813528 visitors
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Enniskillen.
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Tel 07818230279
My Friend.
Once again the season of Joy
is upon us and not even a pandemic can take away the reality of the birth of
the Prince of Peace.
I pray that many of my friends will give
Jesus the best birthday present possible as they rededicate their whole lives
to Jesus once again.
The past year has been a real trial for me
with the COPD getting steadily worse.
It had put me back into hospital three
times. My last admission was only a few weeks ago when I was an
in -patient for over a month.
I normally take 10 or 12 of my life story books with me when I am admitted to
hospital and rarely give them all away.
This trip was an exception because for
some reason I became very popular with the medical staff and had a constant supply
of visitors. Over 300 booklets were taken by staff before I was released and
sent home.
Doctors, nurses.
Student doctors and nurses, cleaning and kitchen staff and even staff from the Covid area in full protective dress came to get a booklet.
I was also used to teach student doctors as they called in to ask questions
about my life and tired of being examined time after time.
It was very moving to see a senior
hospital specialist in tears as I shared some of my story to a small group of
resident doctors.
It is taking a long time but I pray that
my work for Jesus is not yet finished, somehow I
believe the work will continue until I draw my last breath.
I am really missing the travel in the
Arctic and
I look forward to the Christmas season and
sit waiting for the postman to call each morning. It looks like it will be a
normal time for me. Up to now I have received 4 Christmas Cards but hope I will
get more.
Please don’t forget me this year and drop
me a line.
May God Bless You and Yours.
Your
Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways for Jesus.
PO Box 1.
Magherafelt.
County Londonderry.
Northern Ireland.
BT45 9AD.
Web Highways for Jesus .com
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Christmas 2020
My Friend.
Once again the time has come to celebrate the birth of our Dear Saviour.
For many of my readers it will be a time of frustration as once again isolation is becoming normal for you.
I have found over the last 25 years of semi isolation, that talking about being alone and constantly thinking about the situation, only makes it worse.
To constantly dwell upon the unchangeable makes you a victim instead of being victorious. Look for advantages in your hours and days of lock down.
When I first began in the Lord's service I became frustrated when visitors talked about their past and everything was negative.
I was surrounded by broken people and I could not help them overcome their memories of past sin.
The answer was quite simple when I found it.
Look past the negative because no matter whom you speak to or meet.
Within that person there is something that has the potential to change the world into a better place. Don't look at the faults, look for the potential .
Never discourage, ALLWAYS encourage.
Where do you begin this great work?
Try looking in the mirror, you will see the reflection of someone who can change the world.
During the pandemic we have heard stories of ordinary people who took up the challenge and because of them, others found they also could do marvellous things. Be it a charity walk or befriending someone by telephone, the internet, writing letters or just being friendly and cheerful when you go shopping for yourself or somebody else.
You can change the world around you.
This year has not been too good for me because I have been in lockdown since March.
Thanks to the Johnston family at the Enniskillen cattle market I have been treated like royalty and been kept safe from harm.
Stuart takes me to Tesco's every week and brings me a home cooked lunch every Sunday.
My illness has deteriorated because of the isolation and last week I was admitted to hospital. I could only walk a few steps and was finding it very hard to breathe because of the congested lungs. Within 24 hours things began to change and thanks to lots of prayer and medical help I began to get better.
During my time in hospital I became a much sought after patient.
Because of the pandemic, the student doctors have found it impossible to do practical study. The patients they would normally examine and interrogate about their illness, or have the opportunity to do hands on examinations has dried up.
I became the guinea pig patient for an endless queue of consultants and students.
I spoke to so many young people about my illness ( COPD) and was pleased to be useful. I also spoke about my life and relationship with Jesus. “ No holds barred “
I was discharged last Friday and because of the danger to my health in returning to the van, a group of Friends led by Brendan Jones has found me a small cottage to live in.
Log fire, Central heating and even running water. It is pure bliss and I am truly content .
Do you want to encourage someone this Christ'mas? Someone isolated and looking for a friendly word on a Christ'mas card. Someone who is interested in YOU and is waiting to begin praying for you and yours.
Why not drop me a line and let me once again become useful.
Have a Happy Christmas.
Your Friend
Brother Clifford
PS. The work continues
Highways for Jesus Outreach
Magherafelt
BT45 9AD
Tel 07818230279
Faroe Tel. 00298787999
Email
brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
" For by their fruits you shall know them"
(Mathew 7 verse20)
May 2020
My Friends in my beloved
Time passes so quickly and one day each one of us finds we have nearly completed our earthly
journey.
My time is
fast approaching when I shall hang up the keys to my motor home and meet my beloved
Saviour.
I first heard
about the Faroe Islands in 2002 when I was visiting the
At this time Norrona called at the
It took me
over two years of prayer before I was willing to leave the security of
I made many
enquiries in
It was in June
2004 that I drove my double/ decker bus on board Norrona and a love affair began. I came for two weeks and
stayed for three months. I fell in love with the people.
It was during
this time that I heard about the kindness and fortitude of the Faroese people
during the last war.
I also
realised why the Lord had sent me here. I came to say "Thank You" to each one
of you for what you did for
So many of your men gave their lives as you brought fish to a
country that was desperate for food. Your families looked after the British soldiers
who came to help protect your islands from the enemy, who wanted to enslave the
whole world. Together, the Faroese people and the British soldiers helped to
win the war, as you became an unbroken barrier in the Atlantic Ocean and a
place of safety for the
When I made my
commitment to Jesus I was a dying man with only days to live.
For over 20
years I had lived on the streets of
only
used the name of Jesus as a swear word. My body was wrecked after double neck
cancer in the year 2000 and now I was looking death in the face with cirrhosis of
the liver.
I gave Jesus
every breath I had left, and I can honestly say that it was the best decision
of my life. With an English one pound coin, and days to live, I set off to tell
about the Love and Forgiveness of my wonderful Saviour.
Now I had
another unbreakable promise to make.
I promised to
dedicate my whole life to the people of the
Each year I have
spent as much time as is possible in the land I now call my own. The children
know me as the bus man, or the old man with the lollipops! Each year I bring
thousands of lollipops for the children and can guarantee silence as I speak to
the congregation.!
In a few weeks
I will celebrate my 75th birthday and next year I hope to complete
twenty five years as an evangelist.
The work began
with an English one pound coin and the faith that God would supply ALL my
needs. I still do not draw the old age pension, but rely on God for everything.
He has NEVER let me down.
Today we
celebrate seventy five years since the war in
My passport
says I am a British citizen, but my heart beats to the love of the
I was born in
Finally, I
would remind you once again that it is 75 years since we won the war. Three
generations of British children have been born and raised during this time.
Millions of people born, educated and grown strong because of the love and
sacrifice from your fishermen and sailors, who supplied fish and hope to a nation
in turmoil.
It is
unfortunate that so many do not know of the great things you, my people, have
done for
May I, as one
who does remember, once again say Thank You to all you beautiful, wonderful
people as I once again commit every breath to my Lord Jesus Christ, and the
rest of my life to you, my people of the Faroe Islands.
"If you did it unto one of these my brethren,
you did it unto Me"
(Mathew 25 verse 40)
May
God Bless You.
Your Friend
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
Telephone 0044 7818230279
Web Page. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email.
brothercliffordinprayer@gmail.com
Or
thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
November 2019
My
Friends.
I must apologise for the very long delay
between newsletters.
I have had many problems over the past year
but the major problem was due to my computer giving me a lot of problems.
This has now been sorted out and a new
computer is making my life a lot easier.
Once again I have
spent most of the year travelling Europe but mainly staying on the Faroe Islands and
It was during my extended stay on the
This year is my final year of touring Europe
and I am now to concentrate on travelling throughout the
After over fifteen years of continental
touring it comes as a relief to me that I do not have the vast distances to
drive each year. I will certainly miss meeting up with my many friends and
translators that have been so faithful to me.
Who would have thought in 1996 when the work
began that I would eventually be involved and travel through 28 countries?
I look back in awe at the way the Lord has
guided my path and affected so many lives during twenty two years of ministry.
In the year 2000 I travelled the coastline if
Once again I will be doing the same kind of
ministry as I travel the highways and byways on the
I don't know how long I will continue the
work but I have certainly not retired or even accepted my pension yet. I may be
seventy three years old, but I ain't dead YET.
The Lord has been faithful up to now and I am
sure he will continue to supply my needs for as long as he requires my service.
My health has not been good for a while but
now seems to be improving. I think the reduction in my driving hours have a lot
to do with it.
I write this letter from
It would give me great pleasure if some of my
readers would take time to drop me a line to encourage me as I face the future.
It is good to know that people are praying for me.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
( Listowel )
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry.Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
UK Telephone 07818230279
Faroe Islands Telephone 00298 787999
December 2017
My Friends.
This is a year I shall never forget. Experiences that have brought me great joy
and times that have brought me to my knees in desperation as I have felt so
alone and isolated.
When I arrived at the Prayer
Mountain Church in the south of Sweden I expected to have a time of blessing
but never anticipated the rich blessing the Lord had prepared for us all.
Over the last twenty one years I
have attended a number of Christian conferences but have always taken a very
minor role. At Lidnas Prayer Mountain I was surprised and delighted by the way the
Holy Spirit gave me the words I very much required over three days. I learned
so much during the conference that will remain with me for the rest of my life.
I thought I knew about the power of Prayer, but I was wrong.
I learned during those five days that
prayer is not only the way to become close to our Heavenly Father, but it is
the Powerhouse to the Kingdom of Heaven.
At last I
am finding people are coming to me for not only personal prayer requests but
some are bringing requests for prayer for their work and business. I am
delighted to reveal that when the Lord is invited into the workplace and the
boardroom, Everything begins to change when you allow Christ into EVERY part of
your life.
When I left Lidnas and headed for
the ship to Riga in Latvia the problems with the motorhome got worse. By the
time I arrived in Latvia I had no lights or indicators at the rear of the van.
Air was being sucked into the fuel pipes and made starting the van very
difficult. I managed to drive through Lithuania and Poland and arrived just in
time to meet up with Oliver who is a master electrician from The Faroe Islands.
He worked until nearly midnight to get some lights working and then ,because he
could not find a taxi he walked over four miles to his hotel. " A true Brother
in Christ".
The drive through Germany, Holland
and then through England to Lancashire was difficult with the fuel problems but
I eventually reached Weston super Mare and my friend John Laurence.
Once again John came up trumps and
helped me to get the van to my mechanic in Stafford. As expected the news was
not good and it was decided that after five years faithful service the van was
finished.
I am now driving a ten year old
Winnebago and enjoying every moment.
My problem about retirement is now
solved. It will not happen for quite a while, if ever.
Much prayer is now required as
once again I prepare to begin a new chapter in my very eventful life.
I have desired to have a vehicle
suitable to use as a Prayer Sanctuary.
In the year 1999 I was given a
caravan to use in the work. I drove around the whole coastline of Ireland and
opened the caravan each day for prayer.
Over a thousand people came
through the doors and I still keep in touch with some of these wonderful
people.
It has taken longer than I
expected but at last the new van is ready and able to hit the road.
The signs have been stuck on the
exterior and are advertising the love of Jesus to passers by. The tracts and
gospels are on board and awaiting my guests.
Please pray that many will find
Jesus as I move out for the Kingdom on this new adventure.
