Kia Ora!

11/November/2006 04:25 Filed in: HG Schools | Updates from Lesley-Anne

My dear family and friends,

Kia Ora! Greetings and love!

Words cannot fully express how grateful I am to God for allowing me to be involved with what He is doing in the world in these days. Thank you all for believing in our Great God with me.

My last three months have been spent under a "Glory Presence Tent" in Pemba, Mozambique with exceptional people from all walks of life, representing 22 nations. Since the commencement of Holy Given: International School of Missions the cry from our hearts continued to be, "That the lamb would receive the reward for His suffering."

Right from the outset, God showed up and demonstrated His love with a gift of repentance, as nations reconciled with one another. Instantly deliverance flowed, and there were tears of joy and overwhelming love as we confessed and prayed for each other. Daily we responded together as Holy Spirit took us on a journey, leading us to a place of freedom to be all that we were created to be. We were fed along the way and encouraged as God imparted treasures to us through His servants: Mel Tari, Deborah Oh, Georgian and Winnie Banov, Bill Johnson, Kris Valloton, Cindy Ruakere, Stacey Campbell, Charles Stock, Steve Espamer, Susi Tolle, Don Kantel, Supresa and Randy Clark.

I know that no person who was a part of this journey will ever be the same again, and with confidence I know I can also say that the world to which He is sending each one will not be the same either! And yes, I am deeply humbled, amazed and thankful to be living in such a privileged time. Thank you all for your faithful participation through your loving support and powerful prayers.

Here is a note from Michele Perry, one of the students who attended the school.

“Two and half months of sitting in the dirt under an open heaven… Ten short weeks of being poured into by some of the finest leaders out there… A lifetime of relationships of people to fly with into God’s unformed dreams... Disclaimer: God will change your life here if you let Him! He changed mine. I can never go back. I can never return. I cannot express how grateful I am to Him for what He has done in me in this place where African dirt mixes with heaven’s glory. I have been in ministry for ten years, have had university level biblical training and NEVER have I encountered more profound teaching. This is categorically the best missions training I have ever gotten. But it is not the teaching alone that changes you—it is truth combined with Spirit. It is truth delivered with explosive encounters of His Presence, taught from lives laid down in love. Holy Given is much more than a school. It is an encounter with the One Who was Holy-Given for us so we could be wholly-given to Him. Through Holy Given, God gave me so much more than good worship times, wonderful revelatory insights and effective training, He gave me more of Himself. And He gave me family. I could never thank Him enough.”

I am now embarking on another Holy Given: International School of Missions in Pemba and will be there for three months, then I will head to Sau Paulo, Brazil to the favela for a further school in January. Your ongoing, powerful prayers are requested as we prepare for this.

With love and blessings
-Lesley-Anne