energy and spiritual strength goes in to the hours of teaching and prophetic ministry at three services a day), and partly that they are trying to make our stay enjoyable (by their definition) and let us see some of their nation. So, we will have to ask them to discuss all of their expectations and plans upfront before finalizing the schedule and working out the details of trips and events.
I was sorry to disappoint our hosts by not wanting to go today but I am tired, would appreciate some time alone as it has been straight people, meetings and services for 4 days (19 hours a day) and I am still fighting a head cold. Not to mention that we still face 10 more days of wall-to-wall ministry events and activities here in this city and then, starting Monday noon, in the next city we fly to.
So, a quieter day but not one without activities and events – lunch appointment, emails, a walk to a nearby “store” to find some more Diet Coke, a meeting with my Canadian team member to see how he is doing (he is not feeling well and did not go on the trip either), and some good time with the Lord and in my Bible (which is often lacking on these busy trips overseas).
Please continue to pray – so far no problems with the police….
It is the end of a long day and I am waiting quietly for some warm soup for a late supper as it is almost 11:00 p.m. and we have just arrived back where we sleep. We have held two services today – one at 10:00 a.m. and the other at 5:30 p.m.
We arrived just before the 10:00 a.m. service having been up since 5:30 preparing my heart and looking over the teaching I was to do for the evening service as I knew there would be little to no time between services and I was right. Then a shower in scalding hot water as the city had not yet turned the cold water back on… a bite to eat and off we went.
We arrived at the building after more than an hour of driving (still in the same city) to find there was no heat. However, they did get it working and before the end of the service just slightly after 1:00 the building was actually beginning to warm up. By then my feet were past warming up and I assumed they would remain frozen for the rest of the day. Cold and solid cement floors just penetrate the bottom of one’s shoes and seeps into your feet no matter what you do.
Bob taught the morning service – we are repeating teachings we have done together before in Ukraine. Basic teachings on the basics of prophecy because although the gift has been seen on occasion here in Kazakhstan no one really ministers regularly in this gift and absolutely no one teaches on the subject.
We have a moving audience with different people at each service and so we are staying really basic and focusing all of the teachings on the prophetic. Then the four of us ministered prophetically for 90 minutes blessing a good number of people including some Messianic Jews who were only going to be at that one service due to their Sabbath approaching. I actually went up to their row and simply asked (without knowing anything about them) the whole row to stand and we prophesied over all of them one person at a time. They were wonderfully thankful at the end of the service and mentioned how accurate the words had been. Many young people are in these services and many of them certainly heard from God in some serious and major ways.
We drove back to the place we are staying and had a great meal together – of course, we ended up discussing business and answering questions but I have come to expect that by now as I have learned this to be true no matter what country one is ministering in. They also helped us to know the agenda for Sunday when we have our last day here before flying out on Monday. That will help us to organize who is doing what at the two Sunday services. As well, we found out that we have a full day here after our week in the second location and they let me know what they are wanting us to do. It will be packed with activities, meetings, prayer and prophesy. A full 15 hours before boarding vehicles to go to the airport for the long trip home. We have to be at the airport that night at midnight and will travel for 36 hours before finally arriving home. So, three and a half days (Sunday morning to Wednesday noon body time) without lying down. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Following the lunch meeting we had 40 minutes to ourselves and the other team members rested or slept and I spent the time thinking and praying and sorting out in my heart and mind some of the things I am sensing and learning about ministry in the nation of Kazakhstan and in my personal ministry here and elsewhere. I am always learning and hope to continue to do so till the day I go home to be with Jesus.
Then a 40 minute ride back to the same building – a Korean Church – and the evening service. I taught on the 9 boundaries (limitations) to prophecy and then the team joined me in ministering to about a dozen people by the time the service ended a little after 10:00 p.m. Good words – setting in place foundational ministries for the future here in Kazakhstan. Truly foundational apostolic and prophetic work. Great stuff and definitely God.
We ended the service by prophesying over a baby whose parents had been ministered to amazingly in the morning service. Good way to end. A few conversations with a few people and we were on our way through the air pollution to home again. It is now 11:05 and we are about to have something to eat.
There is constant air pollution here in this city of 2 million. It is caught in the valley between mountain ranges and so the car exhaust and the smoke from the factories and homes does not rise high enough to move out of the valley. Instead it hangs in the city. Everyone who lives here does not even notice it. But, as visitors, we certainly notice it as it smells and really hurts the lungs. They use coal to manufacture the power and I can see the smoke stacks from my window for that one and there are many other factories and businesses belching smoke into the already polluted air. So, there is a constant haze over the city and thus over us.
