OK, Bike for Burundi is ready for take-off! Imagine doing 30 marathons in 34 days, through snowy icy mountains, deserts, plains and cities. That gives you some idea of what cycling 3,152miles at over 100miles/day looks like, as I (with three others) prepare for the epic challenge of riding from West to East coast of the USA. It will be a killer, and we’re doing it to raise money for the poorest of the poor, to empower the Batwa (pygmees) and orphans we work with in Burundi, and to generally press forward with our work to see the transformation of […]

So I’m hugging this serial rapist, and it feels OK. Should I not be hugging him? I mean, God’s forgiveness extends to me, but can it really extend to him? It was all very sobering. We spent a full day in a maximum security prison on Friday. The inmates had been working through our ‘More than Conquerors’ DVD and were loving it. The chaplain contacted me last year, and we arranged that when I was next in town I’d come and share face-to-face. So it was a privileged opportunity to spend some time with society’s biggest rejects. Some looked fearsome with their […]

Three Christmas Wishes from the persecuted church Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, What do I wish for you this Christmas? What can I say to you, who live in the free world? The Lord gives us everything we need for our lives. “God did not keep back His own Son, but He gave Him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32) So here are my three wishes for you: “I know everything you’ve done,” says Jesus to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:2, “including your hard work and how you […]

The response for Christmas meat has been phenomenal. Several hundred of you have contributed. The GLO family comprises 195 workers, who each will now receive $90 for a smashing Christmas celebration. Average family size is 8, plus the two orphanages, so that makes over 1600 people laughing and stuffing their faces thanks to you guys.   So this is another MASSIVE THANK YOU from me!   And then a number of you were deeply moved by Sylvestre’s needs, having been kicked out of his house with wife and three little ones. If I back up a little, he was studying […]

Aaargh, I really don’t like getting these emails!  Leaders have tough calls to make, so I’m wanting to share the load with you! Patrice has just written again. He’s our SU Treasurer, and SU employs about 75 people right now. He’s emailing on behalf of them to say that the staff kids are wondering if they’ll celebrate Christmas at all this year. Inflated prices of staple foods means that it’s hard for them to simply get enough food to eat on a day-to-day basis. For an example of how tough the situation is, my evangelism partner, Sylvestre, just got booted […]

Hi guys! Welcome (again!) to my blog – having had problems with the last one, this one is now definitive and is newly-designed and a whole lot better (thanks Viktor!). We’ve added some new features like Sermons and “Follow by email” (every time I make a new post – you will get an email with its contents). Follow me on twitter and check out my facebook page. Feel free to leave a comment if you want to share. Hope you enjoy it, cheers for now.

I’d been looking forward to these three days for a long time. I’m a cycling novice, but have been training hard for several months in preparation for my biggest physical challenge in life thus far this coming March – as three of us attempt to cycle just under 3000 miles across the USA from LA to Charleston (see www.bikeforburundi.com). Could my body handle doing three days of 100miles/day? I was feeling in good shape so thought I’d be OK. What happened?

So yesterday I launched out on my first100miles with about 200 other cyclists as part of Festivelo in Monck’s Corner. I didn’t know the route and didn’t want to get lost, so I stayed towards the front, as most participants were just doing the 60miles course. That meant I ended up unintentionally with the big boys, so I had to keep up with them. Actually, it was wonderfully exhilarating. I’d never been in the peloton, feeling the boost of having someone in front cut through the wind and thereby making it easier for me. I even took my turn at the head as each one peeled off. And I’ll be honest with you, it felt great. Inside I was thinking: “I’m the man! This is easy. I may be the new kid on the block but I’m cruising, it’s a piece of cake. I feel sorry for those slow plodders way behind us, etc…”

How wrong I was! What a moron!

I’m pretty confident that Burundi will be the most exciting place in the world to be for the first two weeks of August – and I would love to be there, but can’t because I’m doing the Bible Readings at New Wine Newark for the coming week. Anyway, why is it going to be so amazing? Firstly, Andrew Palau (son of Luis) and his team are doing a big citywide evangelistic festival during the first week. Please pray for that. They have managed to mobilize many of the different key groups to work together, which is no mean feat, and […]