"Christians In Touch" -- Geoff's Jottings Archive

The Body of Christ

November 2003

A few years ago I heard of a meeting that was in a town not far from where I live. For some reason I had such a desire to go to this meeting, which was unusual. I now know that God put that desire in my heart. I took a friend of mine with me to the meeting, I had explained to Dan what I was feeling and we both thought that God would probably use me or bless me at this meeting or maybe meet a need or something.

It was an excellent meeting and came to a close and yet I had not felt led to do anything or to receive anything from God and again, I thought it a bit strange.

As Dan and I were just finishing a cup of tea we bumped into a little chap called George and we immediately started to chat. George was from Sri Lanka and he told us that he was over here attending a Bible college to become a pastor, we really took to George and we chatted away and before we knew it we were basically the only people left in the building. We parted company but not before we found out where George was staying and getting his phone number.

From that moment on we became heavily involved with George, we had lots of meetings where we learnt a lot about George and his story is probably one of the saddest I had ever heard but George was happy, he did not see his situation as Dan and I saw it, he possessed very little, he had no money and yet George was one of the happiest people I have met. God met his needs daily. Back home George, along with his wife and children lived on the edge of the jungle in a hut made from grass and mud, they had to walk to get water and provisions. After listening to Georges story I felt that here in the Uk we were living like kings and queens.

George shared his vision with us and afterwards both Dan and I knew that we were going to make Georges vision become a reality, with Gods help and guidance. George was going to return to Sri Lanka and set up a ministry for reaching the children of his country, he also had a passion to spread the Good News among his people. We drew up two lists, one was what George needed to take back with him and the other was what he would need once he had set up his ministry. We contacted several companies who kindly donated items. We contacted a haulage company and explained that we needed to get crates to London where they would be loaded onto ships; the company said they would do it for nothing. Then we contacted a shipping company and again, they said they would do it for nothing. God was opening doors for us and how we praised his wonderful name.

It was a very sad day when George went back to Sri Lanka. We had become very close and I am not ashamed to admit that I was in tears as we parted. George took as much back as he was legally allowed to carry, any more and the aircraft would not have taken off. We had bought him a computer, piles of stationery. George needed theology books and Bibles. As I looked through all the books I had at home I felt the Lord guide me as to what George needed and I ended up giving him two thirds of my books.

Within days of getting back George moved into a proper home and set things in motion for the new ministry. Dan ran a packaging company and he ordered special crates that we could pack and ship out. We filled these crates with all manner of things but mainly things for children, clothes, toys, exercise books, pens and pencils. Soap, medical items etc. we then bought George a motor bike, we wanted to get him a mini bus but a motor bike was better for to reach the various villages George would have to go along narrow jungle tracks. The children only receive education if the parents pay for it and if the parents are not working they cannot educate their children. We not only gave the children in several villages an education but we also provided for their other needs and for the needs of the parents as well. With many families the husbands had abandoned their responsibilities which meant families doing the best they could, which was not very much.

Today George is a very happy man. He is the pastor of a very large church and has led many people to the Lord. His ministry is growing all the time. He ensures that as many children as possible attend school; he also ensures that the children and their parents or guardians have proper medical treatment. We supplied the means for George to get a fresh water well made complete with electric pump. This was a big boost for his village. George comes in for a lot of persecution because he is a born again Christian, he gets opposition from muslims and hindus along with all the other so called religions but God has kept him safe and well and long may his ministry continue.

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