Well, it is bed time and I am tired and tomorrow we have another two 4 hour services. So, good night.
Saturday … We have been on the road ministering since 9:00 this morning. It is now 11:00 p.m. and we have just finished eating a late supper and discussing some issues in one of our team member’s local church – known as a business meeting, I think.
We held two services in a Korean Christian Church in a small village about 40 minutes from the main city of Almaty-Alta. We drove through major smog both ways – so bad that you could hardly see at times to drive, your eyes burned from the pollution (even while inside the car with the windows closed) and you could taste it in your mouth and down your throat. Terrible amount and type of pollution. Not sure how the residents of this valley live with it – but then maybe they don’t live long. That would not surprise me at all.
Both services were packed out with some standing at the back door. We went from 10:10 to about 1:30 and then had a lunch which we ate in a smaller building on the grounds. It appears to have once been a very small house and now doubles as a coffee room and a Sunday School room… Lunch was a business meeting with questions being fired at me as fast as I could answer them. It went on long enough that Miroslav, who was interpreting, asked it to stop so he could finish eating and have a bit of a rest. I was so glad as I too was really tired of talking and answering questions having already taught for 90 minutes and then ministered prophetically for almost 2 hours straight.
Miroslav and I left everyone as soon as we had eaten and went for an hour long walk – one to get away and have some personal time and even some quiet and two to see the neighbourhood and have a look at the local market. Good walk and it was good to stretch. You could barely see the fairly large mountain range which we were at the foot of in this village – smog – coal dust and smoke.
When we arrived back I had a great conversation with a young 23 year old I had prophesied over the day before in this same church. He came back for the second day and he speaks decent enough English that we were able to carry on a very excellent conversation. He is a great young man with a tremendous future ahead of him - both in the business world as well as serving the Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. I enjoyed the conversation very much.
Then into our second worship service for the day. It started at 4:00 and ended just before 8:00 p.m. A team member taught and did an excellent job and then I called all the leaders of the local church whose facilities we were using to the front and we prophesied over the local congregation and the leaders about what God was calling them to be and how God would use them to impact the nation. It was a lengthy and powerful word and released something in the spiritual realm – everyone could feel it and it was obvious that we were working with great unity and people from many churches stood in faith for this local congregation and rejoiced about the word they were receiving.
We then prophesied over a number of seniors as we had chosen mostly young people in the morning service (they vastly outnumber the seniors by the way). So, some good words over some very wonderful seniors who are not having an opportunity to retire but will certainly feel re-fired by the prophetic ministry they received tonight. Then, after ministering to half a dozen people we called it a night.
It is now 11:30 and we are facing two services tomorrow in a different location (we are staying ahead of religious police) – 10:00 and 5:30 p.m. with a meeting with a Jezebel lady after the first service and that will be followed by a fellowship meal (a nice way to say another business meeting). Then after the evening service back to where we are staying to have a late supper and pack as we fly out to our second location on Monday morning and start work Monday afternoon in this second city of 65,000 people (compared to 2 million here).
Your continued prayer support is greatly appreciated!
As you read this I will have just finished my second Sunday in Almaty-Alta and will be boarding a plane for the city of Karaganda. Tomorrow morning (Monday) we will begin ministering in this northern city as we start the second week of ministry here in this great nation of Kazakhstan. God has truly touched many lives and we are standing in faith and believing it will only get better and more powerful during our second week of services here in our second ministry venue.
People here are hungry for God’s Word and are open to whatever God is wanting to do. It seems that there are no hidden agendas or expectations. They come to worship (which we do for hours at a time) and to receive from our Heavenly Father and He never fails them. He is faithful and He teaches them many new truths they were not aware of before, new skills, and deposits new hope into their hearts in a somewhat ‘hopeless’ situation. He ministers to them prophetically touching their past, present and future - impacting their lives for all of eternity. They will never be the same again. Neither will I. These are life-changing trips for us as team members as well. You cannot help but change when you spend this much time in worship and the Word every day for weeks at a time … soaking in His presence and absorbing His Word deep in the heart (even as I teach it this happens to me personally).
I appreciate your prayers for this trip and all that is happening to strengthen these fine men and women of God. I wish you could be here and experience the joy and the excitement that is literally tangible as they receive fresh manna from the hand of their loving heavenly Father. Amazing! We serve an awesome God!
It was a busy day … and that’s okay as we came to minister and to work for the Kingdom. We are excited about the opportunities that the Lord has opened for Ralph Howe Ministries and so we are not afraid of hard work knowing that as we do what He has called us to do we are honouring Him and expanding the Kingdom in this area of the world. Exciting.