I hope to visit Jonathon and have
photographs on the website in the near future.I hope you will be as excited as
I am when you see the new miracle.
As we pass into a New Year, may I
wish you all a Very Blessed and Joy Filled 2018.
I Remain
Your Friend and His
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO BOX 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD.
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
GB Telephone 0044 7818230279
Faroe Islands phone 00298 787999
October 2017
My Friends.
I must admit that each time I sit down to write to you I have no idea
what the newsletter will contain.
I depend upon the Holy Spirit to reveal
to my mind events and situations that have happened to me in the last weeks.
This trip has been the hardest tour I have
ever been on. The weather has been vile, with rain nearly every day. Looking
back to when I set off from Northern Ireland, I have only had seven days of
sunshine in over eight months of travelling.
I now have a good idea of how Noah must have
felt, but flooding the world only took six weeks and I took no animals with me,
just Gospels of John in twelve languages.
My time on the Faroe Islands was very
rewarding and a true Blessing to me. I have so many friends there and they took
care of the "old man". I hope to catch up with Gordon and Oliver in Poland if
we can arrange it.
The trip up to North Cape in Norway seemed to
take for ever and my schedule was running six weeks late. It was minus 3 with a
heavy wind at the Cape.
I had arranged by telephone, for groups of
Prayer Warriors to join me in prayer when I reached the Top of the World. When
I eventually reached the most Northern tip of the Cape I turned and prayed for
God's Glory to be revealed to all the people before me.
That meant EVERY PERSON in the World.
North Cape is the most northerly mainland
part of the northern hemisphere accessible by road.
As I prayed, I found a peace within me that I
had Never experienced before. I felt that not only myself, but those Prayer
warriors worldwide had touched the heart of God. Weeks later I still experience
that wonderful feeling of peace.
The trip South has been hard because of the
heavy rain and the very low temperatures.
I write this from the town of Sandviken in
Sweden as I prepare to head further South.
Pastor Bengt Korswing and his wife Lavon have
treated me as a royal guest and nothing has been too much trouble for them. I
have known them for a number of years and Bengt is a regular contributor on the
Visitors Forum.
I am preparing to head South to a small
church which is also known as The Prayer Mountain.
This church is a place of prayer with only a
small congregation and I was speaking there only a few months ago.
It was from that meeting that a splendid
article was published in a national Swedish Christian newspaper and had
brought me recognition I have prayed for for many years.
It has been decided to have a
three day conference there on the 20th to 22nd of October. When I have finished here I head for Lidnas Church In the hamlet of Nasby
Holm near Varnamo.
I know the Christians in the area are praying
for this weekend conference and I would ask you PLEASE join them before the
Throne of Grace. It is only a week away and Prayer is vital if we want the Lord
to really move through the Holy Spirit. Please ask your friends and prayer
groups at church to join us in intercession for the first ever conference at
this small yet VITAL church of Outreach.
May God Bless You and Yours
His Friend and Yours
Brother Clifford Edwards
Sweden
Highways For Jesus
Web Pages. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
JULY 2017
My Friends.
After
Months of constant rain and low temperatures I am looking out at SUNSHINE.
I am still on the
My intention was to visit the Faroes for
a month and then head for
The plans of the Lord are definitely not our plans.
The main event in Fuglafjord is the
annual Rowing race which attracts crowds from every part of the
The races are followed by a combined churches service in the local
community hall. I was delighted to be asked to be the main speaker at this
event. The hall was packed and people were standing in the aisles because all seats had been taken.
It is extremely rare for a visitor from a foreign country to be
given this honour and it is one of my most treasured memories from my calling
as an Evangelist.
The years are taking their toll and I find it impossible to keep
the heavy schedule of past years. Door to door work and street evangelism has
become rare for me. I just cannot do it any more.
Organised outdoor speaking, Home Meetings and Church preaching are
now more normal for me. But I still get great delight from giving away tracts
and Gospels as I travel from country to country.
I celebrate my 72nd Birthday
at the end of the month and I so pleased that I will still be here in my
beloved
I may even get some Birthday Cards this year if anyone remembers.
The highlight of the year for me is in August when I celebrate my
Coming of Age.
21 Years serving
the King of Kings
How can I ever thank Him for His Love and Empowering over so many years.
I look back with pleasure at the many wonderful memories. The
number of times I have seen evidence of his provision both financially and Spiritually. The times I have seen the Holy Spirit touch hearts
and bring another Soul into My Lord's
As I write this my Heart is breaking for those who have not heard
of my beautiful Jesus.
Please, Please, tell someone today about our Precious Saviour.
I made a promise to a friend many years ago. I promised to come to
Him if I was ever needed.
Wesley and Carole have Always had a place
for the vehicle when I have visited
I heard that His mother was in hospital and life support had been
cut off.
I was able to fly to
It was hard sitting some of the night watch with my friends but
the outcome was a certainty. Mum was Going
Home.
We could all feel the power of Prayer as we kept the Vigil but
even though Mum was sleeping. She was at Peace.
I had to leave and return to the Faroes
but Mum went Home a few days later. She was not alone, Wesley was with her and
she smiled at Him as she entered into Eternity.
I have told the story of the vigil on a number of occasions and I
am delighted to say that it has been bringing souls to Christ.
The Message is,
Where will YOU
Spend Eternity.
How many more years I have left to serve I do not know, but I am
confident that with YOUR PRAYERS.
The Best is Still
to Come.
May He Bless You
Your Friend and His
Brother Clifford
Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO BOX 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry.
Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD.
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
UK Telephone 0044 7818230279
Faroe Islands Telephone 00298 787999
June 2017
My Friends in Jesus.
At last I am able to contact you
again.
After ten years sevice and much abuse, my computer
has ( gone Google) and had it's last crash.
I left the United Kingdom in April and after
travelling through Holland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. I arrived in the Faroe
Islands at the end of April. My intention was to remain here for a month, but God
had other plans for me.
Most Evangelical churches have now changed
their Sunday service plan and have stopped evening services. This means I only
speak at one church on Sunday morning, but I preach twice.
Normally it is firstly a Communnion service
followed by coffee time and then family service. I preach at both services.
This has meant that I have had to stay on my"
Beloved Faroes" for longer than planned. I leave here for Denmark on July 9th
and then head for Sweden.
I would ask for prayer for my friend Gordon
at this time. He has been a true friend here since I first met him over a
decade ago. He has supported me in prayer and in many other ways but is going
through a difficult time at his work.
Please intercede for this man of God at this
crucial time.
Most of the finance for the Mission comes
from Britain.
Since negotiations for "Brexit" began, the
value of the pound has really been affected. It now costs me over 30% more to
buy foreign currency and it is really beginning to affect the work.
Eric has been a guide and friend for over
thirty years. He is a tireless worker for the Lord. Each time I meet him he
tells me of His burden for small churches and for the need of evangelists to
visit. Most of these churches are struggling, not only through lack of members,
but financially as well.
Here in the Faroe Islands I attend isolated
churches with very small congregations. The Faroes depend upon fishing for
their economy. Little villages often depend upon their fishermen and small
fishing boats for work.
I spoke at one Evangelical Church a few weeks
ago who depend upon fishing to survive. "Twice" in the last fifty years the
majority of the male members have perished in storms. This has left the wives,
children and the old men to keep the Church going.
It is an honour to visit such places and join
with them in prayer and thanksgiving. If you have a struggling church near you.
Why not join them once a month and let them know that you care.
To build the Church and make it really grow
depends uon grow depends
upon YOU.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
E mail thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Web. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Spring 2017
Dear Friends.
First of all I apologise for the very long delay in writing a newsletter.
The winter has been long and hard for me and it is wonderful to see the spring
sun and feel the warmth of the approaching summer.
Each day has been a battle for me with persistent tiredness and it has been so
hard to concentrate on anything. At last I know what has been wrong with me and
can do something about it.
After talking with Doctor Rob and a blood test it appears that the sugar
diabetes has taken a hold on me and I suffer from a lack of certain vitamins
and minerals. I now must sound like a babies rattle with the amount of tablets
I am taking, but Praise the Lord, things are getting better at last.
The van has been giving trouble recently and the M O T is due next week.
I arrived at the garage I use last week and two mechanics have worked on the
van for six days to bring it up to the mark for me.
The prop shaft has been replaced because it was so worn out it was dangerous, The back brakes have had to be renewed because they were not
working properly. The brake drums looked like something from a scrap yard and
have been replaced. On Monday I take the van for the M O T and pray it will
pass. Then must pay the bill. How I Praise The Lord that even after 21 years of service My Lord still
supplies ALL my needs. He is so Gracious to me.
I leave the
A number of people have contacted me and I have promised to visit the
I must say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who pray for me. It is your
prayers that keep this work going forward and I thank you for taking the time
to remember me before the Throne of Grace.
I would ask you to continue praying for Wisdom and Strength for me. I find it
hard to believe that I am now 71 years old and once again on the verge of a
Great Adventure.
Please make my work easier by dropping me a line of encouragement this year.
I am NEVER alone, but at times I really pray for an Email or letter from
someone. As I get older I find I miss hearing from my friends even more.
May
God Bless You
Your
friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
(Cannock
E Mail thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone 0044 7818230279
July 2016
My friends.
Once
again I am on the road and heading onwards and upwards.
The
trip to the
After
a peaceful sail on Norrona to
Midsummer
was spent in the Kuhmo area of
I
was amazed and rather confused when I had a clear message to head south for Tallin in
After
much prayer I set off on another long journey to
On
arrival in Tallin I headed south through
It
took two days of hard driving to get there and on arrival I wished I had
stopped away
It
has become a shrine to Facism and the forest car park
has become the meeting place for teenagers and the late night centre for
lovers.
The
last time I drove through
My
next step was to find out the Lord's will.
I
did not like what I felt He was calling me to do but when you walk in Faith you
do as you are told.
After
my experience at Salas pils I did not want to visit
any more concentration camps but My Will has nothing to do with My journey.
It
took me three days and nearly a thousand miles of driving bad roads to reach Austwich.
Since
childhood I have heard of the terrible crimes committed in that place but never
desired to visit.
It
took a full day to walk round the camp and when I finally emerged I felt so
empty and sad. Tears would not stop flowing as looked at the Photographs I had
taken but words could never describe my inner feelings.
The
following morning I visited the sister camp "Birkenau"
It
was here the trains full of Jews and other ethnic minorities were sent to die.
I
followed a party of American students on the five Kilometre walk around the
camp and stood to one side and listened to the terrible story from a young
lecturer. Many of the young people were in tears as we stood amongs't the devastation of the crematorium and the Gas
Chambers. Everything had been dynamited by the SS before they fled the area,
It
was in that place I found one of the reasons for my visit.
The
lecturer had called a ten minute halt and the young people took time to sit and
chat amongs't themselves.
I
moved a short distance away from the group and sat on a nearby seat.
I
realised that I was being spoken to by a pretty young lady and she was being
friendly to a stranger,
Why
are you here ? she asked.
I
invited her to join me and gently told her of my visit and my reactions to the
two camps.
But
why are you here ? she asked
again.
I
told her a little of my story and why I travelled for Jesus. I spoke of "Corrie
ten Boom" and her time in Ravensbruk over the border
in
I
then spoke of Our Heavenly Father and how He sent Jesus to both Jews and
Gentiles.
