New Experiences Awaited Us in New Zealand

In 1969, at the Lord's direction, we left Thailand and flew off to New Zealand. During the year we spent there the Lord again moved in a variety of wonderful ways.

The Visitation Still Present

Our time in New Zealand was a real time of blessing for us as we visited churches and met up with many that had come to the Lord during the visitation of God a few years before (see our July 31st Post "Entering a New World"). We were thrilled to find that, like a "mantle" lying on the ground waiting to be picked up (2 Kings 2:6-14), the visitation of God was still present. For example, we went to minister for a weekend to the church in Gore. The moment we started ministering, the same things that had happened in the visitation three years previously started again. It was a blessed weekend.

The New Life Churches

The outworking of the visitation of God in New Zealand saw the establishing of autonomous churches, each with a different name. One of these was the fellowship in Christchurch which had come out of the ministry we had there just prior to going to Thailand. My brother, Terry, had later taken the leadership of the fellowship prior to going to Dunedin to establish a church there. Then Peter Morrow took it up (Anne, who was later to become Peter's wife, had been the pianist for our meetings). While in Thailand we had established the New Life Centre (not a church but the centre for our literature ministry and a ministry to the Body of Christ). Peter wrote to us and asked if he could use the name "New Life Centre" for the church in Christchurch. We, of course, said yes. We didn't realize that all the churches that had been born out of the visitation would then take on this name, becoming the New Life churches throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Team to S.E.Asia

During this time in New Zealand I took a team to S.E. Asia, going to Indonesia, Hong Kong and Thailand. All the team got their fares and expenses for the trip okay. The Lord had provided for my fare but, one day before I was to leave, still no funds had come in to support the family for the several weeks I would be away. So I was in conversation with the Lord:

"Lord, I can't leave the family unprovided for."

It came up to the last morning before our departure time. I was prepared to stay behind when there was a knock on the front door. I opened the door and there was an envelope on the step. The deliverer had escaped unseen. I ran to the next room and looked out the window just in time to see Andrew Cowie disappearing from view. No one knew of our need but Andrew had heard from God. When I opened the envelope it contained, in cash, the exact amount I needed for the family. That night I flew off a happy man knowing my family was taken care of.

In Indonesia one of our team, Colin, was struck with terrible home sickness. As a farmer, just off the farm, he was distraught. However, after encouragement and prayer he was fine. He was later to be so inspired by the need and the opportunity for the Gospel in Thailand he would go back there and minister brilliantly to the schools throughout the nation.

An Important Lesson

From Indonesia we went through Hong Kong on the way to Thailand. We were staying at the YMCA and we all needed to change some of our travellers cheques into HK dollars. We came to a money changer, familiar in Hong Kong behind a small booth with a sign at the top "Check your money. No responsibility taken." After all getting our money and walking back to the YMCA, Colin discovered, much to his shock, that the money changer had only given him half the money in exchange for the traveller's cheque he gave him.

I said, "Let's go back - but let me talk to him."

We all stood in front of the cage-like booth and I explained that my friend had only got half the money from the $50 he exchanged. I said, "Just look in your drawer and you will find the note."

He said, "It's gone to the bank already."

We knew this was not true, so I said, "I'm sorry, We are going to have to pray." So we did...all together...out loud.

Then I challenged him again. "We are missionaries" I said, "We have very little. My friend can't afford to lose half his money."

"No, no" the man said, and he repeated the same story again.

I said, "We have to pray again." And we did.

"I'll tell you what", the man blurted out, "I'll split you half way."

"Great!" said Colin.

"No" said I, and to the money-changer, "Now you have admitted we are telling the truth."

So I put out my hand and waited for what seemed like an age. Finally he handed over the money and we went away rejoicing.

Boy! What a lesson we all learned. We almost settled for half a victory.

This is what the devil often tries to do to us - make us settle for half a provision, half a healing, half an answer. But Jesus paid for the whole answer - a finished work. The devil is totally defeated.

During this year spent in New Zealand we were to see the Lord move in spectatular ways, which we will share in the posts that lie ahead.