Wales Update - May 30th

This Sunday we visited the New Life Christian Centre in Cardigan, and afterwards joined groups from other churches for a picnic in a little park in a neighboring town called St. Dogmael's. We had perfect weather for the occasion, in a beautiful setting overlooking the Teifi River as it makes its way in towards Cardigan from the Irish Sea.

After everydone was done eating and sharing, the worship team from New Life brought out their instruments and equipment and led a great time of open air worship. As people came into the park or out of the restaurant across the street they were surprised to find about 75 Christians singing out God's praises. They all stopped for at least a moment or two to try and figure out what the occasion was. Some probably figured out from the words that this was just a group of crazy religious folks doing their thing. Others seemed to appreciate it a bit more than others, although no one came to join us. They apparently have a few of these group meetings each year, weather permitting, and surely some people take away an impression that must pique their curiosity!

After the the organized worship came to an end, most people packed up and went their way, off to get a cup of tea no doubt. But Gladys and I stayed on sharing with a few that remained a bit longer. I made the acquaintance the new pastor of the large Baptist church in Cardigan. And when they left, I found Gladys sitting on her blanket talking with the only remaining folks, a young and very noticeably joyful couple. They were very interesting for us, as they had been pretty much involved in the hippie-type lifestyle, eating natural foods and seeking an alternative to the "normal" world around them. They had given their lives to Christ just a few months before, and were now very happy to have found a church body where they could have significant fellowship and teaching. The tiny Anglican church in their little village 20 miles to the south had no regular minister, and there was not much substance for their newly quickened spiritual appetite.

It was very refreshing for us to spend time with them, and them with us also. Having shared a very similar background, although admitted a "few" years before them (were they even born yet?) we had lots to talk about. Ian had brought a guitar with them and was learning to play, so Gladys showed him a few things. He played a worship song or two that he had written, and Gladys and I played a few songs as well. I had a harmonica with me, so we enjoyed an extended time of free-style worship and prayer together. We were having such a good time we didn't really want to leave. It turned out that Ian had been trained for 3 years to teach in the Steiner schools for education, but now after becoming a Christian he realized that the erroneous principles of that system of thought would have to be left behind. He was very interested in my experiences in Christian education and hopefully I can connect him with some good sources. He would really like to see a truly Christian school project get underway.

Gladys noticed that a young couple with their children seemed very interested in us, and were listening to our songs and parts of our conversation as well. We didn't have a chance to talk with them, but it would not surprise me if we run into them again sometime and see what doors the Lord may open there.

Everywhere there is such a huge potential for a true move of God!

In His love,

Dick & Gladys Funnell

http://walesawakening.org

Office: 877-723-4129 Toll Free

Home: 504-466-2070

Cell: 504-343-2340

AIM: enjoying Him

Support checks can be mailed to:

Verbo Ministries - Wales (Please write "Wales" clearly in Memo area)

P.O.Box 190

Kenner, LA 70063 . . . . Thank you!<bold>

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After Two Weeks in Wales

Dear Friends:

Here we are still in the cottage in Cilgerran, and we are doing very well. This is a nice little 2 story cottage, furnished and equipped for visitors, with a lovely garden in the back. (Go to multimap.com and type in SA43 2SL at top left to see where we are. Zoom around a bit and explore!) The owner will be coming out next week for a couple of days, so we'll relocate to Alex & Renie's farm for that time. Then we'll return here for the time being until we find a proper place of our own. We have now totally adapted to the time change, and that is a great help!

May 13 - A visit to a new church

This Saturday we drove our little car to Carmarthen. Gladys found a crock pot, and I got a printer for our computer for my computer. I was also trying to find a deal on a cell phone, and learning about the different plans and options here. At least we have a number now that works on the phone I brought from the U.S., but want to find another one so that Gladys and I can keep in touch when we're in different places. I am finding out that setting up things here are time consuming, and so am just going to plug along and learn as I go. I will need to establish the equivalent of our Social Security number here to pay income taxes, and then learn the ropes of how to deal with that. I had somehad pretended that I wouldn't have to deal with that kind of thing, but even here in the U.K., death and taxes are sure things as well! Later that in the evening I went to a meeting at a small church started up recently in a village called Rhydlewis where Alex and renie are now attending. It was a small group of folks looking for an alternative from a "normal" church, and seemed like a very loving and sincere group of believers that are also expecting God to do something very out-of-the-ordinary in the U.K. and the nations of the world!