I
looked up at her and realised we were not alone !!
All
the young people had come over and silently listened to our conversation,
nearly a hundred heard of the "Hope of Life" in a place of death.
The
group moved on and I stayed to pray and receive the communion I had promised to
take in the grounds of the Death Camp.
As
she was leaving my young friend spoke to me again.
Do
you know who we are ? she
asked.
No ! I
replied, you are just very nice young people.
We
are "ALL JEWS"
Our
parents and grandparents asked us to come here and told us to learn.
They
came to witness Death but heard about Life.
There
are five Death Camps in
Everything
in Ravensbruk is written in German except for a
couple of exibitions.
All
was spotless and most of the buildings were still standing.
The
SS exibition had a section dedicated to the Hero's of
the camp.
One
small section was about a true Hero of mine, and millions of Christians
worldwide.
Corrie Ten Boon.
I
do not desire to return to these places of death but if the whole episode was
just to speak to a hundred young Americans. It was time well spent.
The Web Master
has kindly put new pictures pages on the site. It will take a while but I have
many photos to upload. Austwich has already been
started if you want to look
Where
Next ? Onward and Upward as I follow the route my
Father has Planned.
God Bless
Your
Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
(
Highways for Jesus
PO Box1, Magherafelt. County
Londonderry, BT45 9AD
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
June 2016
My Friends.
May I first of all apologise for the very long delay in writing to you.
It has been a very long and often cold winter which has given me health
problems.
You may remember the health issues I faced when I visited the Faroe Islands
early last year. I was very ill with the results of a bad attack of
hypothermia, Without the intervention of my friends in Fuglafjordur and
prayers of friends worldwide I could not have survived. I still shudder
when I remember that terrible feeling of helplessness as I struggled with
total lack of energy.
When I finally arrived back in the United Kingdom I turned into a modern
day "Rip Van Winkle" and kept falling asleep for hours at a time.
During the last few weeks I have had difficulty eating and even found it
impossible to concentrate when I used the computer.
How I pray that at last the nightmare period is over and I am able to give
my ALL, to the service of The King.
At last a diagnosis has been found. I have a mild form of Diabetes, it is
in the early stages and only requires a change of diet and more care.
Since beginning this newsletter I have left the United Kingdom and driven
through Holland, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. I am now in the Faroe Islands.
As always, the people here have made me very welcome and I have been busy.
Last Sunday I preached at Hebron Church in the area of Argir. The sermon
has been put on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uHuHEiarY0) and it is worth watching.
This weekend is the going to be very busy. Friday I speak to the youth at
Hebron and on Saturday I pray that the work distributing the Gospel of John to
every home in Torshavn will be completed.
Please Pray as I prepare to head off on Sunday for Sweden and then to Kuhmo
in Finland.
God Bless
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt.
County Londonderry. BT45 5QY
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Web
www.highwaysforjesus.com
Phone 0044 7818230279
My Dear Friends.
Another year has
begun and the time has come for me to write a Newsletter. Time flies by and I
seem to be getting older at twice the normal rate. I wish all my readers a
Blessed and Joyful year as you strive to serve our beautiful Saviour.
Last year was epic with many wonderful
memories of the Lord moving in the lives of so many people.
I spent Easter in the Sandviken
area of Sweden where my friend Bengt had arranged
many meetings for me and he once again proved a brilliant translator.
I pray the Lord will allow me to return to
Sweden this year to meet up with my many friends.
My trip through the Tigre
Forest began at the eastern end of Belarus and continued through Lithuania,
Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Norway as I followed the roads and forest tracks
along the Russian Border to finish the trip on the banks of the Barents Sea.
As always, the highlight of the tour was
my visit to the British and the German Memorials situated at the Alta Fjord in
Norway. These memorials are to the memory of sailors on both sides to men who
died during the sinking of the German Battleship "Tirpitz".
Each year I leave a red poppy at the memorial from the Christians I represent
in my wonderful work. Last year I was able to leave a wooden cross made by the
Royal British Legion. It seemed to be the correct thing to do as we celebrate
the centenary of the first world war.
I believe that this years
trip abroad will be my final venture into foreign lands for a while but this is
up to the Lord and not my desire. Last year I travelled through 23 different
countries and I find that it is getting too much for me as I reach the age of
seventy in just a few months.
The work still continues but seems to be
changing direction and the Lord is moving in a wonderful way. Not only in my
life but in the ministry I represent.
When I returned from my trip to the outer
and inner Hebrides I headed to Bristol to meet up with friends.
Whilst there I heard a friend had died.
I had known Margaret for many years and
during my last years of alcoholism she had never turned her back on me. Her
sister Susan is married to a cousin of mine and I watched their two boys as
they grew up and went to junior school.
At the funeral I once again met up with
the family.
John is the youngest and is now in his
late twenties. I must say I did not recognise him when I saw him again.
He asked questions about my work and then
asked if he could come on a trip with me to Ireland. I said NO.
During the next few days I was asked to take
John with me by each one of the family and then my doctors became involved.
The reason for the requests soon became
evident. John had a serious problem with
cannabis and the habit was out of control.
The Lord spoke into my heart and
eventually I said yes and agreed John could meet me in Dublin a couple of weeks
later.
I had never taken a passenger before and
dreaded the test ahead of me.
John arrived at 7 30 am and I decided to
take him to County Kerry. After a two day tour around the Ring of Kerry we made
our way to Listowel and my friends at the Christian
Fellowship.
What a welcome awaited us there and I
certainly appreciated the way they took John under their wings.
I was given a break as Christians took
John home for the day and went to a lot of trouble to welcome a stranger into
their midst.
After week I drove John back to England
and into the welcoming arms of his parents.
Two months have passed and John is still
not using drugs.
How I praise the Lord for the miracle in
John's life.
My dear friend Wesley Forde
has helped me during the winter by giving me access to electricity and heating
whenever I was in the Dungannon area. He has been a
true brother in Christ to me during a very cold winter.
I leave for the Cork and Kerry area later
this week and due to the number of calls and emails I have received it has been
decided that I once again head for the Faroe Islands
in April.
I pray you will have a
Blessed year as you serve the Risen Saviour.
God Bless You
Your Friend In Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1 Magherafelt. County Derry.
Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD.
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
North Cape. Norway, June 2014
My Friends in Jesus.
As I sit
here on the top of the world, looking out over the Arctic Sea. I begin to feel
that the years are slowly creeping up on me.
The past week has not
been good here with weather that can only be experienced at the ends of the
earth. Snow, wind, torrential rain and sub zero temperatures are all part of
life here in the far north.
Next month I
celebrate my 69th birthday and four weeks later will be my true day of birth as
I celebrate 18 years on the road for Jesus. It is hard to imagine what would
have happened to me if I had not said YES to Jesus all those years ago.
This year I have
travelled many thousands of kilometres and have visited or reached the borders
of 17 countries. I have seen many wonderful things as the Holy Spirit has moved
with individuals and congregations in the northern hemisphere.
I had a super time
whils't in Finland and it was really special to meet up with my friends again
in Kuhmo.
I left the town feeling
really exhausted because of the amount of meetings I spoke at. Day after day I
spoke in three or four meetings and also joined the church groups as they
proclaimed the Gospel in the market square.
Passing the Arctic
Circle I called in to see Santa and after a chat with him I gave him an English
Bible. He even insisted on coming out to see my home and having his picture
taken beside the Jesus Bus.
Following the road to
the Russian border I arrived at the town of Salla and called in the local
supermarket.
Crossing the car park
I became aware of a young man selling Garden plants. As I passed by I said
hello and He smiled and asked my name.
I recognised him but
could not remember why.
It turned out that I
spoke in his school four or five years ago and at the age of 13 he was one of
my translators.
What a joy it was to
meet Nikko again and speak about Jesus to him.
He told me that he
was working for the summer and thinking about university.
I was delighted when
He told me He was studying Languages and wants a degree to become an
Interpreter.
I feel so proud of
the way the Lord uses me when I see people like Nikko.
"Please Pray for this
terrific young Gentleman" He will go far.
Onwards and always
Northwards I go.
In the town of
Lakselv I met up with Ida Johnston.
She works for CEF
"Child Evangelist Fellowship" and has served the Lord for years in this very
remote but beautiful area of Norway.
It was good to talk
about our mutual friends in Ireland and to leave her with some goodies for her
enjoyment.
The Web Master designed and
built this web site when he was still at school and eleven years later he is
still the webmaster and a close friend.
He has left
university and has started work in computers. I really wish him well in his
future. I am sure His parents are as proud of him as I am. Congratulations
The Web Master from us ALL.
For years I have had
problems getting my mail when on the road.
Brian Fleming has
agreed to send it to me when I am travelling abroad and I am really grateful to
him. I have just opened some personal letters and they brought me great
pleasure.
I may even get some
Birthday Cards this year.
I now head south
towards the UK but do not know where until my Father tells me. Please Pray.
God Bless You
His Friend and Yours
Brother Clifford
"North Cape. Norway"
Highways for Jesus
PO BOX 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD.
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone 07818230279
October 2013
My Friends.
I must admit that each
time I sit down to write to you I have no idea
what the newsletter will contain.
I depend upon the
Holy Spirit to reveal to my mind events
and situations that have happened to me in the last weeks.
Most of you will know
that once again I have changed my vehicle and now drive an Eight metre long
American Motor Home.
How I wish I had
bought one of these vehicles five years ago. I still find it a little difficult
to drive as the vehicle is left hand drive and much wider than the last
motorhome, but I will soon get used to it.
I have had a problem
with a gas fire I was using. It was brand new but had a fault which could not
be seen. I finished up with a very bad case of carbon monoxide poisoning and
have been quite unwell for nearly a month.
Thank God for the
faithful prayer warriors who upheld me through the bad experience and now I am
nearly back to full health. I have received the results from the doctor from
the many tests I had earlier this year " All Clear"
Earlier this year I
visited Iceland for a few weeks and prayed the roads around that beautiful
country. I was told that the son of Billy Graham was going to visit Iceland for
a two day festival.
Whils't I was praying
I felt the Lord was asking me to pray for a reawakening of the gospel in the
land. As I travelled the roads I prayed for the ministry of Franklin Graham and
the preparation going on behind the scenes. The festival has now been held with
astounding results.
Hundreds of people
have made decisions to follow "Jesus" and now we await the will of God for
Iceland.Please pray for the new christians and the church in Iceland.
On the way back to
Britain I called to see my friends in the Faroe Islands. During my time there I
was able to speak to the youth of the town of Klaxvik and made many new friends
there.
The meeting was
arranged by the youth leader "Margith" and it was a real pleasure to encourage
the young people. "Margith" revealed to me that she had just been told by the
doctor she was expecting a child in the Autumn. I was able to pray for her and
today received an Email from her.
I am sure you will
all join me as I pray for "Naomi" the little girl born on 6th
September to a lovely christian family.
I write this from the
wonderful Shetland Islands.
The Lord instructed
me to return here after a break of over four years. It has been good to meet up
with friends I have not seen for so long. I have been made so welcome by the
people of the islands. I have been very encouraged by the number of people who
have contacted me and called to see me as I parked in many different locations
around the islands. I am so pleased the Lord has once again given me the
desires of my heart.
