Wittolopia

The First of Many Writings

2006-10-17T12:19:00.000+01:00

Sorry that I haven't updated this blog for quite a while. It is meant to be my weekly portal of communication to the world.......

Unfortunately, I'm haven't got round to it yet!

So a kind of New Years Resolution, 3 months early. I'm going to update this every week to let everyone know just what is going on in the World of Witt.

For those of you who don't know my whole working life is changing quite a lot. Rather than working for one church, I'm now doing two things. Firstly I've taken up the leadership of the Alpha Course in the North West of England and I've also started to set up a charity called Dignity that will enable our work in many countries to continue and grow.

It's been quite a strange time for Jude and I as together with Ethan going to school and the like, a lot of the landscape of our life has been changing. Mostly it is fun and we enjoy the different challenges that God seems to be bringing us. However, some of it had played on our insecurities and I suppose the good thing is that we are learning what we are and not to be dictated to by them.

On the what I do front, there are many options that seem to opening up. Firstly the clinic in Zambia will now open on 4th/5th November. The money for the equipment has gone and it being purchased this week. The money for the first month of salaries and the like has also gone. It is such a big challenge to us, as we know this will be the first of many such projects, that require a high degree of personal involvement to make happen. It can be draining, but one image keeps me going. It is an image in my mind of the clinic working, people being treated. I know that is something God would want to happen so I keep encouraing myself to work as hard as I can to make it happen.

There are also other options throughout the North West of England, India, Angola and the like. What the Lord wants to happen will happen - but doing things by faith isn't all airy fairy and ethereal, it's gutsy, scary and very real and practical. I don't want vision that doesn't make a difference, I want vision and faith that make a practical real difference to as many people humanly and divinely possible.

Our children have been very ill recently, together with Jude being in for an operation as well. None of them have been deadly serious, but they are a hassle. If you pray, please pray and if you don't - come round and babysit :)

For all of the people that support what we do in many ways, I'm very thankful. I was thinking earlier this week that quite simply, we'd crumble if it wasn't for many people assisting us.

Anyway on that note, I'm going to go. But check this blog regularly and you will see links to different things popping up.

For more of a look at Dignity go to www.dignityonline.org.uk

Speak to you soon

On the Way Home

2006-08-22T06:49:00.000+01:00

Well I'm at Lusaka International Airport, yet another early start at 4.45 am.

Even today has not been without incident, with the vehicle taking me to the airport juddering most of the way. This is Africa after all.

Then in the airport immigration Q, what a laugh! There was a scene where all of the europeans were queueing and all the Zambians were in a big scrum. In the end I opted to join the Zambians.

The last few days have been frustrating. Sometimjes the way ahead seems so very simple, but actually getting things done can be difficult. I'm a bit sick to death of politics in the church, people not talkig to people or being a little two faced. It really does make me very sad. After all we are meant to be different. To be fair, I think the church mostly is, just a few narrow minded people who can't see past their own ambition.

This all stems from some meetings yesterday where you suspect other agendas than what is being presented to you. Very sad and discouraging.

I truly did wonder last night if anyting I do is truly worth it.

Anyway, to be postive, on this trip a lot has been accomplished.

A Classroom has been built for an indigenous mission centre.

Barry and myself have worked through some issues.

We've made our first step into Angola, with some great ideas for what to do next.

We've made some great friends

10 people who were not involved in any mission before, have now been.

The Clinic has made some progress toward opening.

I'm learning a lot of things.

Some doors are also possibly opening in other ventures.

So there is no need to be negative, but my last couple of days have been tainted by silly people!

I'm glad to be on my way home, but I'm returning to a different scene for myself, a different stage. I have new roles that I am picking up, we must start a xharity and organisation for example. But the Lord started this and so I guess He will carry it on.

One thing my life never tends to be is deathly boring. Travelling can be a bind, soetimes I feel hassled, but when I look back over all that has been accomplished there is a part of me that is very satisfied. I hust wander in 5 years time what I will be looking back over.

Anyway, I really must board my flight. I'll write more soon! After I've been on holiday. In true Witt style we are going on Thursday and we have no idea where we will be.

Take Care

Jon

On the Last Straight

2006-08-18T10:48:00.000+01:00

First off the team is very well. We've had a few frustrations in terms of building supplies and the like, but when I spoke to Sarah this morning everything had been sorted out - I think we'll start to call her Super Sarah. Please pray for her, the job she has been doing is not an easy one at all - but she's done very well.