I was up early to prepare myself and my message for the morning service at a local church here in Almaty. The service started at 10:00 and ended at 2:30 and it was powerful. I shared on the revolutionary concept of prayer that Jesus modeled for us and how we have regressed and settled for a form of prayer that has absolutely little to no power. The message was well received and people here are obviously hungry for Go’s Word and for the truth. The message was followed by a prophetic word over the church we were in and so we had all the leadership come up front and we prophesied over them as representing the church and her vision. Powerful and very full word for the church and, as always, totally different than the word we prophesied over the Korean Church and its leadership the day before during our last service there yesterday. Each church family has a unique role to play in the Kingdom and in each region of the world. We then prophesied over a number of men and women.
Following the service we met with a woman who has a Jezebel spirit (they are spread all over the world) and spoke into her life. The pastor was there as well and he had asked us to become involved in this difficult situation that had been going on for years. She argued with us and justified her behaviour or basically denied what she was being accused of doing. However, dozens have heard and seen what she is doing against the authorities of this church and so she found a very unbelieving audience in the three apostles involved. She said she repented but the spirit realm would tell me that it was all surface and she does not think she has done anything wrong. \n fact, she still thinks the pastor is wrong in his actions and teachings and that she, the authority, is right. She will need to be asked to leave and very quickly I am afraid.
Then out to a nice restaurant for lunch / supper as it was after 3:00 by this time and we began again at 5:30 to worship and teach at a second service for the day. It was another full house and it was an absolutely essential service as it was in this service that I located two apostles – two young men – one called by the living Jesus Christ to be an apostle in His Kingdom the other a five-fold evangelist. I look for them in every situation I am invited to minister in and had not found them yet in this particular ministry and then here they are. It was so good. I sat with them afterwards and talked to them personally. What a blessing to me personally. Great young men who are sold out to Jesus - actively involved in their local church supporting the pastor and ministering where they can. In the teaching time I shared my testimony and the people were very receptive and wonderfully gracious.
Then we were taken back to where we were staying as we needed to have a late supper and pack as we were being picked up at 7:00 a.m. to head to the airport and the city of Karaganda (population 670.000). We arrive there before noon and start work immediately – and we still needed to pack before going to bed and getting up at 5:30 to get ready (4 guys and one small bathroom / shower)…
We flew in to Karaganda this morning at a little after 11:00 and we were picked up at the airport by the pastor and a local business man. A long drive into town where we literally drive through the city coming out on the other end and going back into the country. It was like driving in my home province … flat, bald prairie with the occasional set of shrub bushes. Felt good to see open country after 8 days in a valley between a bunch of mountain ranges and huge mountain peaks which blocked the view.
We went into the country – I mean, into the country. Forty minutes out of the city we turned off the main drag onto a side road (still “paved” sort of) and wove around the countryside for another 20+ kilometres until we ended up at an old sanatorium converted to a health spa. Here we are to hold the leaders meeting for the next three days.
It is now Wednesday as I type this as Tuesday was such a full day that time was not there to think through the day and record activities and thoughts. Although the pace here for actual sessions has been decent – a 3 hour session and a 4.5 hour session with a break in the middle - I have still been busy with other meetings and appointments in the times when not ministering publicly.
A good example of this was last night where after supper we had the night off and so I went to my room. Shortly afterwards I ended up with two team members in my room – both on my advisory council – and we talked for three hours (until 11:15 p.m.) about another ministry which is very influential here in Eastern Europe which is questioning our ministry here in this neck of the woods and questioning my prophetic abilities and my ministry in a specific church during a past visit. They have recently spent considerable time delving in to my theology and speaking about my ministry at length during one of their leaders’ meetings. All without my knowledge and without being able to speak for myself and say what was really spoken and done. They are influencing some of the leaders and churches where we do minister and so we are expecting some doors (opportunities) to close. As in our nation – people do not usually check out the facts but simply believe what is being said and pick up an offense and run with it as well as spreading it to others. In fact, in both Russia and now in Kazakhstan we have been approached about the “issues” and ended up discussing what little we know to defend ourselves against some false impressions being spread by others (we are not always sure whom).
However, I learned long ago to let the Lord fight my battles and to not spend my time fighting, arguing, and discussing. Like Nehemiah when invited to the Valley of Ono to discuss what he was doing with those in opposition I too have been invited to discuss working together with this group. However, it appears to me that we really have little in common and that the original purpose of a joint meeting which was to discuss our understanding of apostles and prophets and cooperating (walking parallel) has been dismissed and now they want a meeting to discuss a number of other issues most of which I am uncertain about what they really are and those that I am aware of have spread to so many people that they may be irreconcilable by this time.