In 2000 I drove a car
and caravan round the perimeter of Ireland. This was my first experience of the
ministry of prayer and encouragement. The new vehicle is dedicated to prayer
and is being used mightily as christians and those in need call in for a quiet word with a passing stranger.
The book of my
testimony is going out like hot cakes and is proving very popular. I am getting
phone calls and Emails from Scandinavia and the UK from those who have been
given the booklet. I praise the Lord for the lives changed because of the way
Jesus has changed MY life.
I will be back in
Londonderry for christmas this year and look forward to receiving christmas
cards to decorate the lounge of my new home. Last year I received 33 cards and
still take them out and read them on a regular basis. I also take time to pray
for each of the kind people who took time to remember me. May I take this
opportunity to welcome the new readers of this newsletter and hope the contents
will encourage you to pray and become part of this wonderful ministry.
Later this week I
head for the Orkney Islands.
May God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
SHETLAND.
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email
thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone. UK 07818230279
August 2013
My Friends.
It has been an
unusual winter for me and I seem to have been waiting for hospital test results
or being examined by doctors for ages.
As I write this I am preparing to go for even more tests on Tuesday.
I was asked to send samples for testing and because of the inconclusive
results I must have a colonoscopy examination to find out if anything is wrong
with me.
I have thought long and hard about the future and realised that if I have
to have surgery the motorhome would not be suitable because of the lack of
space.
I was left with two alternatives. Find a house and settle down in
retirement or, change the vehicle.
I had to take out a large overdraft but I am now driving a motor home that
should allow me to rest and recuperate and also it is far more suitable for the
work I do.
I can now allow people inside and hold prayer meetings for up to eight
people in comfort.
I hope to have pictures of the vehicle on the website within a few days and
will soon have slogans stuck to the outside.
The motor home has a large lounge, seperate shower and bathroom. Best of
all it has a real cooker and I no longer have to live on fried food. It even
has a real bed with storage facilities underneath. All I have to do now is pray
that the Lord will supply the money to pay off the overdraft and allow me to
continue serving him for the rest of my life.
During the year I have travelled around Ireland and the Lord has used me on many occasions to pray for people. I
firmly believe that the future of this mission will be the distribution of
tracts and prayer.
The mission to Iceland and the Faroe Islands in May and June was a great
success but the cost of transporting the
vehicle was crippling.
I do not think I will return to those beautiful Islands unless I go on
holiday or the churches decide to contribute towards the heavy costs.
I would like to thank the kind people who sent birthday cards to me and
telephoned their good wishes on the day.
My future plan is to return to Northern Ireland before driving through
Scotland and heading for Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides.
I would hope to be back in England
by November and will continue travelling the United Kingdom throughout the
Winter.
I will then be available to speak at churches and home groups if I am
invited.
If anyone wants to drop me a line at the above address I should be in
Northern Ireland very soon. This all depends upon the doctors reports and
decisions and also depends entirely upon the Lord supplying the finance
required.
It feels good to once again being totally dependent upon the Lord for
everything and setting out on a great adventure for Him. How I hope you will
join me in prayer as I seek His face in PRAYER for those who need His touch so
much.
I have been told that my dear friend Norman Sommervile of Limavady in
Northern Ireland has been admitted to hospital for a triple heart byepass.
Norman has been a close friend of mine for over 15 years and has been a
true prayer warrior. He is very involved with Limavady Baptist Church and is a
tireless worker for the Lord. Every Easter he has his own programme on the
church radio station and wherever I may be in the world,He invites me to take
part in the midnight programme and welcome in Easter day.
Many years ago he began a youth club in
a very hard part of the town and still runs it four nights a week.
During the day he helps run an old folks day centre just outside Londonderry.
Please pray for the dear brother and Betty his wife in the coming days. Norman
is older than me and works twice as hard. One of our unsung Heroes.
Please forgive me if I do not update the web page as often as before, I
find myself getting very tired in the evening and because so few people
actually leave a message I often feel very alone.
I also know where these thoughts come from and realise that over a thousand
people a week read my comments.
Please keep me in your prayers as I once again face an uncertain yet
certain future. But whatever the future may have in store for me I know with
certainty where I will spend Eternity.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Web Page www.highwaysforjesus.com
My Friends.
July 2013
Once again I must
send my thanks to all who have prayed for me during the last months.
I look back at the first part of my tour in Iceland and the Faroe Islands
with a feeling of awe. The trip to Iceland was very hard for me as it was still
winter when I arrived there and even though I had winter tyres on the motorhome
it was hard work driving.
My first hurdle faced me as I left Seydisfjordur and headed over the
mountain to Eglisstadir. I soon reached the snow line and found the side of the
road littered with cars and lorries that had lost grip on the icy road.
I kept on driving and praying as I negotiated the treacherous summit and my
first experience of driving in a blizzard where I could not see the road in
front of me.
I was able to stay in Iceland for over six weeks and met up with so many
wonderful people as I travelled around the country praying for the country and
the people and homes I passed on my 6,000 mile journey .
If I tried to put down on paper the miracles I witnessed I would be writing
for weeks.
My time on Westmanna was a time of joy for me as I met up with so many
friends from all over Scandinavia at the Gideon's annual conference.
I was also able to record some tv and radio programmes whils't I was in
Iceland but still await a copy of the tv interviews to put on the web page.
As always I really enjoyed my time on the Faroe Islands and was made really
welcome by the christian friends in villages and towns all over the Islands.
I was able to join the three Evangelical churches as they joined together
for their Easter conference and was able to record and copy hundreds of CD's of
the meetings over three days.
I have been visiting the Faroe Islands since the year 2006.
The Lord reminded me that during my first mission I had promised to visit
the Islands for seven years. This means that my time of mission in the Faroe
Islands has now been completed and I must now find out what The Lord desires of
me in the coming days.
I have really enjoyed my time of mission
on the Faroe Islands and I am sure that many of the residents will
remember me in the coming days.
I made many friends during my time on the Faroes and I have spoken to a
large percentage of the youth and children about my friend "Jesus" and I pray
that I have left a lasting witness.
In 2008 I was able to have printed 30,000 gospels of Luke and have them distributed
to every house on the Islands.
It is unfortunate but the cost of reaching the islands has now risen to a
level that the work cannot support. I hope I will be sent to Iceland in the
future and then I can spend a few days visiting my friends as I pass the Faroe
Islands but that is not in my hands. If I do call it will be to visit friends
and visit some of the churches who have always made me so welcome.
I am writing this newsletter in a lay-by just outside Enniskillen as I
prepare to head for County Kerry and County Dublin.
I have known Claire Forde for a number of years and she would come to my
home every month with her parents to join in the prayer meetings. Whils't the
adults prayed, Claire and her brother Alan would watch videos and eat sweets
but she was always very special to me. I was so proud when I found out that she
had decided to train as a nurse and and has nearly completed her training..
I met Gavin on the Island of Westray. This is an island that is part of the
Orkneys, just a few miles from the top of Scotland. He came to Westray when he
was appointed pastor of the Baptist Church on the island.
On the 20th of this month the two of them will be married at the Lifeboat
Church in Dungannon. I promised to sing at their wedding and was so pleased
when they asked me to join them on their big day. It was a long way for me to travel and seemed to take for ever as I
sailed from the Arctic areas of Iceland to Ireland. But promises must be kept
if I am to be a true witness for Jesus.
Please pray for these lovely young people as they are joined together and
then return to Westray to serve our "Beloved Saviour". I pray that during the
service and reception, someone will make a decision to Follow Jesus.
It is many years since I was able to celebrate my birthday in the UK but
because of the wedding I will stay in Northern Ireland for an extra week to
celebrate with my friends and pick up my birthday cards on the big day. If I
get any!
A week after the wedding I will be 68 years of age. Looking back I stand in
awe as I realise what the Lord has done for me in the 17 years I have served
Him.
A man with two or three weeks to live and a one pound coin in his pocket in
1996 is still able to make a small contribution to the plan God has for the
world.I have not met many people with my background who are able to carry on
working at such a demanding job at my age. ( It must have something to do with
Jesus)
I will head for Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland and Norway when
I leave Britain in early August and once again pray my way through the largest
forest on earth.
Please keep on praying that the Lord will supply my needs as I once again
head out and endeavour to serve our Mighty King.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
PO Box
1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Web
Page. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Iceland
May 2013
My Friends.
It is only a couple of weeks
since I sent out a newsletter but I feel I must keep you up to date.
I have now completed a full circuit of
Iceland using the ring road that takes travellers through the most beautiful
scenery you could ever imagine.Yesterday I drove over the mountains to
Egilsstadir and then returned to Myvatn. The trip over the mountains was a
nightmare to drive. Fifty miles of heavy wind with snow blowing into the
windscreen. I had to wear sunglasses because of the intense whiteout and most
of the time I could only just see the road. The sat-nav told me that most of
the mountain drive was over 550 metres above sea level.
The wild life was nowhere to be seen. But in
the valleys were hundreds of thousands of geese, swans and ducks who are
waiting for the spring to arrive. Lakes are frozen over so they cannot build
nests yet.
I am now back in Akureyri and met up with Snorri. He is a pastor I have
not seen for over five years it was so good that the Lord allowed me to see
him. He has given up his job as a High school teacher because he was told to
teach things that his faith would not allow. "Praise the Lord for people of
concience".
I have put texts on the motorhome and will
upload pictures when I am able. At last passers by will know what the motorhome
is about.
The feedback I am receiving from my life
story booklet is quite incredible. I am getting a couple of phone calls every
week from the London area. Most of the calls are from Alcoholics or people with
drug problems. Because I am in Iceland the cost of telephone calls is very high
and I normally ring the person back. This helps the caller because they are not
always aware of where I am and it is not
a good witness to them if I allow them to run up massive phone bills.
I have just given permission for another five
thousand books to be sent to London for outreach work.
Please pray that I get many phone calls and
that the Lord supplies the finance required to pay my large phone bills.
I am aware that many of you pray for me on a
regular basis and I wish to thank you for the great commitment you have made to
me in this wonderful way. Do you ever wonder how your prayers are answered?
I received an Email a few months ago from a
young man I met in the Shetland Islands. He reminded me of our meeting at an
agricultural show in Voe. I remembered him instantly and wondered why he had
written after a gap of seven or eight years.
He informed me that he had written his life
story and had published it on E Books. I downloaded a copy and was thrilled to
read of our meetings in Shetland so many years ago.
The book is titled "Design for Life" by Peter
Jamieson and as I read it I was able to thank God that in a small way I was
able to help a young Christian. I was not alone in that meeting!!!!
The Prayers of the Saints ( YOU ) enabled me
to be a witness at the beginning of a young mans journey for Jesus.
If you have a Kindle ebook I would recommend
this very honest and well written book.
Tonight I am parked in a lay-by on the top of
a mountain, it is nearly midnight and I can still read without artificial light.There
is no darkness here at the moment and it is incredible watching the swans as
they prepare for nest building. Very few cars pass by and I am enjoying the
profound silence. I would love to meet the person who invented hot water
bottles. I have one on my knees and it
is certainly keeping the sub zero temperatures at bay.
My last newsletter certainly proved popular
and I received two replies from readers who have not contacted me for years.
Both of them revealed that they photocopy the newsletters and distribute them
to friends and church members.
