Five members of Healing Rooms of Halifax team, led by Paul Clift, have been privileged to spend an amazing week on mission to Romania. For Paul Longfield and Debbie Platts this was something entrely new as they had never previously embarked on this kind of venture and neither of them had any experience as public speakers. Relying on Holy Spirit however they gave a remarkable account of themselves.
The itinerary began with two days at Christ for Romania Bible College in Cluj Napoca where the students devote their evening and weekend time to the college programme whilst also holding down jobs, in one case running a business, or pursuing their general education. The team gave testimony and taught at evening sessions and during the daytime met individually with students who asked for personal ministry and especially wanted to hear a word from God. Peter Hamlett who, together with his wife Beryl, made up the team, comments that it would be an understatement to say that he was impressed by the quality of these accomplised, gifted and hard working young people.
Moving northwards to Baia Mare, the team were very busily involved in the first Healing Rooms Conference to be held in Romania. This was brought together by Gordon van Veelen a Dutcman with an international ministry of healing and prophecy in whose heart Romania has a very special place. The event, attended by some 170 delegates, was hosted by Filadelfia Church whose leadership and people extended a warm and generous welcome not only to the Halifax team but also to other visitors from abroad and from throughout Romania, many of whom had travelled for several hours in order to be present. At very short notice Paul Clift was the keynote speaker at the first meeting. He spoke again later in the conference and all the team members also had the opportunity to do so. Side by side with the conference sessions there was the opportunity for personal ministry which was taken up by scores of people with whom the two Pauls, Debbie, Beryl and Peter spent many hours, ably assisted, where necesary, by their wonderful translators. Once again the ability and gifting of young people was very much in evidence. In addiiton to the personal ministry appointments there was great response to the invitation to receive prayer at the end of each of the open sessions.
On the Sunday following the conference team members were able to minister in two churches planted by Filadelfia including one in a remote rural location access to which involved driving along a river – not alongside it or through a ford but actually along the water course ! Here a number of older ladies, typical of the region, came forward for prayer not only for themselves but particularly for members of their families. After the meeting the team had a final taste of Romanian hospitality as they sat down to a sumptuous spread at the home of the local church leaders.
Paul Clift and Beryl & Peter all have a good deal of experience of mission abroad but on no previous occasion has any of them worked harder than on this trip. They all wholehartedly agree however that the investment of time, physical and spiritual resources was overwhelmingly worthwhile. As to Paul Longfield and Debbie, they say that they were quite simply ‘blown away’ by it all and cannot find words which adequately descrbe their feelings. Multiple healings, physical, emotional and spritual, inspirational praise and worship at both the Bible College and Filadelfia Church (including its plants), all made up a quite unforgetable few days. The team give thanks to God for the privilege which was theirs. To Him be the glory … … …
… … … and a final word: if you are born again and filled with the Spirit, can you do it too? Yes, you can! Just ask any member of ‘Team Romania’.
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NEWS UPDATE!
Whilst in Romania Beryl prayed for a number of young women who had concerns in relation to pregnancy. One of these explained that there was a real danger of her baby boy being born prematurely. Beryl instructed him to stay put (addressing him by the name which his sisters had already decided for him) until God’s time came for him to leave his mother’s womb. We have received word that he did exactly that and was born fit and well weighing approximately six pounds. Mum is also well and giving thanks to God!