May 14 - Our first Sunday in Cardigan

This morning we went to visit the fellowship at the New Life Christian Centre in Cardigan, where we have attended almost every time we've been in Wales. It was good to see some old acquaintances and make a few new ones. Gladys was particularly happy to have found a guitar there to borrow for a while. That was a real blessing to her, and we look forward to making use of it in the chapel! During the worship there were several prophetic words given, including a few for us. One was simply that the Lord was going to give us what we have come here for, and in a measure far beyond our expectations. There was another word for me that was wonderful. It said, "As when an explorer goes to the North Pole or makes a new discovery he plants a flag to claim it for his nation. In this same way You have come to plant the flag and make the claim upon this nation for the Kingdom of God." Amen to that! And for Gladys a sweet elderly sister named Joy said, "When I look at you I see a large basket filled to the brim with many jewels. They are all of different colors, and sparkle beautifully with their own light. These jewels are the many wonderful things that the Lord has deposited in you to be shared with other people." So we were prayed for and blessed and received into this nation by the church here. After church we spent most of the afternoon with the Elsaesser family, even playing a little volleyball in the sunny weather. My 57 year old knees resented it a little bit the next day, but it was fun! Then I visited a bit with friends who have come out from Birmingham every other weekend looking for a house to buy, so I picked their brains a bit and learned some from their experiences. In the evening we spent a few hours at the Chapel Cilfowyr. It was the first time we'd gone together with gladys, as her adjustment to the time change of 6 hours has taken longer than mine. It was good to pray and worship together, and begin to settle into the chapel again together. There is such an ease to just flow into prayer and worship there. As the time goes by, we wonder how long we will be alone here! There was a great sunset out over the hills above the Irish Sea, and at last when the red sky paled into dusk (at about 9:45 pm!) we went back to our cottage to rest.

May 15 - Our first Welsh Lesson!

After dropping off the copy for ad in the local paper, looking for a house to rent in the countryside, we went to our first Welsh Lesson! It was just Gladys and myself with our teacher, Rhianon Thomas, a sweet young lady who we met on an earlier visit here. Her other student was unable to come so we had her undivided attention, what a blessing! Our task was to learn all the letters in the Welsh alphabet, and how each one is pronounced. To our great relief, this is a very phonetic language, like Spanish, and the letters always have the same sound. Several of those sounds are very different than English, but happily they mostly are the same sounds as in Spanish, only written differently. So that will be a tremendous help, as Rhianon told us that most English-only speakers struggle with the new unusual sounds. It turns out that one of the nearby towns, Llechryd, is a great name to practice on. Another fun one is this one, have a go at it: Eglwyswrw. Don't get me wrong, it's not as simple as it looks!! These one-hour-per-week classes are free at New Life church, paid for by a grant from the government. However, when sessions end for the summer in a few weeks, we hope to be able to study with Rhianon as a private tutor for more hours each week, and perhaps even daily. That would be a real blessing, as I know that the ability to flow in the native tongue of the people in the area makes a big difference in being able to share with them. I find myself with a great hunger and curiosity to learn. Please pray the Lord give us special grace ion this area. How I would love to be as fluent in Welsh as I am in Spanish! The rest of the day we spent doing several errands. Gladys was finding things for the kitchen that we will need, and just getting familiar with the shops in town where we will be getting things we need. I had some errands to do at the bank, and a few computer parts to track down, as well as parts and filters for our 1990 Hyundai Pony. A good oil change and tune up should give us better gas mileage - crucial at nearly US$ 7 per gallon! Until we are able to find a newer and more permanent vehicle suitable for longer trips and able to carry people and things, this little putt-putt serves us quite well.