Replies like these are an inspiration to me
and make me want to share my travels with you. So often I get no replies for
months and I wonder if it is worth the effort of updating the Visitors Page or
writing the newsletters. I am sorry but I am human and often feel isolated.
One of my major needs as I travel is finding
places to charge up the batteries for my power supply in the van. I have been
fortunate that I am often asked if I need electric and I am able to charge up.
If not it costs a fortune using caravan sites.
I decided to use a gift of money given to me
by a supporter and install a solar panel on the motorhome roof. It was
expensive but I bought one and my friend Oliver and his son Johannes from the
Faroe Islands installed it. I have been amazed by the reult of this small
devise. I can now travel for five days without recharging. At the moment it is
generating electricity for 24 hours a day. It does not go dark here. I am now
praying for funds to buy another solar panelwhich I will need in the winter.
I hope to send another newsletter very soon.
Your
Friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry. Northern
Ireland. BT45 9AD
Telephone U.K. OO44 7818230279
Email
thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
May 2013
My Friends.
As I travel the roads of
the Northern Hemisphere I am constantly amazed by the beauty that surrounds me.
I am travelling
through Iceland at the moment and the scenery here has to be seen to be
believed. I have been here on a number of occasions but I never tire of the
incredible majesty of the snow capped mountains or the wind stirred oceon that
surrounds this land.
I arrived here two
weeks ago and was greeted by a snow storm. The sail from the Faroe Islands was
all I desired as the boat tossed and rolled it's way through a lovely storm. I
do not like calm seas when I travel but seldom get the opportunity to use the
seat belts fitted to the beds on the ship Norrona.
My first stop on the
tour was at the village of Hofn where I was greeted by my friend Steiner and
made very welcome.
The evening I arrived
was prayer meeting night and I was delighted to hear that the Billy Graham
organisation were planning a weekend Festival in September. The speaker will be
Billy Grahams son "Franklin" who has now taken over the work from his father.
It was during the
prayer meeting that I felt God speaking to me and silently whispering the
reason for my visit to the country.
My task is to travel
the road around Iceland and pray for the Glory of God to surround this land in
preparation for the coming Festival.
I have passed many
solitary houses and isolated villages on my way and have been able to pray for
them as I slowly passed by.
I stayed in Hofn for
a few days and then continued along the road to Rejkavik.
On the way I took
diversions along roads I have never travelled before. The double decker buses
made me travel the main routes and I could not gain access to many isolated
villages and viewing area where tourists gather. This has now changed
dramatically!
After spending a
couple of nights observing the Icebergs and Glaciers I moved on to Gullfoss
waterfall and Geyser.
When the tourists had
left at the end of each day I was left alone to enjoy the total silence that I
love so much.
Sitting outside the
van at midnight with a cup of tea and staring at the stars does something to
the soul that words or music cannot compete with.
It was a special time
of communion with our Lovely Saviour which I will always cherish.
Last week I caught
the boat to the Island of Westmanna and I am still here.
I was greeted by my
friend Steingrimmer and his wife and son.
These people are old
and treasured friends who have served the Lord on this volcanic island for many
years.
I look out of the van
window at the volcanoe towering above me and recall that in 1973 it caused
great devastation here as it erupted. No one was hurt but every islander had to
evacuate the island.
Many homes were
covered in volcanic ash and quite a large number are still buried. A project
has now started to try and excavate houses as a tourist attraction.
This weekend was a
special weekend for the christians of Westmanna.
Gideons International
held their annual conference at the local Pentecostal Church.
I went to the service
today and was greeted by so many people from countries all over the northern
territories.
Men and women I have
spoken to over the years made me feel so special as they remembered this old
tramp for the Lord.
Something is
happening in Iceland!!!!
The Gideon
Conference, Franklin Graham Festival and sending myself on a round the nation
Prayer Drive.
God is moving and
much prayer is required. Please join us as we pray for the Glory of God and a
move of the Holy Spirit on this Island at the top of the World.
If you can find the
time I would dearly love to hear from you.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. BT45 5QY
Telephone 0044 7818230279
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Web
www.highwaysforjesus.com
April 2013
My Friends.
At last I can say with certainty that my
health has improved and after months of trouble I feel well and able.
I write this newsletter from the Faroe Islands. The motorhome is parked on
the top of a mountain overlooking a beautiful Fjiord and the sun is shining. At
night the temperatures are dipping below freezing point and the mountains and
high ground are covered in snow but I have nothing to complain about as my
friends here are really looking after me.
On this trip I seem to be speaking to a lot of children and young adults
and I am certainly enjoying myself as I see the words I utter bring
encouragement to our future adults.
The Easter weekend was spent on the Island of Suderoy and it was good to be
part of the annual conference for the Evangelical churches.
I brought a cd copying machine with me and was able to to copy all the
services for distribution amongst those who attended and also for those who
could not get to the meetings.
It was hard work and I only found time to sleep for four hours out of forty
eight, but it really was worth the trouble. I must thank Ivor from Monaghan for
getting me the blank CD's at a real good price and for making the outreach
possible.
The motorhome is doing a good job but I am still desperate for space to
store things. As the tour goes on it will be much easier because much of the
literature etc will have found new homes.
The Lord has been truly gracious to me this winter and has led me onwards
to speak to many people. It was a truly special time for me when I was led to
Listowel Christian Fellowship in County Kerry. The people there really looked
after me and I was able to sleep and recuperate for over three weeks.
Every day I was visited by a member of the congregation with food and this
seemed to be the turning point for me.
I was also able to spend much time in prayer as I prepared for the future.
I would like to thank those of you who supported me in prayer during my
time of testing. To those who wrote to me by mail and Email or sent messages by
the Visitors Atrium "Thank for caring"
I have been here in the Faroe Islands for three weeks now and leave on
Monday for a six week tour of Iceland. During my time there I feel I should fly
to Greenland again.
I must be honest and admit that I really do not desire to revisit Greenland
but feel the Lord is leading me there for a reason. He has not yet revealed the
area He wants me to visit but I am sure all will be made clear in the near
future.
The weather forecast for Iceland is not very good but I now know that my
new vehicle will stand the test and keep me warm and safe.
Once again I would like to pass on my thanks to my dear friend Eric who
runs "Caleb Initiative" The charity that looks after donations sent to support
this work.
I have found that donations given directly to me have decreased because the
vehicle I now drive is not as visitor friendly as the big buses.
I am sure things will pick up when the summer comes but I would really
appreciate your prayers in the coming days.
I received an Email from a very close friend this morning. During the
latter part of my drinking days, Steve and Cill were very supportive and prayed
for me on a regular basis. During the days of this work I have been able to
depend on them to be around if ever they are needed.
Yesterday they got results from a cancer scan that revealed a couple of
small cancerous nodules in Cill's lung.
An operation will be needed to remove them and I ask if you will PLEASE
include these lovely people in your prayers. I will keep you all updated as I
am informed of progress.
Please keep me in your prayers as I once again set out on the Road to Glory
and please pray for many opportunities to share the Gospel and love of Christ
as I travel onwards.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. BT45 5QY
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
January 2013
My Friends in Jesus.
Another year
has begun, but what wonders does it hold for each one of us ?
I reflect upon all that has passed and see
the hand of God working so plainly in my life.
I look back at the way the Lord led me to
meet the farming family in Latvia and the incredible way He used myself and
supporters of this mission to help them in their time of need. When I arrived
at their farm in 2011 I found the whole family living in one room. They had no
real furniture, no running water or decent sanitary ware. The children ran
around with no shoes on their feet and everyone ate their meals with their
fingers because they had no cutlery. When I left them this year the whole
outlook had changed.
They had a real bathroom with a shower and
hot and cold running water which is pumped from a small pond at the bottom of
their field. The father of the family has found work and can support his large
brood. All the rooms are decorated and clean with new furniture supplied by the
people of Finland and Sweden. I arrived on my final visit to find the whole
family rejoicing because they had hired a large marquee and just completed a
one month tent mission in the centre of their city of Aluksne.
I found it difficult but also felt
supported by the Love of God as I said goodbye to the family in early July.
Only the Holy Spirit could have given the knowledge and strength required to
close a chapter of my life at the right time. We must all remember that He
gives us tasks for a season to glorify our Heavenly Father. We must hear and
obey Him when He tells us to leave the task in His hands.
The work in 2012 was operated from a
converted lorry but it was really a suitable vehicle to do the work I wanted to
do. The Lord used it mightily for the work
as I carried Russian literature around Scandinavia ant the Baltic
States.
The children of The Faroe Islands will
never forget the Easter celebrations of 2012 because I took hundreds of Easter
eggs to give away. The conference I was able attend on the Island of Suderoy
was a true blessing and was engraved upon my heart as a special time in the
work.
I spend a lot of my time speaking to the
children and young adults when I visit the Islands and how I pray the Lord will
nourish His Word in their young hearts.
Once again I was able to visit my friends
in Finland and was able to arrange a delivery of 1,000 Christmas calendars and
Christmas CD'S to my friend Timo for the Russian residents in his parish.
Everything was in their native language.
In September I heard that Every Home
Crusade in Northern Ireland had sent another container of Russian Gospels to my
contact in Finland. I was told afterwards that the twenty foot container was so
full, not even a fly could have entered. These gospels should be in the right
hands by now in Russia.
The Lord led me into Norway and I was able
to visit a group of believers who had travelled to the top of the world to do
voluntary work. The team came from various churches in Northern Ireland and had
paid their own travelling expenses to visit a children's camp and do repair
work for two weeks. I had a great time and the work done was a credit to a
group of lovely people. I have been able to meet up with some of the volunteers
since I returned home to the United Kingdom.
I was able to spend some time travelling
in the remote areas of Norway and met many interesting people. The motor home I
was able to purchase with the help of some of my supporters is proving to be a
great asset but I am finding the living space rather cramped. I am sure I will
be used to it by the time I set off on my major tour in a few weeks time.
I sent everyone an Email last week to make
you aware of the revamp to my life story booklet. I have had a few replies from
friends who desired to edit the work but had already accepted the offer from
Chris Wright.
He is an accomplished Christian author who
has written a number of books and has now completed his work to both our
satisfaction's.
After the cover is designed the book will
be printed by Every Home Crusade and like the previous booklet it will be given
away to those who desire copies. I now begin praying in the money and deciding
how many to print.
Once again I must thank those who have
helped the work over the past year in so many ways.
I feel I should mention The Web Master who
has done a great job keeping up with the web site. I only have to ring him and
he drops everything and keeps the site up to date.
Also Eric Curnow is more than a friend to
me. He looks after the donations you send send to Caleb Initiative and spends
much time in prayer for the work. Eric led me to the Lord in the late 1970's
and still takes His role as spiritual mentor very seriously. I am very grateful
to him for his love and care over the years. I must also thank his wife Anne
for allowing Eric to spend so much time on my behalf.
Finally I must thank " YOU " for your prayers and help since I met you. Each
one of you are very special and a blessing to me.
To the thirty families and friends who
sent me a Christmas card last year, Thank you.
I have them in a special place and will re
read them many times during the coming year. It was the record number of cards
received since I went on the road permanently.
Please continue praying for me and it
would be great if someone actually answered .
May God Bless You
Your Friend in
Jesus
Brother Clifford
Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1.Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email
thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
UK Tel
07818230279
December 2012
Dear Friends.
