|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and
looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said,
"Go back." The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as
small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go
and tell Ahab, `Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops
you.'" (1.Kings 18:43-44)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After nearly two weeks away, I'm back in Kansas City, getting ready for a new
term to start, with exciting weeks ahead.
I'm so thankful that the Lord allowed me to go to Vienna for Christmas
(thanks to the most generous donors!!!) - not just to sort out the apartment
situation, but also to be His channel of revival fire, allowing me to sow
seeds of revival in my church and friends.
TUESDAY, DEC 18
After a 21-hr journey I arrived savely in Vienna, having had a divine appointment
with a Malaysian guy who was very interested in the gospel. My Mum and
Grandma took me to an Austrian restaurant, then I had two hours of sleep,
before the 'ministry week' started. And no more jetlag - praise God! I spent
two hours with the lord, entering His presence and glory - He is the same in
Vienna as in KC, Hallelujah! - preparing for the prayer meeting in my home
church Vienna Christian Center that night.
When I got there I was a little disappointed to see so few people - due to
the Christmas season. Our worship leader was there, as well as the senior
pastor, and as we worshiped, the Lord touched me with His manifest presence. As
I heard the worship leader cry out for more of Him, being so hungry, I broke
down weeping for my church. I had found what I had been looking for, in KC,
and they were still hungering and praying for it! How I longed for my church
to experience Him the same way!
After the meeting, I felt compelled to pray for our worship leader. However,
others needed prayer also and I never got to it. We prayed for healing for a
girl, and then I saw this girl who still had her eye covered. Having come
straight from the Todd Bentley meetings (see 2 posts ago), I wanted more than
ever to pray for healing. When I asked whether we could pray for her eye, I
found out that she has no eye (she's an Iranian refugee). I shared with her
how God had used Todd Bentley to perform a creative miracle for a woman who
had no eye, giving her one. She was encouraged, and I started praying for the
same for her. Holy Spirit came and touched her powerfully. Well, I never got
to talk to her after that.
WEDNESDAY, DEC 19
That morning, I was invited to the pastors & elders meeting to interview
them on revival (for a paper) and share about the revival in KC. After the
interview, I showed them pictures from KC, shared, and presented gifts from
my church to them, videos, books, etc. After we had finished, I was asked to
give a testimony during the service the following Sunday. How exciting!
In the evening, we had a benefit concert in the church for the homeless
people in Vienna, and more specifically the homeless dinner in our church on
Friday.
THURSDAY, DEC 20
I had invited all my friends to come over to my apartment, to watch the video
on the Smithton Outpouring, hear my personal account and have a time of
prayer.
Three people showed up - an 'old' friend, and two I hardly knew. I had spent
four hours with the Lord by the time they came and His presence was already
in my apartment :-). They were all pretty hungry for the Lord and loved the
video, as well as what I shared, about His glory in KC, the visitation I had
in October, etc. We then worshiped with two songs before I prayed for them. Holy
Spirit came in power, touching their lives, the prophetic flowing through me.
Hallelujah! It was so awesome!
FRIDAY, DEC 21
That night the homeless dinner took place at VCC. I sat at one of the tables
talking to the homeless, sharing a little about God and His desire to heal. I
then prayed for a lady who had very high blood sugar. I was amazed at the
faith she and her husband had! Well, in a catholic country, the faith in
God's healing power shouldn't surprise.... I told them to come back to VCC
and share with the pastor when she's healed.
SATURDAY, DEC 22
I had invited friends again, meeting in a room at VCC. Even in prayer, things
seemed different. Only one friend then showed up - one was sick, another
didn't make it, and most were busy with Christmas. I showed her the Smithton
Outpouring video, then two of the guy from Thursday showed up for a few
minutes, watching some of the TV programs from our church. We then talked a
little and went home.
SUNDAY, DEC 23
All services that weekend had been canceled and we only had one big Christmas
celebration, in a rented movie theater in the center of Vienna. There were
over 1000 people, including some friends that I hadn't met earlier in the
week. I was there earlier and prayed through the theater, after having spent
a wonderful time with HIM in the morning. I'm so amazed to watch myself, how
different I am, how I truly care only about His honor and His glory, so that
fear of man disappears and only HE counts! Praise be to HIM!!!
We had a wonderful worship time as I lay down before Him, entering into His
presence. Then they had some Christmas program things and showed a short
Reinhard Bonnke video of 1.5 million people getting saved in one meeting (in
Nigeria). It stirred my heart, having supported his ministry for years and
longing to see the same in Mali. After the video, they talked about revival
in Austria, that we want to see the same here and that we will, and we
started praying for that. Well, what more did I need... I broke down in
tears, falling on my face. How much I had prayed for VCC, Vienna, Austria!