My advisory council members involved in my ministry here and thus aware of what I do and don’t do and the integrity I do walk in have advised that I not waste any more time on the matter – and they do consider it a poor way to invest my time – as they don’t think it is fixable after all the reports and comments that have been spread – obvious due to the fact that everywhere I go the topic comes up. They suggested I write and let the leader involved know where I stand and why I am now unwilling to spend time and money to come and see him to deal with all of this.
I am prayerfully considering their advice and am still uncertain how to proceed in this situation.
The last day of our ministry in this venue and tomorrow morning we move to the main city of Karaganda. During the day we will check in to where we are staying next, eat out at a restaurant with the pastor and his wonderfully kind wife (our hosts for this whole week), and then have an evening of fellowship with them over a second meal. This will be a time of questions and answers – not really time off or down time.
However, that is tomorrow. Today … we held two sessions as usual. And, as usual, the worship was heavenly and very powerfully anointed. They certainly know how to worship, do so with their whole hearts and express their love for Jesus openly and emotionally. Refreshing!
Bob taught the morning session on the Prophetic Purifying Process (a repeat which he has taught often here in Eastern Europe and an excellent teaching – simply excellent) and it was well received and revealed some new truths to many who have received prophetic words since their arrival here. In the afternoon session I spoke on the church as it is now and as it will be. Another way to say it – the pastoral model and the apostolic model. It was the first time that I have ever spoken on this subject although I have begun to write some articles on it in my e-newsletter and one day hope to publish a booklet (60 page book) on the subject after finding the time to write and rewrite the material. During both services we did a fair amount of prophetic ministry.
As we were breaking for supper (after a 5 hour session) we were asked if we could continue into the evening even though it was not on the schedule. Because we were asked by the pastor in front of everyone we agreed because we submit to the pastor as the leader / elder here. However, if we had been asked privately we would have said a definite no as we are tired and still have 5 more days of ministry and need to pace ourselves very carefully from this point on. As well, it was the fifth or sixth surprise of the week as the agenda and work situations continual change without consultation or involvement of the team in the decisions. However, they always directly affect what we are doing and how we are doing it.
So, after supper we held another unscheduled meeting which went from 8:00 to 10:30 and after worshipped we did not teach but simply prophesied over a number of couples who were not going to be with us for any of the other scheduled events this week. I then headed directly to my room for some quiet and time alone and even ignored several knocks on the door. I didn’t need more company or more work. Just some time to sort some feelings and concerns.
A full day – and tomorrow we head back into Karaganda and begin the last 4 days of the schedule here in this part of Kazakhstan. Then back to Almaty-Ata for 24 hours for some follow-up to our week there and then we fly home … leaving here at midnight Sunday and arriving at home on Wednesday at 4:00 a.m. body time … a long haul. Prayer needed. Thanks.
An uneventful day as we packed and left the sanatorium and headed back through the winding country roads, as well as some snow and ice, into the city of Karaganda. I am told the name meals “black rock” as it is a very big coal mining and thus hydro-producing area in this district of the nation of Kazakhstan. It is a relatively clean city and parts of it are fairly modern but there is little construction going on. In Kiev and Moscow there was a lot of construction being undertaken but here we have only seen one set of high cranes and they were building an apartment building. So, either the recession has hit here or all of the construction resources are going into Astana which is not far from here.
Astana is the new capital city where the dictator (president) decided to take a small town and totally transform it into a modern space-age city that would welcome the one world government and the one world religion. He has even built places for them to function and operate from. (see article and pictures posted elsewhere on my web site)
We are staying in a very new and modern hotel and I have my own bathroom, shower and real toilet with a real seat on it. There is a God in Heaven. Long hot shower felt really good. The bed is rock hard and just has a box spring and no mattress. I placed the floor rug under the sheet and a big towel above the sheet so there is some padding for my hips and spine and it has turned out okay. Can’t say it is comfortable but it is okay.
Lunch in a Kazakh restaurant with national foods at 1:00 p.m. – I ate cow tongue for the first time and ram meat for the second time – and the food was wonderful. However, it is always surrounded by and filled with lots of meat. There is meat – lots of it – in every dish, soup, and plate of vegetables. Meat everywhere. So, for our late supper the team asked if we could just order salads. We went to the same restaurant and we ordered salads and some of them had meat in them. However, it was a lighter meal and they made tremendous fresh salads. They mix so many different things together that you never see combined when in my nation and it is more than interesting, it is very good.