Sitting in my new motor
home looking over the harbour and snow covered mountains of Fuglafjord in the
Faroe Islands fills me with such joy and peace.
The motor home has
given a few problems, but nothing like the problems in my last few vehicles.
The pipes for hot water kept bursting but I have been able have most of them
replaced and they now seem to be working properly.
I miss having an oven
for cooking but manage with a microwave when I have access to electricity, also
my living space is very limited but I will get used to it in time.
I last saw the
doctors a couple of months ago and got the all clear for the lung problems, but
still await the results from the culture tests which can take up to three
months. I am convinced that with "God on my side" and the amount of prayer
cover I am given from my many supporters that another miracle is being
performed.
It is good to be back
at work in the Faroe Islands and many new opportunities have opened up to me in
the last three weeks. This week I was requested to visit an old folks home and
sing for the residents as well as being able to give a short message. Because
of my age and white hair I was able to speak about death and the coming Kingdom.
All the residents and staff listened to me, and because of my age they took
notice of the message. How I pray that even one of them will find the reality
of Eternal Life in the coming days.
The work amongs't the
children and young adults is slowly growing. In fact I am finding that I speak
to the young people more often than I do to the adults.
This afternoon I will
travel over a couple of mountains and then through the undersea tunnel to
Klaxvik to speak to the young adults there this evening. Tomorrow I drive
through two mountain tunnels to speak to another youth club in the most
northerly part of the islands.
Because of my recent
illness I have had to change my lifestyle very drastically and now eat on a far
more regular basis. I also take more time resting including a daytime nap if it
is needed. Also I am being far more selective with my engagements and insist
upon taking time off for the body to recover properly.
I hope to be back in
the United Kingdom in late December and look forward to reading my Christmas
cards when I arrive in Northern Ireland. ( last year I received THREE)
If you can find the
time, please drop me a line to let me know that I am not forgotten by you my
wonderful friends.
I brought nearly two
thousand Gospel Calendars with me to the Faroe Islands and most have been given
away. I also was able to post a couple of hundred CD's of Russian christmas
carols and arrange for Russian Calendars to be delivered to Kuhmo in Finland
for the Russian residents there. Timo and his church will distribute them.
Also the Russian work
continues in my absence and a twenty foot container full of the Gospel of Mark
has been recieved in Finland for distibution in Russia, many thanks to "Every
Home Crusade" in Northern Ireland for printing them and then sending the
container.
The financial
situation needs much prayer and I request each one of my readers to remember my
needs at this time.
I hope to write again
before Christmas but pray that the coming days will be a blessing for you all.
God Bless You All.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
PS. I will be able to
get my mail in Northern Ireland when I arrive there later this month.
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt.County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
E mail. thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Mid September 2012
My Friends.
It is such a joy
to be able to communicate with you all in this wonderful way. You are such
special people who read the newsletters I send to all corners of the world.
These last few weeks have been very traumatic for me as I have been going
through so many tests at the hospital to try to find out what is wrong with me.
Yesterday was probably the hardest day, I was informed the day before to be
at hospital for an Endoscopy which is a very unpleasant test. It entails
swallowing a long piece of pipe with a camera attached to take pictures and
samples of the stomach. The doctor and nurses were very kind to me but the test
seemed to take forever and I was so relieved when it was over.
Up to now the doctors are not giving me much information but I have been
told that I have inflamation of the stomach and a shadow on my lung. Neither of
these conditions are too serious and up to now there has been no trace of
cancer.
Next week I go for a CT scan and that should give us more information.
My mouth is still full of ulcers but the bad rash in my groin area is
clearing up though still unpleasant.
All through these tests and the discomfort I have felt lifted up by the
prayers of so many of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for you
kindness.
During the week I went to look at another motor home and at last I found
one that fits the bill.
The vehicle is a 24 foot long Fiat Ducatto and even though it was more
expensive and out of my reach financially I left a deposit on it.
The motor home will be delivered on Friday and I pray that the extra Ł3,000
I need will have arrived by then.
When I saw the van and Doctor Rob and I inspected it, I knew that it was
the one the Lord had chosen for me.
The Motorhome is eight years old and has only done thirteen thousand miles.
The owner for the last two years is a mechanic and has kept the van in A1
condition. This week he is fitting a new timing belt and taxing the vehicle for
me.
Inside the van I will have toilet, shower, running hot and cold water and
seating for up to 9 people. It also has a large refridgerator and even though
it is not needed there is sleeping space
for up to seven people. Under the bunks at the back is a garage area for
tools and evangelistic materials.
For the last few years I have been able to carry vast amounts of literature
and many bibles. I was also able to deliver the Word of God for other
organisations as I travelled through Britain, Scandinavia and the Baltic
countries. I was also able to deliver furniture, food, toys and clothing to our
family in Latvia.
This vehicle will not be able to do these things. It is not big enough and
I am no longer able to carry heavy boxes any more on doctor's orders.
It is so exciting to go back to the work I have always loved.
The mission the Lord called me in to was the Highways and Byways, talking
to motorists and passers by. It is a work I love and a very fullfilling
ministry for me.
The last years have been very hard for me and I have really missed the
outreach part of the work.
I know that God told me to be part of
the bible ministry but unfortunately the transport costs have taken
their toll and donations just did not cover the everything needed. So often I
had to do without food because diesel or ferry fares were required. This has
taken such a toll on my health that it has had to stop.
For sixteen years I have fasted every day and lived on coffee and one meal
a day.
This is now over and I hope that plenty of good food and rest will bring my
health back.
Finally I would like to thank those who have contributed to the appeal for
the motorhome by sending gifts to Caleb Initiative, Pay Pal and directly into
my bank accounts. I even got a donation by post from a dear friend from Cannes
in the south of France.
Through all the years of service I have felt the hand of God on the work.
This year He has been very close to me and I know without a doubt in my mind
that He will keep all of His many promises written in His Word. As I write this
he reminds me that the people of the Jewish culture are" His Chosen People"
He also tells me that I am ADOPTED into His Family" and so are YOU"
Will you Please help me to purchase the Motor Home I believe God has chosen
for the work at this time.
You are my Sisters and Brothers, You are My Relatives in Christ, You are a
Vital part of the Work as it goes on into the last years of my life.
But more importantly, Will You Please Pray that our Heavenly Father is
Glorified as I continue visiting the hospial and prepare to travel the Roads for
Jesus.
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box
1.Magherafelt.
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Tel 07818230279
Dear
Friends september 2012
As
promised I am trying to keep you all informed about
the health problems that beset me at this time.
I
am writing this newsletter in Weston super Mare where I am trying to get some
rest.
I
am taking so many tablets at this time and I seem to be having a bad reaction
to some of them. Eating and Drinking is very difficult as I am finding it very
hard to swallow because of the inflamation of mouth
and tongue.
I
am also having to use baby cream because of a very bad
rash which is making walking and sitting very painful.
I
have to continue the courses of tablets to allow the lung infection to clear up
and then the doctors can diagnose the problem and treat it.
Next
week I will return to the hospital in
Living
in the van without a proper toilet or running water is beginning to cause
depression. I cannot work because people just cannot get into the van safely
and of course this means I am not getting the donations I need to live on.
John
and I have travelled all over the area looking for a Motor Home to continue the
work but everything is either out of my price range or they are falling apart.
I
must thank those of you who have contributed towards the new vehicle.
Eric
from Caleb Initiative has banked your gifts as soon as they arrive and I am so
grateful to him for his help at this time.
Three
people have made gifts through Pay Pal amounting to Ł500 and I
thank you for listening to the Lord and reacting so quickly.
I
am praying that more finance comes in very quickly or it could be the end of
the work.
Please
pray for an early solution to my problems at this time. I know it is an attack
from the enemy as he tries to stop me and I know he cannot win because " Jesus told me " He would never leave me or forsake me.
I
am praying that someone will offer a loan to get a decent vehicle or an
individual will help me to get back on the " Highways
for Jesus "
I
have made arrangements for my mail to be sent to me from the PO Box and pray
that "God will supply all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus"
God Bless You All.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for
Jesus
PO BOX 1. Magherafelt. County
Londonderry. Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone 07818230279
My
Friends.
News 28 08
2012
I know it is only a few days since I sent out my last newsletter.
I have had numerous telephone calls and emails since I sent it out and I
really want to thank those who have contacted me.
For so long I have sent out hundreds of newsletters periodically with only
three or four answers to each one.
I cannot thank the folk enough who encourage me on a regular basis by Email,
telephone and the Visitors Atrium , You are a true inspiration and help to me
as I travel the lonely road.
I have begun tests at the hospital to try to find out what is really wrong
with me. The first test was a medical and x ray at the local hospital in
Lancashire.
The x ray has revealed that the right side of my lung has a blockage which
has cut down the amount of oxygen getting into my bloodstream and this has
caused my constant exhaustion. This we believe is due to an infection or
something I have picked up during my constant foreign travel with different
changes of diet and water.
Doctors have discounted cancer at this time but I will keep you all updated
on a regular basis as to progress. I have been given antibiotics, steroids and
lung sprays to help combat the infection and they seem to be working well.
My appetite is back and I am sleeping normally at last.
Doctor Rob is being a true friend at this time and each day we are driving
around the area looking at motor homes.
They are all out of my price range ( free ) but we have seen some old ones
on our tours around.
I have to ask myself if God really wants me to represent Him in an old
broken down vehicle again. I got rid of the last bus because I had purchased
someone else's problems as I have done so often, but that was all I could
afford. I pray He will touch hearts and allow me to have a reasonable standard
of living.
Running Water, Showers, Heating and toilet facilities are taken for granted
in this day and age. Yet I have done without these things since I got rid of
the caravan in the year 2000.
At the age of 67, I want a little basic comfort as I head for
retirement, be it sooner or later.
I go to the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) for breathing tests and maybe a
CT scan amongst other tests and would ask for your prayers for healing.
Next Thursday I have another appointment for bowel and kidney tests to try
to find out why I was passing small traces of blood in my waste.
On Thursday I will drive to Bristol and Weston super Mare to meet up with
praying friends and to empty the van of the vast amount of literature etc I
have been carrying. This part of the work has now got to be reduced
significantly as I just cannot lift large weights anymore.
I will also have the opportunity to recharge the van batteries as it costs
around Ł12 a night on a camp site here and I have very little income coming in.
After the hospital tests I will have a period of waiting for results before
the specialists diagnose the problems and sort out the treatment.
How fortunate we are that in times of trouble we can pray for help and the
strength we need and accept without doubt that "God will supply all our needs
according to His Riches in Christ Jesus"
I know that He will speak into the hearts of His people at this time and he
will supply the vehicle I need so badly to continue reaching lost souls. I pray
that the one's he speaks to are aware of His tender pleading and are
willing to hear and do as He asks.
Each time I send out a letter like this I receive many replies quoting the
promises of God. I know many of those promises because I have lived by them for
over sixteen years. It is just unfortunate that whoever sells me a motor home
or packs my purchases at the supermarket will not accept promises.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless me as richly in the future
as He has done in the past.
With your permission I will send out progress reports as I am able about
the health and motor home situation.
Because I have not been working I find the pain in my shoulder is not too
bad and I pray it will soon disappear completely. I am told this is not likely
because I have no flesh on my right shoulder and the operation scar will always
cause pain.