This encounter with Him swept away the last little bit of anxiety. Pastor Tom
then preached his message. Towards the end, he invited me up the stage to
share. At that moment, I was totally calm, burning inside to let words of
life, revival and hunger come out. I was speaking in English and the Austrian
pastor was interpreting into German (celebrations are always done in both
languages from the front). I started sharing about Smithton, before the
revival, what God's been doing, the move to KC and the power of all in
practical ways (since I had been asked to share about that), how everyone
comes to every service, giving their everything. Then I shared about the
glory of God in the services and started sharing about my 10-day visitation
in October. I shared about the hunger of God I had, how desperate I was for
HIM, His presence, letting it flow from my heart. And then how the fire of
God came down one Saturday morning, and the ten days following. And about
that time the glory of God came on the podium. I started trembling a little,
my voice started breaking, as I looked at all those people and shared how
every time I'd be in the glory of God in KC, I would see VCC and the people
here, longing for His glory to come here, and how I've been praying for VCC,
the more I see of His glory. Well, some time here, my voice already breaking,
the Austrian pastor was unable to continue interpreting. You have to know
that I don't know anyone in Austria like him in terms of hunger for revival -
his whole life is dedicated to revival. He was so moved he couldn't speak. At
first I thought he hadn't understood what I had said but then I saw the tears
in his eyes. So I continued speaking in English, without interpretation for
some sentences. I left them with the questions, how hungry they were, how
desperate for Him, and if they were willing to pay the price. God's presence
was so tangible - I would have loved to pray! It was totally quiet and they
told me later that many people were deeply touched - praise God!
I walked off the platform trembling/shaking from the power of God. As I got
off the platform, I immediately went to my knees, shaking, longing for an
outpouring of His glory on VCC. The service was basically over except that
they wanted to anoint everyone with oil - and I was invited to join them. So
I started praying for some people and the fire of God fell.
I later got feedback from a few people that they had been touched deeply. I'm
in awe, and so humbled, to see God move like that, and be allowed to have a
part in it. I believe seeds of revival were sown that week in Vienna.
MONDAY - THURSDAY, DEC 24-27
Traditionally, those days are set apart for family celebrations. It wasn't
always easy since I'm the only believer in my family and they don't
understand me or what I do. I also met with another friend and went to a
cell-group on Wednesday night.
FRIDAY, DEC 28
That last day in Vienna was set apart for vacating my apartment. I had
started a little the previous days and with the help of God and a good
friend, I was able to finish everything late that night, throwing away lots
and lots of stuff, putting other stuff in boxes to be stored with friends,
and taking the rest with me to KC.
Only two days before that, the whole apartment situation had finally been
sorted out. Someone from my church who I had met the first time now, took the
apartment over from me - praise God! He also bought the piano.
SATURDAY, DEC 29
I had to get up at 4 a.m. and it was 25 hours later that I arrived at my
apartment in Kansas City. It was a long, tiring, journey. I thank all of you
who prayed that I would make it into the US with my visa, but not the
necessary form to go with it. I can only say, WOW! The Lord had truly
prepared the way! Before me, there were lots of other foreign students, and they
were pretty thorough. I then happened to be the last in line. I gave the guy
everything and as he looked at the old form from summer, I said that I had
transfered to another university, not having the new form yet, but a letter
from the school which I showed to him. He briefly looked at it, and started
stamping everything, using my first name and wishing me all the best. I can't
tell you how relieved I was about being through!!! It was only then that I
started feeling like I was truly going home and excitement started rising!
TODAY, SUNDAY
It's so exciting to be back home, back in church, seeing all my friends! I
was overwhelmed with gratitude to Him in the service today, full of
excitement about the coming weeks! He is so awesome! I got to talk to pastor
Steve, was handing out Austrian chocolate to everyone and was asked to give a
testimony some time next weekend.
What I didn't get to do, was start moving (I slept the second half of the
day). So I'll have to do everything tomorrow, moving in with Sue (who's in
Texas at the moment), who lives only a few hours further one. When's all the
packing ever gonna stop... ;-)
SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
Having forgiven her the debt the lady who lived in my apartment had left me -
may God bless her abundantly :-) - I do not have the means to pay the next
trimester at the School of Ministry which is due this Thursday (1000 USD =
15000 ATS).
Do you have a heart for revival?
Do you believe in the ministry He's called me to?
Would you consider sowing into God's work by supporting me?
I can only get trained and minister practically as long as the people of God
give to make it possible. Beginning with March, I will also have the
possibility to travel with Jill Austin to other cities to minister, if the
money is there.
Please pray and consider giving. In the US, you can do so by clicking on the
DONATE button on the top. In Europe, please make a transfer to my Austrian
account. I know the Lord will bless you abundantly for the seeds you sow.
Thank you for partnering with me - I pray that You'll know HIM more and more
each day!
Love in HIM,
Claudia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\0/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
Linguist ~ Teacher ~ Translator/Interpreter (also via e-mail)
8488 Lane Drive
Kansas City, MO 64138
USA
(+1)816-353-6125
claudia@healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.injesus.com
Talk to me online - I'm "healing2thenations":
yahoo! messenger
msn messenger/netmeeting (including webcam)
Your support - whether by prayer or giving - is greatly appreciated:
Europe:
Bank Austria, bank number: 12000
account number: 509.101.468.00 USA: possible via injesus.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|