Dear Friends and Prayers:

We want to thank you for your prayers for my small surgery last week. We went through Carmarthen on our way to Swansea and found this silver statue of a shepherd and his small flock puzzling over the Christmas decorations!

The operation went quite well, I was awake the whole time. It seemed strange to be talking to the doctors as they "cut and pasted" a small patch from here to there, etc. And like many people we meet, they asked what we are doing in Wales.

This is always an open door to talk about the Welsh Revival, and God's great love for a lost world, and our assignment of intercessory prayer. Two of the doctors came from Muslim countries and were very curious to hear about revival and how God visited this land in such a special way. Through their many questions the Lord opened the door for seeds of the gospel to be planted. So please pray for them.

After the procedure and a short rest, our friend Huw picked us up and then we drove home from his house. It all went so well that the next day we celebrated with a little cook out for the two of us. It was nice to have a little distraction from a bit of discomfort and appreciate the mild temperature.

Our landlord Chris kindly added on this little area which we use for the purpose. And right now, he is in need of our prayers. Tomorrow he goes in for delicate surgery for cancer around his right lung. First they said it was inoperable, and now they are going ahead with it.

We have prayed for him two times, and the Lord did something extraordinary both times. He felt a strong heat and relief from pain. But the tumor is still there. Both he and his wife prayed to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and that is the most important part. But this is a huge struggle for them and we cherish your prayers for divine intervention on their behalf, both for their growth in Christ and for physical healing.

Today we had a wonderful visit from people from Israel and Austria. The Lord impressed on them the need to come and bring prayers and blessings from their countries to Wales, and found out about our work here and got in touch. It was amazing to hear their story of how God showed them the importance of Wales in His plans and timetable for the coming of revival to the nations. We spent an awesome time together in the chapel, and sweet fellowship over a hot soup on the year's coldest day so far.

We are continually amazed how God is directing focus in prayer for Wales and the coming revival from so many nations around the world. We are freshly encouraged by His grace.

We want to encourage you also to continue steadfast in prayer for your part of the world, and together we look to Him for great things!

Dick & Gladys

Dear Praying Friends:

Last Saturday we met up with friends in Swansea and were delighted by some spectacular views during a late lunch, looking west over Swansea Bay from the 28th floor of its tallest building. Then after a beautiful sunset, we drove home together and they stayed with us until Monday. We didn't know then that the sun was just giving us a special farewell!

But we have something far better than sun when skies are mostly grey. Jesus said to the disciples in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

And that was just the case for us. The Lord blessed us with some great fellowship and His light was shining in a special way. On Sunday evening we got a call from a local friend who wanted to show some visitors from Israel a few of the old revival sites in our area. She thought perhaps they would enjoy meeting some local people here, and had contacted other friends of ours as well.

We had thought to walk along the coastal path but the wind-driven rain was not conducive to that plan, so we met with them all on Monday at Blanannerch and spent some precious time in worship and prayer together. Then from there headed down to the old chapel by the sea at Mwnt just a few miles away for a quick visit and prayers for the many visitors that come in each year just a have a curious look as in every other touristic site.

Then during lunch afterwards we discovered that our visitors, our friend's visitors and ourselves all knew people in common from different parts of the world! it is just such an amazing network of connections and friendships that the Lord is building around the world in our days. We were all well encouraged by what He did among us in such a short time.

Yesterday we had another special time when we met with a group that is forming to support our local friend Emyr. He has been led by the Lord to build a large cross with a wheel on it, and to carry it along the highways and byways as a public testimony to the work of amazing grace that Jesus completed at Calvary nearly 2000 years ago. We knew several people present, but were delighted to meet other like-minded saints who have been also praying for Wales for years. Some of the ladies in the group have themselves been doing annual walks with a smaller cross through certain areas of West Wales.

As we joined hearts and voices in worship and prayer, it was marvelous to sense the unity of spirit and the determination of everyone present to press in until we see the Kingdom of God be released in Wales and beyond. It is just plain exciting for us to see these things taking place around us. As plans for this project develop we will keep you posted.

On a personal note, I will be going in Wednesday for what should be a simple plastic surgery for skin cancer on my ear and chest, and would much appreciate your prayers on my behalf. It is nothing at all serious, but just the idea of it is not very appealing! Thank you so much.

And we pray that like us, you also look forward to each and every coming day and its discoveries of just what form His new mercies will take in our lives.

May the Lord bless you abundantly among all the other good things He is doing!

Dick & Gladys

Dear Friends of Wales Awakening:

In last week's update I wrote about how young people in Majorca are beginning to seek spiritual things but sadly not finding a relevant expression of Christianity to attract them. Well then you can imagine how delighted we were when, within days of writing that, and through totally distinct circumstances, we met two young ladies who are both sold out for the Lord!

Each of them have made major changes to enable them to follow the Lord more closely and serve Him wholeheartedly. What a welcome breath of fresh air and inspiration. And it was even a greater delight to put them in touch with one another as they live less than 20 miles from each other. And one had even been told about the other twice before, so the Lord was already setting things up.

This is yet another facet of how God is preparing things here in Wales for the coming of revival. In this morning's photo the sun was shining through the gateway and gleaming brightly on the heavy dew in the field below the chapel. It seems to fit nicely with this verse in Psalm 110:3, "Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth."

And speaking about young people, earlier this year met a young couple from the Netherlands who have felt a calling to Wales. Then when they found out about a revival conference in September through a post I put on Facebook, they changed their holiday plans and came to the conference. During their visit the Lord confirmed their calling, and opened the doors for them to be involved in grounds work and intercession at the Bible College of Wales in Swansea. And since then God has performed some glorious acts of grace on their behalf and they are moving here in 3 weeks time!

We just love watching how the Lord connects people as he builds His church. And it is wonderful to find more and more young people getting serious about the Lord. The scripture in 1 Timothy 4:12 comes to mind. "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." This is just a great exhortation for any Christian, no matter what age. But as we discover more young people embracing the call of God and actively seeking to fulfill it, we are wonderfully encouraged and look forward to what is to come next.

Autumn with its harvest and changing colors is fully upon us now. It is time of the year that shows off the fruitfulness of land, the result of the growing season and long hours of work to manage the crops and livestock.

It is also a good reminder of the fruitfulness that we see around us in the Kingdom of God. It is an encouragement to continue steadfast in the course set out for each of us. Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

We invite you to rejoice with us in God's goodness and faithfulness. And may His blessings abound more and more in your lives and bear fruit for the glory of His great name.

Dick & Gladys