A Word from the Lord for Hong Kong

Towards the end of 1966 the Lord began stirring my heart that He wanted me to visit the United States to share with the Christians there about the need of the Thai people for the Gospel. Unbeknown to me, the Lord was also speaking to Bunty about this. At this same time, we heard from Paul Kauffman in Hong Kong. He told us that 1967 was the year that he and his wife, Janet, were due for a year’s furlough in the States and asked us if, while they were away, we would take their place in Hong Kong, which was the headquarters for the ministry in S.E. Asia. We could stay in their apartment which was on the mid-levels. We felt a "yes" from the Lord to do so. I would go to the States for the three months and while I was there Bunty would pack and prepare for our moving to Hong Kong.

After arriving in the States, I was ministering in Texas. As I came into one of the meetings, a woman whom I'd never met before pointed to me and said:

“I have never met you have I?”

“No” I agreed. She then, to my utter amazement, said:

“I know nothing about you, but the Lord shows me you are going to Hong Kong. I don’t know anything about Hong Kong, but you are going to have a visitation of God amongst the boat people there”.

I learned later this lady was a well-known prophetess, Sister Shreoder. She knew nothing of the fact that Bunty was, at that moment, packing our luggage ready for my return so that we could all fly off immediately to Hong Kong.

My time in the States was to be the first of many visits. The friends we made during this time are still close friends to this day. My return to Thailand was a time of great rejoicing for us as a family. Then, within a short time we were on board the flight on our way to Hong Kong.

Arriving in Hong Kong

Remembering Sister Shreoder's prophetic word from the Lord, and knowing that the centre for the boat people was Aberdeen, after arriving in Hong Kong I began to search for missionaries or Chinese pastors working amongst the fisherfolk there, but without success.

On our arrival, I was asked to speak at the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship and as I did so I also expressed my desire to see a move of God in Hong Kong. I said,

"If anyone is holding an all-night of prayer I will join you."

At the end of the meeting, a Chinese pastor approached me and said...

"We're having an all-night of prayer tonight. Would you like to join us?"

I agreed and that night was to prove very eventful. I discovered that these people worked amongst the fisherfolk on the boats and the all-night of prayer was for special meetings they were planning at Chinese New Year. This was the only time of the year when all the boats came in for 4 days.

I shared with them the prophecy I had received concerning the boat people. They were overjoyed.

"Will you come? Will you come?" they insisted.

So we agreed. They could get the school building for Chinese New Year for free. They also had a choir that had been practising for the event.

The meetings started with great enthusiasm and the first night a few people came to the Lord. Also, a father brought his deaf and dumb daughter, aged about 5 or 6. After prayer I encouraged her to speak and she imitated the sounds of 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. The whole place went wild with excitement. The next three nights were overflowing with blessing with several hundred receiving the Lord and many others also being healed.

After Chinese New Year was over and the meetings had finished they had a big Chinese feast to celebrate the goodness of the Lord and they gave us replicas of the fishing junks the fisherfolk lived on. Lovely mementos of a wonderful time.