Thanks again for your interest and prayers, on our behalf and for Wales!

In His love,

Dick & Gladys Funnell 1 Stabal y Bryn High Street Cilgerran, Carmarthenshire SA43 2SL Wales U.K.

Mobile Tel. 011-44-7796-316626

Dear Friends:

This is just a rough sketch of our first few days. It has been amazing to find the Lord's goodness in every step of the way!

April 10 - Waves of grief, waves of joy!

At 6:45 when the alarm went off this morning, I was in the deepest of sleep in a faraway dream. When I came awake, I remembered this was the day I've been dreading for three years - the day I would have to leave our children behind. I couldnt stop the tears from just running out. After a few minutes I got up and went out to wake Mike, as he had to get up and leave to study for an exam. When he saw the tears streaming down my face, he gently reached up and wiped them away, and closed his eyes again. I didn't want to stay there, so went out on to the porch to be alone with God, and just wept and wept with sorrow. I said "Lord this is so hard to do, and yet you know I will do it, for the joy set before us in the coming move of Yours, but this hurts so deeply. Immediately I felt HIs response to me was that this pain was to help me understand how his heart feels at having to leave behind so many of his daughters and sons that He came to rescue, and yet they so turn their backs in on His offer of love, peace, purpose and joy to all who will come to Him.

May 11 - Arrival in the U.K.

Gladys and I landed this morning at London's Heathrow Airport, and had a beautiful sunny day to drive west into Wales. As we crossed over the Severn River we said to each other, "Welcome home!" We arrived at the Elsaesser's farm and had wonderful warm greeting from Renie, Alex is away at a conference until tomorrow night. After the noise of uptown New Orleans where we have lived for the last 6 weeks, the gentle noises of this incredibly beautiful countryside was indeed rewarding! As we drove down the lane, it was like coming home to family. Here on this farm 3 years ago is where the Lord called me to come here and pray every day in the old Cilfowyr Chapel. And amazingly, now here we are to stay and do just that! Lord, what joy of the calling! How marvelous is Your name in all the earth! After a short nap in the sun, we went to the Tesco supermarket here to do our first shopping, and then made our way to the cottage in Cilgerran where we'll be staying until we find a permanent rental. Please pray with us for this need. After a bowl of soup, Gladys went to bed, she didn't manage to sleep on the plane. I felt a strong urge to drive out the the chapel to pray a bit, in spite of my tiredness from the trip. There outside was my friend Marion, the caretaker, and in our brief chat I discovered he wanted to sell his old car, a '90 Hyundai, for just under $350. So the Lord already provided me with transportation! Tomorrow I'll return the rental car that would have cost us $400 for a week, and now for less than that price I have a great little car a month or two while I take the time to find just what we need, and then can probably sell it for the same price, or just give it away! Isn't the Lord awesome? Inside the chapel I felt that somehow this place really is our goal. This is where we have come and prayed so many times before, but always had to leave again. Now we won't need to go home again, because we are, right here! As I went up into the pulpit to pray I noticed the large Welsh bible opened to Psalm 103. "BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL...." so I did for a sweet while, reading the Psalm out loud in first person and the worshiping in His goodness. How blessed I am to be able to come here and intercede so that this land may know and taste that His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting!

May 12 - Waking up home in Wales!