Tomorrow the team is off to a game reserve for a days break before they fly off on Monday.

Apparently a day or so ago, they (together with another team) we're filmed to go on the National TV News. Oh well, they are all now superstars.

Jude and I, we are down in Livingstone. On the way we squeezed in two meetings, one with a drilling company and the other with an entrepreneur here in Zambia - both very good meetings that I hope will yield not only good friendships but results for everything God is up to as well!

There is a sense in which resources are beginning to come towards the things we are doing - that encourages me - it's a sign that it is right. I've thought a lot about what the next year or so will hold, it excites me - more excites than daunts now - I've moved on in my mind to the challenges ahead.

I've also thought of a concept to communicate the resource barrier I was talking about. It's a Dam! We dam up all of the resources and with a little bit of help our African, Asian or whoever brothers can do wonders, with some encouragement. Together we can do a lot and really make the world a lighter place.

So in the next year, we are looking to at least work in the UK, Angola, Zambia, maybe South Africa and probably India.

In the next couple of days we will be doing a conference down here and well we hope and pray it goes well. Until then it's time to strengthen some relationships, see friends and try and see my family for once!

I worked out that on this trip alone I would have travelled around 25,000 km by the time I get back to England, had contact with over 800 leaders in two countires. The things God gets you into!

An update on the clinic - it will open on my birthday - October 16th (was going to be the 17th I insisted!). Next week are interviews for the nursing staff and the health board and helping with some drugs. The cost to equip the whole clinic is around 3000 GBP which we currentlt have so there should be no delays there. All in all it's moving along. Praise God! The water tower should be finished in the next week, so construction should be completely finished then. But then again, this is africa.......

Anyway, I'm rambling, God Bless

Jon

Back from Angola with a Few Stories

2006-08-12T17:34:00.000+01:00

After taking 3 planes I'm finally back in Zambia. Just to clear something up by the way. Steve didn't get his visa for Angola.

Back to a Mini Crisis

Last night Joshua was in hospital. Again his usual breathing problems. Out here it was a little worrying though. I'd been up since 3.30 am and Jude was very tired to, only to have to find a hospital wort going to and taking Joshua at 1am. He was admitted and I finally got back around 4.40 am. the good news is that he is out, we are just hoping it's ok tonight. I'm completely knackered though.

Anyway I thought I'd tell you a few anecdotal stories from Angola:

The Least Successful Evangelistic Meeting Ever!

I thought it would be a good idea to visit a group of Chinese businessmen. I turned up at the Railway Construction yard in Luena to meet them unannounced. After getting past the language barrier and the guard I was sat in an office waiting. After about 15 minutes I was motioned out to be confronted with about 12 mean looking Chinese guys. To cut a long story short they turfed me out. I was even escorted off the site! So much for making friends with the Chinese. :) Kinda funny really! I tried.......

Jon on a Motorbike!

After convincing Bishop Luis to loan me his motorcycle to look around Luena and take some photos I realised to my horror that it was a proper motorcycle and not a scooter. It had gears and everything! Now I couldn;t quite admit that I'd never been on one before, so the Bishop very trustingly went off and gave me his keys.

So after psyching myself up I mounted the steed. 200 people in the street and a conspicuous white guy to provide the entertainment. After about 5 mins just working out how to start it, came the many stalls as I tried to get going. When I finally did get going I did a bit of a whelie and screeched off at high speed down the road. This all much to the prolonged and obvious amusement to those watching me!

How much Speaking?

Last Wednesday saw me start to spak at 6 am to about 600 people, then on with the leaders conference and then with an evanbgelistic meeting in the eveing I was all preached out!

The Resource Barrier

I've spent so long thinking about times gone by when thousands of Christians needed bibles in Eastern Europe and how mnay brave people smuggled them in. In Africa today, in Angola today there are thousands of people who do not have a bible, becasue of resources. That has given me an idea - to start a Christian Resource centre in Luena, called Centro a Viva or the Life Centre. Still to work out if its even feasible or indeed the details, but a base where resources can be loaned, course studied, people reached. Sounds good to me

Salty Water - the danger of a little knowledge

Sitting at a restaurant next to the Atlantic Ocean - hard life I know. Anyhow having been shown towo bottles of sparkling water that i confidently askled for in Portguese, I opted for Agua com Salgado. Uhhhww! I have never tasted anything so horrible. Apparently some people in this life like Sparking Salt Water but not me - oh the problems of a little language knowledge....