On a lighter note I must
remind you all,
"Jesus Is
Truly Incredible and He loves You."
May God Bless
You.
Your Friend
in Jesus Christ
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
E mail thejesusbus@gmail.com
August 2012
Hello
Friends.
At
last I have been able to get my emails sorted out after Hotmail cancelled my
account. Please change your records if you can to the address above.
I
have now arrived back in
Recently
I have been having a lot of pain in my shoulder and feeling very tired all the
time. I then started having bowel problems and when I rang Doctor Rob (my
friend in
The
journey from
I
go for tests today and pray that results will be completed quickly and I will
soon be back on the road. I firmly believe the work is to carry on and this is
just a way of making me take a rest from constant travel.
I
have been told to get a smaller vehicle as this one is now far to large for me to manage.
This
van has really earned a place in the history of the work. It has travelled
through 14 countries and most of the northern islands of
I
believe I will stay in the
"God
will Supply" through the friends who read this letter and any other way he
desires,
This
year has been a real time of completion as I have once again travelled through
I
spent a couple of weeks in
I
then went on to Aluksne in
I was amazed at what " Our Father
" had done in just one year.
The
family had changed totally in just 52 weeks. The father is now employed by the
local authority and has a purpose in life. Last year they had four sheep but
now they have twenty four. The cow has calved and looks really healthy and is
giving milk for the children. The mother has bought 12 hens and a cockerel so
they now have eggs for the children. This year the family have been
instrumental in a month long tent mission visiting the town for daily outreach
meetings. They also look forward to a good harvest of cabbages and because of a
generous farmer in Ireland, they have a cabbage cutter that will take away a
need for the many hours of toil cutting up cabbages for saurkraut.
My
many friends in
The
Lord sent me to visit a childrens camp in
The
E6 in
I
will not be able to carry vast amounts of literature anymore because my body
will not allow it. I find carrying so many heavy boxes too much for me now.
People ask me to bring literature then do not have anyone to offload.
I
would appreciate your prayers for my health at this time and also prayer that
"My Heavenly Father" will supply all my needs according to His riches in
"Christ Jesus"
The
address at the top of the page will receive mail for me whils't
I am in the
I Remain
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Web Pages. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
June 2012
My Friends.
Time really passes
very quickly when the Lord has his hand on your life.
Since I wrote my last email in the Faroe Islands it has been a roller
coaster ride with plenty of up's and down's. As you will imagine!
I have travelled quite a few miles and once again I write from the
wonderful mountains at the top of Norway.
Each day is a miracle of grace with passers by calling to say hello and ask
questions.
The Lord seems to have changed my direction once again and now the work
seems to concentrate on talking to individuals about Jesus as they stop to
admire the pictures displayed on the van.
Last week I was at the northernmost tip of Europe, "North Cape" and when
the icy mist finally evaporated I beheld stunning views of the mountains and
the sea that vanished into a distant ice filled horizon. I could not stay long
as the temperatures and wind chill, taxed even this intrepid explorer.
I received an email a couple
of weeeks ago that a group of people would travel to the top of Norway to help
repair a summer camp at Hedesby run by the "Child Evangelism Fellowship".
After a thousand mile journey I eventually found the camp site and was made
so welcome by everyone.
Every participant in the project was from Ireland and I knew quite a few of
the people there. We joined together for praise and worship in the evening and
I was able to tell a little of my life story during the evening devotional
time.
I think the highlight of the evening was the chocolate fountain I brought
from England and the marshmallows donated to me ( by Titti ) in Sweden. We ate
till we could eat no more.
The cooking was done by the camp superintendant Ida Johnson from Ireland.
She is devoted to the work for children and has served in Northern Norway for
thirty years. I had heard about her but was delighted to meet a lovely "Child
of God" who is so dedicated to His service.
I was challenged by one of the ladies who wanted to do some cooking.
Everything I was asked for I seemed to have in the van, but Linda from County
Monaghan had a real challenge for me.
She wanted to make some sweets and after a prolonged search of the shops in
the area they could not find one small article to complete the recipe. "English
Condensed Milk".Something I have not eaten since I was a small child and an
item I would never use in my travels. I searched the food store in the van and
behold. One tin of Condensed Milk was found that someone had donated to me on
my travels.
I must have had it for five years and thought I had got rid of it.
A miracle of grace for His beloved
children.
A new page of pictures is now on the website devoted to Norway. Included
are pictures of the camp and the team of
volunteers from Ireland.
My time in Kuhmo was short and very busy. A massive concert in the local
concert hall was arranged and then came a week of prayer arranged by ALL the
churches. I was speaking every day and loving every moment.
I need to arrange a delivery of Gospels for Russia but cannot find a
storeplace anywhere. "Please Pray"
/ " If the Lord wants it then it
will happen."
At the moment I am surrounded by lovely scenery and have been truly blessed
this year. The summer is very late here in the far north and everything is
covered in snow. The roads are clear but many of the Fjiords are still covered
in thick ice. I still need my hot water bottle at night as the temperatures
plummet.
I cannot end this newsletter without mentioning our family in Latvia that I
was able to help last year.
I called on them when I left Sweden a few weeks ago and was amazed at the
turn around since my last visit. They were not the same in any way. Everyone
was laughing and mum and dad were praising the name of The Lord.
Papa is now working for the local government, The sheep have had lambs and
now they have a small flock of twenty, The cow is ready to calve and even
though it had been a hard winter. The food lasted until I brought new supplies.
The kids really enjoyed the full sized trampoline I brought with me and soon
youngsters and teenagers were bouncing their hearts out.
Last year I was taken by Dima (the mother) to visit her old school teacher
who had been bedfast in the local hospial for a number of years. She was a
glowing christian and so in Love with Jesus. I prayed for her at the time but
resigned myself to the fact that I could do nothing to help.The hospitals in
Latvia are very basic and short staffed with very few rescources.
I was delighted to find that Dima had shared her good fortune and brought
the teacher to live with the family. She was lying in bed surrounded by the
laughter of the children and looking twenty years younger.
All she wanted of me was a frame to help her to walk.
I will see her again in the near future and I have just what she needs.
"Isn't God Good"
I wonder what the Lord has in plan for me in the next few months.It can
only get better, or maybe a testing time is around the corner. Whatever it is,
I need your prayers.
I heard that someone came to listen to me speak and sing at an open air
witness in Kuhmo last year. The person recorded it on his mobile phone and then
played the recording to his friend.
The friend had never heard of me but he was polite and listened to the
recording.
THEN ACCEPTED JESUS.
This tour has taken me back to the
beginning of the ministry 16 years ago.
As I travel the Highways of Finland and Norway I am being approached by
many people who want to know more about the pictures and texts on the van.
It is leading to me being able to do what I love most, Just talking about
Jesus. Please pray that the seeds planted will fall on fertile ground and in
the Lord's time, we shall see the increase.
How can we ever thank such a Loving
God.
May God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways for Jesus
Web Site. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
May 2012
My Friends.
Once again I am on the road
and wondering just what the Lord has in the plan for me this year.
After a very
successful few weeks in Britain and Ireland I was really surprised when I felt
the Lord leading me to set off on my travels so early in the year. I don't
normally leave the United Kingdom until late April or early May. This year I
was ready to leave by the middle of March.
Before I left I felt
led to buy a pallet load of Cadburys Easter Eggs to take with me. I could not
understand why I needed to buy over four hundred easter eggs, but I would soon find out!
After the drive
across Denmark it was time to take ship to the Faroe Islands and meet up with
my many friends.
Within a couple of
days I was doing the job I love most, speaking to the young people about Jesus
in the villages of Fuglafjorder and Skala. Then it was on the ferry to the
island of Suderoy to join in the easter celebrations. It was here I found out
why I had to bring easter eggs to the islands.
To celebrate the Olympic Games in
London, Cadburys chocolate have organised a competition for their customers.
The prizes are tickets to the Olympic Games and the competition is only open to
residents of the UK. Easter eggs were not exported this year because of the
competition and the Faroe Island residents could not buy Cadburys this year.
This chocolate is by far the best seller in the islands and caused great
disappointment to the children.
I was speaking at the
evening meeting on Easter Saturday and was able to give every child an Easter
egg. In Skala my friend Jens and his wife went round every house in the village
and gave them to the children. The young people of Fuglafjorder also got one
each.
I took 416 eggs and
every one was given out, not one child was missed in the three villages I visited,
"God is really in control"
My
friend Gordon Martin arranged many engagements for me in Fuglafjordur, speaking
to the children, youth and adults.
I was
also able join Jack and Rosemari at a home meeting in Torshavn ( the capital
city) and speak to a house full of people and give away easter eggs.
It may
be the last time I am able to visit the Faroe Islands.
The
cost of travel from Denmark to the Islands means I just cannot afford the ferry
fare any more. All donations given to the work after speaking engagements did
not even cover half of the fare on Norrona.
From
The Faroe Islands it was the long drive across Denmark and Sweden to the town
of Sandviken.
I am
taking a few days off here to rest after a hectic winter. I do have a couple of
engagements before I leave and head for Finland and the Russian border.
My
first engagement in Kuhmo is on the 18th May. Timo (the priest) has
been offered the use of the concert hall to stage a concert, I was delighted to
be invited to take part in this outreach in such a lovely building with
terrific acoustics. I do hope someone records the event.
This
is followed by a week of prayer that is being organised and including all the
churches.
From
Finland I hope to drive down to Lithuania before I head north praying my way
along the Russian border. I will be driving on the forest roads through
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Lapland, Finnmark and Norway until I
eventually reach the North Cape on the coastline of the Arctic Ocean. This
point is also the most northerly point in Europe accessible by road. At this
point I will be closer to the North Pole than to Britain.
I was
speaking to my friend Eric this week. Eric was instrumental in leading me to
Christ many years ago and has proved more than a brother over the years. He is
one of the directors of Caleb Inituative, the charity people send donations to,
to help support this work when I am on the road. He was telling me that
donations to the work have dried up recently. I have a few supporters who send
donations by bankers order every month, but for some reason all other donations
have stopped. If things do not change soon I will be forced to stop travelling
and maybe even have to retire. Please, Please pray about this very serious
situation. The address of Caleb Initiative is,
4, West Road. Bishops Stortford.
Hertfordshire. England. CM23 3QP.
I have
had a number of emails from our family in Aluksne, Latvia who I was able to
help last year. Everyone is well and they have survived a very cold winter.
Thanks to the food and clothing I was able to take last year from the people of
Sweden and Finland. The winter was made much easier for everyone. I hope to be
able to give you more news in my next newsletter.
Please
continue praying for the work during this time of high unemployment.
May God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford (Sweden)
Highways for Jesus
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
11 March 2012
My Friends.
Time flies when you are
enjoying yourself.
This winter has flown
by with so many speaking engagements throughout the United Kingdom.
My trip to Ireland
was a real pleasure. It was a truly wonderful time in the Monaghan area with so
many speaking engagements planned for me.
I would like to thank
Stanley, Ivor and Elizabeth Lowey who supplied me with diesel and real
friendship whils't I was in their area. They made life so much easier for me.
Once again the van is
full to bursting with Sweets, soup, Russian Bibles and Literature and also new
clothing for the children in Latvia.
I am even carrying a
very old machine for cutting turnips for a family who needs it desperately.