What a blessing to wake up to the same little garden and the songs of the birds and the blue skies of Southwest Wales. We got an early start to return our rented car to Carmarthen, about an hour to the south, made a few small purchases, and got my cell phone activated with a new number. If you'd like to give me us call, email me and I'll send you the number. We then rode a bus back to Cardigan, and got a beautiful tour of the country on the side roads into many of the smaller villages on the way! My first stop was to try and find insurance for the car, and I was bowled over by the quote I received, So then we visited our friends at the Cardigan Christian Centre, and were left in the church office, and while Gladys took a nap stretched out on 2 swivel desk chairs, I got busy on the phone to shop for insurance. To my surprise I found myself talking to a lady in South Africa! As we went through a long sort of interview process to get all my details, she asked me why we had moved to Wales. So of course I had to tell at least a little bit. It turned out she was a believer but not a church goer, and shared with me had been struggling a bit with depression. She told me that during the course of our long interview, complicated by the fact that I had a foreign drivers license, she received a great amount of joy and peace, and I even had an opportunity to pray together with her. So I am going to keep her in our prayers and she will be praying for us. She said I had made her day, and she made mine - she saved me over 65% on the cost of my insurance! Isn't it awesome how God can turn an ordinary commercial transaction in to international ministry? My friend won't be able to give me the car until tomorrow, so we bussed back to the cottage in Cilgerran/ While waiting for our bus, another big bus came to the stop across the street, and much to my surprise the driver shouted out, "Hey Dick!" It was a Christian friend we have met before, so we swapped cell numbers as he collected fares from the boarding passengers/ The home again where Gladys made a nice dinner, and then hastened off to bed at 7. I walked the 2 miles out here to the chapel. On the way here I met a farmer taking feed across the lane to his 5 cows. he told me he takes care of his aging mother, who must be well into her 80's judging by his age. Heshared of how hard it isfor himj, I guess he is alone, so there is perhaps another door to share some encouragement in the Lord. Now I have been praying and singing and having such a good time with the Lord. He is SO GOOD! We are constantly overwhelmed at His constant blessing. "What is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" But it is getting dark, and I hope I can find a ride back home! What a full day and how joyous be be here and feel the peace of not having to leave again. It is like starting life all over again with Gladys, beginning with nothing, and yet we have so much rich treasure in Him. Thank you Lord Jesus!

In His great love for you, and for Wales,

Dick & Gladys

Departure for Wales!

Dear Friends and Prayers:

After a wonderful time with family and friends over the weekend, tomorrow takes us on the next big chapter of our lives. Amidst a flurry of different emotions, we have said our goodbyes to so many loved ones here, and will be busy today taking care of last minute details, both large and small. I can only say that His grace is sufficient, as it always has been, and ever will be.

It seems I could stay for another month and surely find things to keep me busy, but the time has come, so off we go. We covet your prayers during the next days and weeks as we make our way into settling in Cilgerran near Cardigan for the first few weeks. We will have to find a car to purchase, and a permanent home to rent and furnish, and a myriad of other things to attend to. But during this all, we'll get to spend time praying in Cilfowyr Chapel. I think that will really be our home base, even when our domestic life is established somewhere. That is the central point of this whole venture, and we look forward to and embrace what the Lord has for us there.

We thank and bless you for your prayers and interest in our calling, and will keep you posted as time and place permits in the coming days.

In the adventure of His service,

Dick & Gladys Funnell

http://walesawakening.org

Office: 877-723-4129 Toll Free

Home: 504-466-2070

Cell: 504-343-2340

AIM: enjoying Him

Support checks can be mailed to:

Verbo Ministries - Wales (Please write "Wales" clearly in Memo area)

P.O.Box 190

Kenner, LA 70063 . . . . Thank you!

Our house is really SOLD! & 3 day delay

Dear Friends:

Today the sale of our house was finalized Thank you Jesus, just in time!

Also, because we're flying on a "space available" basis, we had to reschedule our departure until Tuesday. When we booked this flight, didn't realize this weekend was Mother's Day, so the chances of our making the flight were practically none. So now, we get to spend Mother's Day together with 3 of our 4 children, so it turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

And having 3 extra days is also a blessing in that it gives us a bit more time to finish up so many details still to be dealt with. So we are thankful for it all, and again amazed at God's steadfast goodness.

Thank you again for your prayers on ourbehalf!

In His love for you,

Dick & Gladys

Wales - 1 week to go . . . !