All of this allowed us to finally come to know our host and his wife and their right hand man (whose wife is not saved) and simply sit for a long period and fellowship. Between the two meals my Canadian team member and I sat and sorted through our impressions of what the Lord would have us do at the five public services that we start tomorrow (Friday) evening. I had been told that they would like my gifts seminar that I did twice in Russia and that we are translating the manual into Russian for future teaching opportunities. However, it will not always be the same people attending the services so the seminar format will not work and so we are switching content and teachings on the fly here. In about 90 minutes we believe we discovered the mind of God for this situation and so then spent some time sorting and thinking and writing before the salads and more fellowship for supper.
Late meeting after that with my administrator and then finally some time to be alone and think and pray. An easier day – and one in which we received gifts to remind us of Kazakhstan - books for the Canadians and iPods for the Ukrainian team members. Very kind people and very considerate. The first two good meals of the week as the food at the sanatorium was always cold, there was never enough, and a lot of it was not allowed on my diet which is restricted because of a disease that I carry in my body. So, good food, good fellowship, a great hotel room and a great deal of kindness.
The day started with some quiet time to myself which is rare on these trips especially when you bring a team along with you – which I always do. Then we met with one of our team members from Ukraine to discuss the situation I wrote about several days ago as he is part of the leadership team for the group that is involved with the accusations and comments and criticisms which have now spread to four nations but have never been addressed to me personally. I know what some of the issues are simply because I have heard them now from enough people. Gossip is a disease and it spreads offenses everywhere it is tolerated. One of the Ten Commandments is `Thou shall not bear false witness` and it would be good for many of those involved to reread and think about Exodus, Chapter Twenty a few times.
We had a three hour meeting and heard some fantastic things that have been going on regarding the discussion of my ministry in Ukraine and surrounding nations. None of these issues have been addressed to me personally and up to this time I had only heard them and become aware of them through rumours – now I was hearing some of them from the perspective of someone who is a member of the leadership team where these things are going on. My heart is grieved that so much time and energy is being spent speaking about me and not speaking to me. And, that the members of this leadership team have obviously taken something that should have been confidential and spread it to many not on the team and even not in the network that this team leads. That is obvious simply by the people who have asked us questions about what they are hearing as we have travelled to various nations. The Church once again fails to live up to biblical principles.
My feelings about all this hassle is simple. I don`t need it. I feel like simply going on doing what the Lord has sent me to Eastern Europe to do – and do it with and for those who appreciate my ministry and that trust me and the teachings that I do. There is lots of work even if this group shuts my teams out of their network. However, it will effect a lot of the young apostles and prophets in training who go to their churches as I will have to drop them from our mailing and training lists because the pastors whom they submit to will be told we are off limits and I will not go against local authority. The other reaction is simply to stay home. I am old enough and tired enough and done this long enough (I started preaching in 1968) that I often think that I have had enough hassle and crap and it would be good to slow down a lot and read more – maybe even write a book. Or, maybe just stop ministering all together and do what others my age do – retire. It is looking more appealing all the time. Maybe it is just that one likes to be appreciated for what they are doing.
So, the beat goes on and the Church is once again wounded by those who lead her and do not do so biblically. I will answer emails received regarding the concerns and am planning to meet with the leader in Toronto and the Council that leads this denominational grouping in Kiev, Ukraine as soon as possible but it will definitely be some time in the new year and not before. Already it looks like I will need to cancel my January trip as three of the four churches I was to minister in are in this denomination and they are uncertain as to the relationship between their leader and my ministry. Uncertainly will lead to cancellations. However, this morning I received an email from another church – no longer a part of this network or denomination – asking me to come and minister to them. The process to set that up has begun and it may be what January’s planned trip turns out to be all about.
Keep praying – we still have three more days of ministry and then three full days of airports and jet planes before arriving home. Appreciate everyone who reads these daily blogs.
A full day of meetings here in Karaganda. We will have meetings with the pastor and his wife (an apostle and prophet in disguise) over an early lunch and that will last well in to the afternoon. Then, a brief opportunity to get ready for (physically and spiritually) the evening service – the first of five here in their local church.
The place is packed. The sanctuary is one big room in an old school that still functions and rents them the space. In the middle of the room is a wall that goes 2/3 of the way from the back to the front so preaching is done by constantly having to switch “sides” making sure to look in the direction of the other half – most of whom cannot see the others in attendance as their view is blocked by the wall. Not ideal but we will work with it.