Meeting Old Friends

I'd often wandered what the purpose of visting some refugee camps was about 3 years ago. Well on this trip I found out. On arrival In Luena, I met many old friends I had met whilst they were refugees, and here I was in their homeland. It's amaing how God opens doors and relationships. One of the lessons I'm learning is the the Lord always has a purpose in just about everything, need to learn to trust in it. Imagine that, thousands of people and i run into the few refugees that I actually met.

Anyway I'm tired and I need to finish. I'll get on eof the team to write some stuff about them next time. Just to round off though - angola was great! Lots of stuff went on and im very encouraged - even met the Governer of the Province of Moxico! Not bad!

God is Good

Jon

Bemvindo a Republica de Angola

2006-08-06T19:19:00.000+01:00

Hello and greetings from the Republic of Angola. Im in the offices of some organisation here in Luena, which is in the heart of the country, some 1300 km from the capital city Luanda.

There is a lot to write about the last couple of days

Despite the trip that has taken two days to get here, and of course the early starts (5 am then 4.45 am eek!) that all seems to fade into insignificance, compared to what I have seen since.

Luanda is perhaps one of the busiest and dirtiest cities I have ever been in. It is a city of contradictions. On one hand, some areas and facilites of the city seem first world. Set on the Atlantic Ocean, the city is an oil and resource haven. As such as you are flying in, there is a plethora of tankers set in the estuary. There are good facilites at the international airport. As you drive in some parts resemble parts of Spain and there are many many new cars. It is so very busy with traffic jams being a major part of life.

At the same time, there are huge problems in the city. There is not enough water. Tanks are placed across the city for the overcrowded population. The water that is there carries Cholera and Typhoid and so is a major hazard in travelling here. Then there are the slums, not only on an escarpment above the city and port, but dotted in between the various oil facilities. Huge mounds of slowly burning putrifying rubbish, give the city a rather noxious smell that kind of gets right up your nostrils. It is horrible.

In these tips, most of the population live. And the problem is getting worse, with refugees returning from Congo and Zambia. What will the solution be. As I said a city of contradiction.

I was actually quite glad to leave the city the morning after we arrived. We took a plane to Luenna, after the 2 and a hlaf hour drive through the rush hour traffic to the departure terminal. This was typically African. Lots of people and lots of waiting as our host Bishop Luis Nyamutenga checked our baggage in for us.

The Church here has been very hospitable. In fact more than that. At times, you would of thought I was Billy Graham or something, such has been the welcome. On our arrival in Luena there was a whole host of leaders to welcome us. As we left the airport our convoy seemed to resemble a kind of presidential cavalcade with may motorcycles weaving there way in front of us and around us. On arrival at the church, there was a welcome I will not forget in a hurry. Singing dancing and rejoicing, all because we are visitors. I donçt think there has been visitors here in a very long while!

At the airport was a sight that I will not forget. A child who in the words of barry looked older than her mother. Just looking at her, made me want to cry. So much pain and suffering contained within the face of someone so young. I guess she has HIV, and malutirition as a side product. Such a terrible thing. Like scenes of the worst suffering you see on the news.

We really are being treated very well by the church here, almost embaressing so , but maybe nothing that we would not fdo at home. It is just that here, I know how much of a sacrifice things are.

Church today went on for about 6 hours. That seems like a long time, but it si the most fun I have had in Church for a long while. Lots of dancing, praying and rejoicing. I will remember some of these scenes for as long as I live. In the church there are many issues. Lack of teaching and surprisingly for me, many demonic problems (if you are not a Christian reading this just bear with me!). We prayed for many people, they would be manifesting before we even got to them. There is lots of unforgiveness here, a by product of the war no doubt.

In Zambia, I hope that the team are doing well! Communication is very difficult from here. I probably won´t know until I arrive back on Friday. However, they had started building and they all seemed to be getting on fine. They´re in good hands with Sarah, Jude and Freda (Barry´s wife).

