Saturday, 12 August 2023

A TIME TO BE FAMILY TOGETHER


 ON SATURDAY 15TH September 2012,we had a visit from friends from Weshoughton Pentecostal Church.  They came with gifts for the children, as seen on the left;  Foot-balls and Basket-balls, AND a full size Table Tennis table together with net, bats and balls - all the way from England!    The  latter quickly found a following of interested youngsters, and it also found a following of players from the School who eventually formed a competitive Team, and went on to win many prizes up to the present day.     

On the DAY the 'Table' arrived, it was set up in what is now a dining room for School Boarders.   A tiny part is being shown as it was set up, at the time,  in a photo we published at that time.
The Table Tennis, and other sports equipment had been brought as a Gift from the Church, as a Body in Christ, without any warning to us, and it was indeed quite a special surprise and delight, which continued to reap a great deal of pleasure and use for  many years.     Right up to the pleasant in fact.
In this photo to the left, Martin Speed, then Pastor of Westhoughton, and his wife Margaret, can be seen at the door with me.

To the right is a photo taken in 2012 of me and Esther with Martin and Barbara Speed on the left and on the right Deacon Eddy and Grandson Luke who came with them from Westhoughton Church.
We had great fellowship.   It was only the 2nd time we had met Martin and his wife; the first time had been in 2011 when we were ourselves in the UK for a brief visit.   I had never seen the new BRICK church but our relationsip with Westhoughton went back to 1968 which was the very first time I found myself there.    The saints there never forgot me, and the Holy Spirit continually reminded them 
to pray and support us as they  were able.   


And so it was again a great happiness to have Martin and Margaret with us for a week or so, this time - as from 19th July.
Martin bought a new supply of table-tenis bats and balls, and we arranged for him to present them in the School Hall - and, to demonstrate Martin had not lost his touch,with a Special Match with Daryl!!  It was a very enjoyable time, and brought a lot of laughter and happiness to our children - many who were not with us in 2012 and many who were, and who remembered !  

Over the 53 years of our existance here, we have had to  trust God alone for many things. We have needed our Daily Bread, of course, and all the other individual daily needs of life, and living for a group initially of only three, but which has slowly grown to one of more than 250 including the Children and  support staff.                                        Our Father in Heaven has been so Faithful to us, and never failed to provide, as we have testified to that Faithfuless, and prayed only to Him.        Yet, though He has supplied our necessities, He has not forgotten  to surprise us all with  extra - unasked or expected - shafts of sunlit happiness.     Oh What a Father we have watching over us. And we have to SEE and feel this even in those other times when events and attacks of the Enemy might lay us low - as (for us, recently) in the loss of our 'son' Tyson.   Whatever we go through, good or bad, easy or difficult, we realy should never lose sight of the fundamental GOODNESS of our Father in Heaven.      JESUS came to show and demonstrate this to us all, right to. and through the CROSS.

O how great is thy goodness, which thou haste laid up 
for them that fear Thee.    That thou haste wrought for them
that trust in Thee, in front ot the sons of men.
Psalm 31v19


It is so precious when we can stand with you,  any one of you,
who has prayed for, or in any way supported us in Jesus,
and who has been able to visit us, and SEE
God's Faifhfulness

We love for you to come, and  to feel and know you are part of us all;  part of the family. It is such a special Bless-ing.    But, whether or not we are per-mitted to see each other down here in the vineyard of His labours in the kingdom, I do believe we shall KNOW each other when we stand with HIM in Heaven, and enjoy to the full the 'Ties that Bind' us together in HIM.

Finally, for now, a photo  of  DARYL, Esther and myself outside Green Cottage - good to see us together, for once.     But we are indeed always together since our home is but fifty yards from his office.   We breakfast most days together.
Daryl is planning to be in Machester, England as from first week in October this year.    He may be able to remain for one or two months,    if you would be interested to meet with him in some way 
you could find out more from our son Steven Green, in  Manchesteer,  either by phone  (+44) 7890527890 or via his e-mail address <s1green@yahoo.com>   I know he will pray to meet as many that pray for us as he can.
We commend him to you all, fully supportig him in his position as my successor. 

God Bless and be with  you all in these latter days, when Light is diminishing, and the 'tide if iniuity' almost fully IN.     SHINE dear ones and let the Spirit of God give you Strength, and Courage to BE Christ's Witness wherever you are, and in whatever you are doing.

Lovingly in Him  Who Loves us
John, Esther, and Daryl Green
and all the children and co workers with us in this pace.




























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