You enter the building by parking some distance away and then walking past three actual segments of the building going around the back of this rather massive structure and entering by an unlit door on the back side which faces an area of trees and grass. Up a dark stairwell to the main floor and through several unmarked halls and corridors into this room. You don’t hear a sound until you are through two thick metal doors (and the walls of the building are over a foot thick as they construct them of concrete and brick. From the outside there is a dim light that can be seem through one small window that does not have regular glass in it. You would literally not know there was anything going on in this building and. From the outside, the activities are totally undetectable. Fascinating. Once inside the second door you are hit by a wall of music and feel like you have literally walked into a hidden meting of the underground church – and you have. There are up to 150 people worshipping God. Three or four vehicles were visible where we packed the van that drove us here so obviously many of these people walked here for the service.
Wonderful service – 4.5 hours of worship, prayer and the teaching of God’s Word. I taught on the need for the church to become supernatural and for Christians to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit as they fellowship with Him. I had started the teaching on Friday night – our first “public” service here in the city. Well received and they were excited to hear God’s Word preached and taught. Then, of course, the team prophesied.
Lunch out with the pastor and several of his leaders (in someone small apartment) and then back to another service in the evening when Bob taught on the supernatural church building very well on the principles and ideas that I had taught in the first two teachings on the subject. He had written the material and the teaching during the course of this trip. More prophetic ministry ended the service.
We arrived back where we are staying after 11 p.m. as we went out for a late supper after the service and we were tired to say the least. Breakfast (complimentary where we are staying) is flexible so we told them we would be down at 9 a.m. as we will be picked up at 9:45 a.m. for the start of another exciting Sunday in Kazakhstan.
A full day of meetings here in Karaganda. We will have meetings with the pastor and his wife (an apostle and prophet in disguise) over an early lunch and that will last well in to the afternoon. Then, a brief opportunity to get ready for (physically and spiritually) the evening service – the first of five here in their local church.
The place is packed. The sanctuary is one big room in an old school that still functions and rents them the space. In the middle of the room is a wall that goes 2/3 of the way from the back to the front so preaching is done by constantly having to switch “sides” making sure to look in the direction of the other half – most of whom cannot see the others in attendance as their view is blocked by the wall. Not ideal but we will work with it.
You enter the building by parking some distance away and then walking past three actual segments of the building going around the back of this rather massive structure and entering by an unlit door on the back side which faces an area of trees and grass. Up a dark stairwell to the main floor and through several unmarked halls and corridors into this room. You don’t hear a sound until you are through two thick metal doors (and the walls of the building are over a foot thick as they construct them of concrete and brick. From the outside there is a dim light that can be seem through one small window that does not have regular glass in it. You would literally not know there was anything going on in this building and. From the outside, the activities are totally undetectable. Fascinating. Once inside the second door you are hit by a wall of music and feel like you have literally walked into a hidden meting of the underground church – and you have. There are up to 150 people worshipping God. Three or four vehicles were visible where we packed the van that drove us here so obviously many of these people walked here for the service.
Wonderful service – 4.5 hours of worship, prayer and the teaching of God’s Word. I taught on the need for the church to become supernatural and for Christians to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit as they fellowship with Him. I had started the teaching on Friday night – our first “public” service here in the city. Well received and they were excited to hear God’s Word preached and taught. Then, of course, the team prophesied.
Lunch out with the pastor and several of his leaders (in someone small apartment) and then back to another service in the evening when Bob taught on the supernatural church building very well on the principles and ideas that I had taught in the first two teachings on the subject. He had written the material and the teaching during the course of this trip. More prophetic ministry ended the service.
We arrived back where we are staying after 11 p.m. as we went out for a late supper after the service and we were tired to say the least. Breakfast (complimentary where we are staying) is flexible so we told them we would be down at 9 a.m. as we will be picked up at 9:45 a.m. for the start of another exciting Sunday in Kazakhstan.
We are in Almaty where we first began our ministry here in Kazakhstan. We arrived very early this morning by plane from Karaganda (1:15 a.m.). After a fairly short night of sleep I was up packing and preparing for the day.
We were picked up and thus vacated where we were staying for the night (moving all the suitcases and computer bags one more time) and headed into the country. A year ago I prophesied over a lawyer from this city when ministering in Krasnoarmeysk, Ukraine and told him he was to buy land, build a school and be the head of SOS – School of Supernatural. We journeyed into the country with him this morning to the outskirts of a city where we walked and prayed over two very large pieces of land which he is hoping to purchase to build the school facilities upon. So, our morning was spent planning and praying and prophesying to see if we could confirm the direction that this leader was sensing.