I had better go for now. Oh just a note did you know most of the population here have flown. Flying is the most common form of trasport between cities here due to bad roads and huge travel times. Apparetnly in the rainy season it can take two weeks to get between here and Luanda.

la Paz de Senhor

Jon

Just when Everything was going so well!

2006-08-03T14:41:00.000+01:00

STEVE SMALL REALLY NEEDS YOUR PRAYER!

I'm just returning from Nsobi Game Lodge, a nice idyllic place after spending a couple of days with my family. So that's why I haven't updated here.

Steve Small has just rung me to tell me some very bad news. Apparently he went to the Angolan Embassy to pick up his visa, which had already been accepted and paid for. Just as it was about to be handed to him today, an official came along, ripped out his visa and gave him his passport, saying he could not be granted one. This is VERY unusual. Please can you all pray that the Lord's will may be done here. Also pra for Steve he sounded a bit shook up!

Other than that things seem to be going well. The team has begun building on the classroom after a delay of a day or so (couldn't get hold of any bricks!). They all seem to be settling down well.

Tonight I'm meeting a guy in Kitwe, a town close to Chingola to meet with a guy to talk to him about Jesus. It's amazing how God brings these opportunities up. Please pray for that as well.

Whilst away, I;ve also been doing a lof of thinking about our purpose out here - many many deep thoughts are going around my head.

To be honest, writing this I'm just distracted about the Steve Visa situation. What does it mean? Opposition? or just a stupid dishonest offical - I have no idea!

Whatever! Please Pray! I'll write more in Angola

Jon

The Team Has Arrived

2006-08-01T14:21:00.000+01:00

HELLO,
I've just hacked into Jon's blog to tell you what's been going on the last few days. Jon, Jude and the kids have escaped for a day to a small game reserve a few hours East, to rest after the stress and organised chaos of the last few days. The Ivy Cottage team arrived very late on Saturday after their flight was delayed in Ethiopia. However they still had a lot of energy and we were able to load up our hired minibus and drive into Lusaka for the night. On Saturday as the time of arrival for the team got later and later Jon and I realised the team wouldn't have time to get to where we needed to go. We prayed and then one of Jon's friends phoned, he happens to own the Lusaka Hotel a very nice place in the centre of town. He gave the entire team free accommodation for the night!
It was great to have everyone arrive in Zambia, Jon had been missing his family and I hadn't seen Sarah my girlfriend since April and everyone else since February. There was lots to catch up on as we traveled on Sunday to Barry and Freeda's house in Chingola. We stopped along the way for lunch at Kinki Bible college. We arrived at the house to find another team from England of about 15, 2 Lebanese - Americans, a pastor from Malawi and an army of local pastors and church leaders who had traveled from miles around to attend the school of ministry. It was a squash fitting us all in the house but we had an amazing time of prayer and worshiping God African style.
We failed to find any accommodation in Chingola and decided we should camp. The Zambian army came on Monday morning and put up two huge tents one for the leader's conference and the other for us. We also put our own tents up and after a very good nights sleep it became clear that camping was a much better idea after all! The team under Sarah's leadership have been getting used to African life, shopping for food in the markets, using the long drop along with well over 50 other people! The building materials have been ordered and the bricks will be arriving Wednesday morning so the hard work can begin. Today those of us who haven't been working joined the pastors and have been learning about the gifts of the holy spirit. Many prayers have been answered already many not in the way we had expected (and sometimes wanted!). Everything is slowly coming together. The team is in good spirits and enjoying getting to know each other better and meeting everyone else.
The other UK team started constructing a bridge just down the dirt road which will really help transport and development in the local area. They were bouncing very large concrete pipes of a lorry as I passed on my way here.
The building work should be well under way by tomorrow. We have a group of widows helping us with cooking and washing. I'm heading to Lusaka with Barry tomorrow to pick up our visas for Angola. Jon's meeting us on Friday morning as we fly to Angola via Zimbabwe.
Those of you who are praying for us please pray that all the materials we need arrive on time, the team continues to work so well together and general safety for us. Expect an update from Jon soon. Thank you for all you support.
Steve (small)

When We Are Available!

2006-07-27T14:34:00.000+01:00

Whilst on my trips this time - I've decided to read the autobiography of Billy Graham, the noted American Evangelist. You must have heard of him, he once preached to a billion people in one go. I have found it nothing short of inspiring!