Dear Friends & Prayers:

It is hard to believe that in one week from tonight we should be winging our way across the Atlantic Ocean! It was three years ago that the Lord first spoke to me about taking this step. Now here we are at the brink of this adventure, challenged and trusting in His grace for every aspect. Today we have spent with our two youngest sons, Michael 22 and Dicky 19. It got hard as I was divvying up my tools between them, and suddenly the reality of our separation hit home. That's part of the price we must pay, and know the Lord will cover us all through the transition. Your prayers will be much appreciated in this respect.

We still haven't closed on our house - it's one thing after another that just doesn't line up, but we trust week we'll see closure on that. Otherwise we'll just leave a power of attorney to get the thing done. This, and a myriad of other things that seem to come swarming to the surface of my "to do" platter have made the days very full. I think finally getting on the plane will be a great relief.

I've been meaning to send along this prophetic word given to Jean Darnall in the 1970's. Some new friends sent me her autobiography called "Heaven . . Here I Come" and directed me to this portion.

Suddenly the vision appeared within my mind. It had come twice before. I saw the British Isles glistening like a clump of jade in the grey seas surrounding them. It was a bird's eye view Looking down I saw Scotland, England, Wales and to the northwest, Ireland. The tree tops upon the hills and the clustered clouds hid the people. Suddenly small, flickering lights appeared. they were scattered all over the isles. I came closer to the land. The light was firelight. There were fires burning from the top of Scotland to Land's End on the tip of Cornwall. Lightning streaked downward from the sky above me. I saw *it *touch down with flashing swiftness, exploding each of the fires into streams of light. Like lava, they burned their fiery path downward from the top of Scotland to Land's End. The waters did not stop them, but the fire spread across the seas to Ireland and to Europe!

'Lord, this is the third time you've shown me this vision during prayer. Could you give me the meaning of *it?' *I asked, deeply moved by the Holy Spirit. He revealed to me that the small fires all over the land were groups of earnest, hun­gry people who were being drawn together by the Holy Spirit to study their Bibles and to pray For a visitation of the Holy Spirit, the words 'pockets of power' were impressed upon my mind. 'I'm empowering them by my spirit and I'm teaching them by my spirit about my gifts. They are being led by my spirit to repentance, reconciliation and a deeper relationship with the Body of Christ. These people are meet­ing in homes and churches. I'm not leading them out of their relationships in the home and the church, but into a deeper involvement in both. They are to bring renewal, new life, in preparation for what is to come.

'What is to come, Lord?' I asked, wondering why he should show this to me.

'I will penetrate the darkness with a visitation of my power. With lightning swiftness I will release the power of my spirit through a renewed people who have learned how to be led of the Spirit. They will explode with a witness that will touch every part of the society of Britain. I am strategi­cally placing them to touch the farms, villages, towns and cities. No one will be without a witness whether they be children in the schools, farmers in the fields, workers in the factories and docks, students in the universities and colleges, the media, the press, the arts or government. All will be profoundly moved and those who are changed by my power will alter the destiny of the nation'

'And the streams of fiery light into Europe, Lord?' My mind seemed to see an army of all types of people moving into the continent with a compassionate ministry. This min­istry was not mass meetings, led by powerful personalities, preaching to spectators, but participating, caring commu­nities involved with each other at a grass roots level, shar­ing the love of God everywhere. I saw the empty cradles of Europe, her churches, holding a new generation of Chris­tian leaders'. (p.121-122)

Although the imagery is different from the first vision the Lord showed me six years ago, the message is the same - that revival will break out in the UK and then move over into Europe. This came as a great confirmation to me, and again reassuring us that we are on the right course. This and so many other wonderful words and encouragement from the Lord and others have given us the strength we need to press on through these last momentary difficulties and emotional tides.

We are blessed and honored by your trust and support, and most of all by the Lord's calling us to this exciting journey. Thank you once again for your prayers, and we look forward to hearing from you!

May the Lord Jesus bless you and your loved ones greatly,

Dick & Gladys Funnell