Then back to an elder’s home that he is building. Beautiful and big - but yet unfinished. Then others started to arrive and they began cooking a Kazakhstan speciality – a huge fish (one fish fed 12 adults) cooked with onions and other things on an outdoor open fire and the coals from that fire. Potatoes, salad and coffee / tea and we had a meal that lasted hours and great fellowship – sharing, laughing, and lots of questions regarding the prophetic and also what we sensed for their nation.
Then, no sooner had we finished this gigantic meal then they started to prepare the outdoor fire pit once again and also prepare another huge fish smothering it in a sauce and tomatoes and herbs … and cooked a second one which, three hours later, was brought in and we all had to eat again. More fellowship and fun. Then an evening of chatting, coming to know more about these great people, more questions and answers and then, at 11:30 p.m. heading to the airport for our flights home.
In the midst of the day I spoke to two men one-on-one and had a great opportunity to come to know them better – and the discussion turned into a powerful prophetic flow for them and their ministries.
I am now aboard an Airbus having flown at 2:30 a.m. from Almaty to Astana (1.5 hours). There we took on more passengers and de-iced a second time and we are now on our way to Frankfurt, Germany (6.5 hours flying). There we will switch flights (grabbing a bite to eat in the airport as we have a four hour layover) and fly to Calgary, Alberta (11.5 hours) where I will run to get through Customs Canada and on to my connecting flight to my home city.
I will arrive home 52 hours after I left for the airport in Almaty at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday which will be 3:30 a.m. Wednesday body time and actual travel time. Jet lag will be a brute this time around.
I want to thank you for praying for me and for the whole team while we ministered in Kazakhstan and stayed one step ahead of the religious authorities. It was a very successful trip and one where the will of God was accomplished and God was glorified.
We received several love offerings while there – and I had prayed before the trip started that the Lord would cover the major costs (paid for by Ralph Howe Ministries) of getting my two Ukrainian team members there and back home again … close to $1,600.00 American in total. God is good as the need was met and I was also able to pay the interpreter when the local pastor did not so that he was not without something for all his hard work. As well, all miscellaneous expenses were met and so the trip was certainly a financial success.
Ralph Howe Ministries continues to work on a cash only basis as we have from the beginning 2 years and 5 months ago and God continues to amaze us and cover our costs through his people both where we are ministering as well as through the kindness of a number of people who donate on line on my web site to the “missions” PayPal account.
I now turn my focus to the January 2010 trip to Ukraine and the ministry that will be going on. I will travel there alone and be joined by my administrator for Eastern Europe who is on full-time, paid staff here at Ralph Howe Ministries. He will be there as an “apostle-in-training” as he is growing very quickly. Starting in this fast approaching new year he will be picking up some of the teaching load as well as continuing to grow in the prophetic – thus lightening my work load on these very intense and busy times overseas. We will, of course, be ministering God’s Word through teaching and prophecy.
There is a fair amount of reading and research as well as writing to do for this trip as well as a rewrite of a student manual which will then be translated into Russian for use during this ministry trip. A lot to accomplish with limited time to do so … and, once again, I am applying my faith towards the finances that this trip will involve (a total cost of approximately $3,500.00). And I know God will do what He is really good at doing for He has already given to us “everything that pertains to life and to godliness”.
So, I am expecting every need of this next missions trip to be met in advance so that, once again, we can pay cash the whole way. Thanks for standing in faith with me.
During the next few days I hope to blog about my impressions of Kazakhstan and the church there as well as reporting on the plans of God for that nation as revealed prophetically. But first I need a few days off and away from people to regain my strength and have some time to myself to process all that I have been involved in during the last 18 power-packed days and all that I have learned personally about my developing ministry and myself personally.
Next Trip Overseas – yes, even while on the trip that I have just come back from (Kazakhstan) I am thinking about and working on the next set of meetings I will be ministering for in Eastern Europe … I am working in Ukraine in four different churches. We thought we had it all nailed down for schedules and timing and thus routes (trains, planes and buses) but just before leaving for Kazakhstan one of the pastors found out he has a course to attend in Kiev during the time originally scheduled for the meetings in his church. Part of a degee that he is working on. So, we will be working on shuffling all the events to allow us to still fit everyone in but just in a different order. Thank God for an administrator.