I think one of his principle beliefs was that Jesus could satisfy the deepest desires of the human heart. Whether that be for companionship, forgiveness, love or an understanding of our true humanity - Jesus is the one that comes close to us to give us that. Not only that, he propels us to be God's people in this world. Quite a thing if you ask me!

This belief led him to preach all over the world, to simply tell people of the love of Jesus. Not complicated, he didn't argue he just told!

Steve Small and I have just been to Chingola Brickfields. There we met a guy. We were just chatting and one of the things that often happens when I've told white guys what I do, happened. You get this kind of incredulous look, which says 'You! A Pastor/Minister/Evangelist etc etc.'. Obviously I don't look like a Christian! I think that's a good thing!

Anyway from that we wnded up chatting about what God can do through and in people. There was such an openness. Well we are going to meet them for dinner sometime next week! So you never know what will happen! I think when you are available God uses you!

After my last entry, you may have got the impression I was searching for why we were doing what were doing in Solwezi. The last day of the conference went very wel indeed. I think for the first time I actually thought that we had turned a corner. There was no oppression, there was an openness that was not there before. So Praise God!

Preparations for our trip to Angola are continuing. I literally do not know what is happening! All I know is that we are getting on a flight a week tomorrow to fly to the country and that our return flight comes back the week after. Sarah and a mysterious Christian who has been provided called Mary Parsons have helped to arrange some of what goes in between. Most of the problem is communication. Not only is it difficult in terms of actual communication, our portugeuse is not that great either. So we are hit by a double conundrum. However, mary who I have never met has been helping us to make arrangements. She really has been invaluable and I thank God for her. So we don't know what will happen!

One little thing to pray for would be accomodation for the team. We are struggling a little bit! Please pray that something would come up in the next couple of days! I know it'll be OK but it doesn't stop me from being slightly concerned.

Anyway I guess that is all for now - the team arrive in less than 48 hours, and tomorrow we travel to Lusaka ready to meet them.

Jon

In the back of Beyond

2006-07-25T15:13:00.000+01:00

Believe it or not, this has taken me about 3 hours to sort out! My second visit to the Internet Cafe means that now the connection is working well enough to at least edit the site! So here I am!

Solwezi is in North Western Province. About 10 hours drive from the capital Lusaka. Like we have done before, we have been running a conference for rural Church leaders. (as I write this a guy has just gone past with 5m long roofing sheets on his push bike!). One of them walked from 7 am to 5pm just to be with us. Some of them have travelled about 150 km.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a challenge doing this work. There isn't much sense of getting back. Maybe work like this shows me my true heart in the work. How much do I do for selfish means. In the back of beyond that kind of takes a back seat. I guess it is part of serving. Serving sometiems is hard.

The first few days here my emotions seem to have been very up and down. Sometimes I miss home, sometimes I feel completely relaxed. However I feel, I don't feel complete without my family. Never do in fact! I realise just how much I miss the wisdom of my wife :)

Life here is very very different. I sometimes forget just how much. I've taken today to sort out the million things I must have done by the weekend. The most complicated is trying to sort out what is going on in Angola. It's a bit of a blind trip at the moment. But I digress. I met a guy called Jonathan, who becasue he needs a signature from a bank manager has stayed another day in Solwezi to wait for it. So he's hanging around all day. In fact that's all a lot of people seem to do. Whether it is selling tapes of old western hits or wandering around trying to sell dodgy watches, peolpe just hang around. They don't seem to be bothered, it's just life.

Yesterday I spent most of the day teaching at the conference. It went well - we're teaching about the Holy Spirit. (for those of you not from a Christian background - God living in us) and how that works out. It has been powerful. For a little while it was a little like an American televangelist meeting - everyone seemed to be touched with the power of God. Some people were helped with things they had struggled with for years - whilst others just enjoyed the power of God. It was good.

Anyway, we finish the conference tomorrow lunchtime.

There's one last encouraging thought as well, 4 days until my family are here! :)

Jon

God always has a job for us.

2006-07-21T15:15:00.000+01:00

Well we are here. I'm at Kaniki Bible College which is just north of Ndola. I arrived yesterday after Steve Small and Barry picked me up at the airport. It took probably about 27 hours of travelling to get there, after speaking to a couple of interesting guys on the plane.

One guy was M, a farmer in Zambia, who was also into all kinds of fun. He was a fountain of knowledge on conservation and what was going on in Zambia. Well I didn't quite getting around to speaking about Jesus but he did invite me to his farm sometime. Sometimes God just wants to form relatioships. Maybe I'll call in at his farm!

So after arriving, it was a bit strange. In true African style nothing seemed to be arranged. However I soon found out I was taking all of the morning classes for the college. I didn't exactly have anything prepared but well, there you go that's nothing new!

I did pray a while though about what to say. My emotions were also all over the place last night, when I'm tired and I don;t know what is happening, I can start feeling more than a little wierd. It was good to sleep well last night.

So, what did I say to the classes? Well I simply shared my heart to see evangelists raised up, to preach, to reach those who do not know him. It went very very well indeed. In fact the whole day I've been ministering to someone or another. After the students I ended up praying and chatting with a Danish Evangelist who was at the college. God ended up speaking to them, and then just to relax at some firends, until the Lord starts to use me to speak into another situaiton. All in all a very busy day.

That's quite a laugh as at one point yesterday I was wondering if anything would transpire! Evangelists are a tempremental lot! Sometimes we can think our being in a place is a mistake but often it is not - it is His will - we just don;t open our eyes to see what He is doing.

So we have a whole month ahead of us - who knows what the Lord will bring - I do hope it is His will and not my own.

I'll write again as soon as I can - for now goodbye.

Some Prayer Needed

2006-07-15T23:23:00.000+01:00

Have a look at my the latest prayer bulletin from Dignity. It's on the website at http://www.dignityonline.org.uk in the articles list. It no doubt will also be posted at www.ivycottage.org
I reaslie that a many different people read this blog, but for those of you who don't pray much - why not try it?

I'd like to say something dramtic like my life may depend on it - well it might I suppose BUT by trying some prayer you may just find something that really aids you in whatever you do in life.

Anyway, even if just for information take a look at the bulletin!

Jon

The Start of Something New?

2006-05-14T22:32:00.000+01:00

Well it's been a little while since I last posted an update on here. It's been a very confusing time for me. I've come to the conclusion as to why, and why I have been finding things so hard. TRANSITION. Change! Re-routing - whatever you want to call it. A few years ago when I was in Zambia, a colleague of mine prophesied over my life and said that God was birthing a gift of Evangelism in me. Things flourished from then! I mean all kinds of things. I now find myself where I am today...

When I started at Ivy, a guy called Dennis (did he used to be a butcher??) said don't worry Jon, your not an evangelist yet, but you will be! In some ways the last two years or so have been a very intense training period for me. I've made loads of mistakes and a few slips along the way - but I've also learnt a lot.

I now stand at the opening of something new. The Dignity Trust.

What is it - well its going to an evangelistic organisation that allows me to pursue some of the things I feel that I should do. In the first instance that's Alpha North West and Dignity, which is our missionary work primarily in Zambia but also in other parts of the world.

I've been truly blown away at how God has communicated this. Through personal trials, prophecy, circumstance - all kinds of things :) I'm just very glad that a way forward seems to be making its way clear.

So whilst I'm scared a little, I'm beginning to revel in the beginning of a journey that I know could be quite exciting.

You can have a look at http://www.dignityonline.org.uk It's a rough draft website that is currently we best have - but we will develop it more!

Please pray for all of this and if you have any feedback let me know!

Jon

The Gospel of What??

2006-04-19T22:34:00.000+01:00

As part of a magazine I'm writing I decided to write a little article on the Gospel of Judas. You know the one, the "Whole church is doomed, lying and evil type Media Frenzy" that is going on. I've got to be honest and say that I really struggle with how the media portrays the church. I mean it's not all like we are all in on the conspiracy to take over the world..... Hope you enjoy it. Either click the link above or have a look at the article on my church's website

Welcome to My Blog!

2006-04-19T22:30:00.000+01:00

Welcome to my new blog. It was either write some kind of prayer letter, or have my own news and prayer website. Seeing I've got a degree in Software Engineering I thought it would be good to go for the technical option. Hopefully you'll be able to see regular updates of what I am up to as well as lots of interesting links to various bits and pieces. I can't always promise to never say anything that will not get anyone angry or disagree with me. However, even if you do - keep coming back, there may be more...