This mid-January 2010 trip I will be teaching on the three sets of gifts (motivational, charismatic, five-fold) and focusing during the latter part of each seminar on the gift of prophecy, of course. This is normally a four day seminar when you add an interpreter saying everything you are saying and opportunities for questions and answers. Paul states, “concerning spiritual gifts brothers I would not have you ignorant…” and there is a great deal of ignorance about the various gifts of God and so this seminar is needed in many places. However, on this trip I have to squeeze the teachings into three days due to the scheduling of events.
Then, I end the trip with a week of meetings teachings on dreams and visions and their role in the prophetic. In other words, how does God speak through dreams and visions. We will be focusing specifically on visions as the pastor who has requested this seminar recently taught on dreams in his local church. People attending will be asked to listen to or read these teachings before attending as this will form a great foundation for what I hope to be teaching.
I say “hope” because I have only recently begun the research for this week of teachings and so still have a lot of reading and writing to do between the 1st of December when I arrived home from this trip to Kazakhstan and the middle of January when I fly back to Eastern Europe. I enjoy reading and researching, writing and editing… but sometimes the time it consumes can be somewhat overwhelming. And, with everything else that needs to be accomplished here at Ralph Howe Ministries as we continue to change and adjust to meet the daily growth this ministry is seeing - quality time is often difficult to find. However, I firmly believe in hard work and am willing to give it the old “college try” which may mean some all-nighters (gee, I remember those well).
As we are looking at our schedules for 2010 we are fully booked for our overseas works. Others are now asking us to come and we hope to extend some of our 15 to 18 day trips by a week (can I squeeze that many clothes into the two suitcases?) so as to accomodate the new requests that come in almost weekly. And, of course, none of these trips is yet fully funded - but, we trust God and He has never failed us in supplying all the needs for each trip. That means 7 (or now more) trips to Eastern Europe in 2010. Thus, we are already negotiating and booking 2011 and 2012 and beyond.
Add to this a serious request from Pakistan and a possibility (very “ify” still) from central Africa and you have a seriously busy year facing us … and we are excited about all of it, believe me! The downside of this planning and scheduling is that many places asking us to come are going to have to wait until mid-2012 before we can actually get there. And, that bothers me in my heart but I am not sure there is actually anything I can do about it at the moment. I am training my leader for a second team as fast as I cvan so that we can cover twice the territory and twice the opportunities than we now can do but it will be another year before Miroslav is ready to transition into this role - but we are already amking major adjustments each trip to facilitate his training and speed it up if at all possible.
It is really quite a process that we go through when invited to a place to minister.
First we need the clearance of the Holy Spirit to go … but then this is the usual process – listen to those who call asking us to come, hear their heart, sort out the real needs that they are working on meeting. Then, discuss our role in this and what they would like us to focus on and accomplish (goals, vision). Following that – assuming we still have a green light – we start to talk about expectations such as what we are expected to pay, what we are expected to do each day, living conditions, who will be in attendance (leaders, general population), types of events (leadership training, outreach and evangelistic crusades, local church or network of churches…). So many things to consider. Each of them can be the stop sign should the Holy Spirit indicate we are the wrong ministry or it is the wrong time or we are simply being taken for a ride (it does happen – used and abused). If the light stays green then dates are determined and we start praying for the money to cover all costs up-front and start asking God for the team members who should be with us for this particular ministry opportunity.
I think that is about the flow of what happens – don’t really give it a lot of thought as we do it so “automatically” watching for the stop and go signals as we plan and negotiate. Your prayers for both the current paid staff of three (I still work without a salary or income from this ministry), the formation of teams from the group of 40+ men and women I am training and mentoring spread over four nations, the actual planning and then the research that goes in to all these opportunities once they are accepted and agreed to, and the funding or financing of these ventures - your prayers would be greatly appreciated.
The ministry is growing fast as is the serious opposition to it. Sad but a fact of life when you are doing something new and different for the Lord. But, I will not be distracted by the opposition as the Lord has assured me that He will work things out and that He is the One who has opened the doors and that He will keep them open. Should man close them - He will open other doors for this ministry and we will continue to minister with more and more power as we expand our apostolic sphere to include many needy local churches.
It really is a rather massive undertaking with many facets that need daily attention. It can make an old man like me very weary if you think about it too much. But, like Caleb I want to “take the mountains” and plan to continue being a pioneer until the day I can say, as King David did, that I have fulfilled God’s plan and purpose for my life in this generation. I am excited, enthusiastic and challenged and hope to remain so until the day I go to be with the Lord many years from now. I am learning and growing every day and hope to continue to do so until I have run the race and crossed the finished line.
The greatest days are still ahead as the Lord always saves the best wine for the last.