I have a feeling that
this year is going to be the most exciting and challenging year of the
ministry. I am setting off from Britain at least two months eatlier than I have
ever done before. I sail for Denmark on Wednesday 21st March.
I do not normally
leave until May or June. Easter will be spent on the Island of Suderoy in the
Faroe Islands.
I am already seeing
evidence of higher costs due to the financial problems of the world. My sailing
to Denmark has increased by 15% and I expect this will be normal wherever I go.
I hope more of my supporters will be able to help me financially this year. I
still live the life of faith, but God also needs his people to help in a
practical way.
I have heard from our
family in Latvia I helped last year. It appears that it has been a very cold
winter and even the schools have had to close because of snow and ice.
This year the family
have been warm and the work done on the house
has made life easier. The greatest miracle was that the water continued
to flow through the pipes and drinking water was available all through the
worst weather, also they tell me that the food supplied has lasted them through
the winter.I hope to call and say hello them in the near future.What has God in
store for them in the future? How I wish I knew.
I pray that I will be
led to another similar situation this year.
For the last sixteen
years I have called to meet friends in Bristol and Weston Super Mare. It has
always been a good time for me but none of the churches wanted to use me.
This year things have
changed and I have been able to speak at many meetings. How grateful I am to Commander
John Ellis,RN retired who has worked so hard to make my name known in the area.
He has proved to be a true friend since I met him at my first ever meeting in
1996.
I bring greetings to
all my readers from Eric Curnow of Caleb Initiative.
Eric looks after
donations sent to me through the charity that he helps to run. Often I am
desperate for money and Caleb always seems to put money in the bank at just the
right moment. Their address is on the web site if you need it.
I will keep you all
informed as the Holy Spirit leads me on another great adventure.
The greatest part of
the winter has been the amount of young peoples meetings I have been asked to
give testimony to. This means so many people praying for me.
May God Bless You in
the coming days.
I Remain
Your Friend in Jesus.
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt.County
Londonderry.Northern Ireland. BT45 9AD
E Mail
brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone UK 07818230279
New Year 2012
My Friends.
Another year is
over and once again it is time to look forward.
A time to expect the "Lord" to do
great and wonderful things with each of us as we serve Him to the best of our
abilities. It is the time to Tell, to Proclaim,to Serve, to stretch out our
hands to our fellow human beings,but most of all "it is time to Pray".
The fields are white with a massive harvest, but where are the labourers?
Please join me this year in a New Years Resolution. Promise yourself and
promise "Our Heavenly Father" that each day You will try to tell just
one more person that "Jesus Loves You".
Jesus died for us!!! We should be able to live for him.
The last year has been a real learning experience for me as the Lord has
opened up new territories for me.
The work in Sweden and Finland was once again a real pleasure for me. I
have made so many friends in those two countries and look forward to returning
in the spring.
The town of Sandviken in Sweden needs much prayer at the moment. The town
relies upon the manufacture of steel and 90% of the employed adult population
work in the industry. I have heard that the steel works is being reduced in
size and many people are losing their jobs. This is a terrible blow to the
town, and to the christians there. ( Please Pray for these people)
In Kuhmo I was once again made really welcome and once again joined the
christians on many outreaches in the town centre. A work has started in the
Block House Flats amongst the addicts and people from other countries, Timo the
priest informs me that lives are changing as residents search for the reality
of "Jesus" and learn to trust Him.
I travelled as far north this year as it is possible to drive. I went to
the North Cape in Norway and left a bible on the Altar of the church there. At
the North Cape, I was closer to the North Pole than I was to England.
Once again I travelled the forest roads of Lapland and Finland as I
followed the Russian Border from top to bottom.
This year God sent me to three new
countries. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
These countries are very poor and many people suffer from real poverty.
The adult males travel to other countries for work to support their
families and relatives.
In Estonia I was able to leave a vast amount of literature in the Russian
language to be transported into Russia.
The border in Finland has been closed to the gospel this year and carriers
have had literature confiscated. Anyone reported preaching in the Karelia area
of Russia without permission of the state is subject to a very heavy fine.
I travelled through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania until I came to the end
of the Russian Border. This is the point where Russia, Belarus, Poland and
Lithuania meet.
A lot of my time this year was spent helping a family of ten in Latvia.I
met them as I entered the country in late July. The mother invited me to the
birthday party of their 17 year old daughter. It was onlywhen the party began
that I realised it was also MY birthday.
This family was like so many other families in Latvia. They were living day
to day in poverty. Very little food and no finance because no work is
available.
The home had no running water and I was devastated when I saw the
conditions that the children had to live and sleep in.
The christians of Sandviken and Kuhmo really came up to the mark when they
donated clothes, furniture, toys, food
and bicycles to the family. It took three visits to get everything there in the
lorry and I had to sleep in the cab because my room was full of donated goods.
I was able to use my savings to install the water supply and insulate some
of the outside walls. Furniture is no longer a problem as EVERYTHING required
was donated,including bunk beds for all the children.
For the two girls I was able to have the upstairs junk room turned into a
very pleasing bedroom decorated in PINK. They also have their own wood burning
stove and a seperate area for schoolwork and relaxing.
Thanks to the prayers of people like yourself I was able to extend the hand
of Jesus to strangers.
As I left Latvia for the last time I was able to visit an area just outside
Riga, The capital city of Latvia.In the forest area just outside the town of
Salispils was the site of the Jewish Killing Grounds during the last war.
It was a terrible experience to walk through such a place of sadness. I believe that
during my time there, the Lord did something to me that will last until He
returns.
My new transport has been very hard to use because of the lack of storage
space. I have been spoiled with the large buses and being able to carry massive
loads of literature. Now I don't have enough space for my personal belongings.I
will be carrying even less next year and trying to have a little comfort in my
living area.
My time in Scandinavia ended with a trip to the Faroe Islands. It was
really wonderful to return and meet up with my friends. I only stayed for three
weeks but came away very content. It is good to visit friends who allow me the
time to relax.
From there it was back to the UK and a visit to Weston Super Mare and
Bristol.
Prayer was answered for me as was invited to speak on many occasions and I
believe the message I delivered helped christians come closer to our beloved
Saviour.
I will be in Ireland for a few more weeks.!!!!!!Why not drop me a line
!!!!!!!!
I am now praying for the Lord's leading as I enter into the new year.
I am past retirement age and had hoped to finish work this year. This is
not to be!!
I an now convinced that I must carry on for another three or four years or
until the Lord Returns.
Please pray for me as I once again make ready to travel to places that most
people only dream of. The places of a billion fir trees and the remote Northern
Areas of the planet.
I cannot go without YOU behind me. I need your prayers and now I am
travelling into the Baltic Area I need more finance. Please pray that Our
Heavenly Father is Glorified.
Your Friend in Jesus.
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO BOX 1 Magherafelt.
County Londonderry. Northern Ireland BT45 9AD
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone 07818230279
Christmas 2011
MyFriends.
May I take this
opportunity to wish you a blessed and peaceful Christmas as we each reflect
upon the Joy that Jesus has given us.
I will be spending the season parked in a roadside layby waiting for anyone
to stop and ask questions.
As we all know! Christmas Day can be a bad day for so many
people in our communities. A world full of broken marriages. Those who are ill,
The Lonely, The Bereaved and most of all The Lost.
This mission is for all those people"and more"
Please remember me in prayer as you tuck into your christmas dinner this
year. I will be representing those who pray, as well as my Beloved Saviour.
I would really like to thank those who wrote to me this Christmas at the
above address. "I received eight christmas cards this year"
This is the most I have been sent since I went on to the road nine years
ago.
It looks like I will be spending January and February in Ireland and hope
that churches will contact me if they desire a visit.
I will be writing a report in the next few weeks and will email it to you
all.
Praying that you have a New Year FULL of Blessings.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO BOX 1.
Magherafelt.
County Londonderry.
Northern Ireland.
BT45 9AD
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone 07818230279
UK November 2011
My
Friends.
Another year of touring is
drawing to a close and soon I will be back in Northern Ireland for Christmas.
A
number of newsletter readers have requested my address to enable them to send
Christmas Cards. The address has been included in the heading for this letter.
This address is always available but I can only access it when I am in the UK.
If
anyone desires to write to me this winter please feel free to drop me a line
and I will do my best to reply to you before I leave in early March.
I will
be sending a full update to you all in the next few weeks.
God Bless.
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
web
brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
My
Friends.
I bring greetings from the
Salak family in Latvia.
The
people of Kuhmo really did us proud with the quantity and quality of the gifts
they sent to our family in Aluksne.
So
much food was sent, along with clothing, even a bed settee was piled into the
van for these wonderful people. I spent just over a week with the family and
really enjoyed myself playing with the children and just taking time to relax.
The highlight of each day was ice cream
time. At 9pm each day we all joined together to share a litre of ice cream. I got quite adept at cutting a
small block into 12 or 14 portions and then sprinking drinking chocolate over
it.
Not
only the children, but also the adults found this to be a very blessed time.
The
days were spent renovating the upstairs room. It has been used as a store room
for years and needed a lot of work doing to it. The spiders have had to find a
new home elsewhere. The room has now been divided into two seperate parts. Food
storage in one area and a bedroom for the two girls in the other.
I was
able to take the girls to choose their own paint and was not at all surprised
when the youngest chose "PINK"
Wall
lights are being installed and part of the room is for relaxing and homework.
The
walls have been plastered and where it was needed a false wall fitted with
fibreglass filling to keep out the winter cold.
The
last thing I bought was a wood burning stove and it really made a difference in
a very short time.
The
girls were preparing to move into their new bedroom as I left them to head for
Riga and the ship.
On the
way I had a pilgrimage to make on behalf of so many of my friends who read
these newsletters.
It
meant going out of my way by a few kilometres, but it was worth the time
involved.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
An
eerie silence and only the sound of the slight wind in the trees was my
welcome.
My
mind seemed to wander back in time as I walked the forest track and it seemed
that the sadness in my heart would never go away.
A group of young people walked ahead of me and
no smile was visible on any face and all their conversation was whispered and
short.
Schnell, Schnell!!
The
words seemed to be shouted from the clearing ahead of me and the sound of
running of thousands of feet could be heard in the silence.
I do
not have an over active imagination but these sounds seemed so real to me yet
still the only sound in the silence was the breeze touching the leaves in the
tree canopy above me.
The
only evidence that humans had ever been there was the remains of a few huts.
Only the foundations were left and long pieces of concrete with a memorial
window of pointed metal on each hut site reminded the visitor of the days of
pain.
Visitors had left their tributes!!!
Toy
cars, teddy bears and stuffed animals, a little girl's doll and even a few
coins had been placed in a few of the windows.
In the
forest a fire smouldered as the gardeners burned the dead leaves, the smoke
filled the clearing of sadness and made everything even more real.
I was
visiting the Salaspils Memorial in the Rumbula forest in Latvia .
Here.
Thousands of jews were killed during the last war. They were herded into the
forest, made to dig deep trenches and then shot and buried. Men, woman and
children died, just because they were jews.
A
memorial, dedicated to the thousands stands in the clearing. I stood beside it
and heard the sound of a beating heart coming from within the stone.
A
recording that can be heard as you stand very close to the memorial.
It
seemed to say that no matter what we do, we shall NEVER eliminate God's chosen
people.
At the
start of the war, one hundred thousand jews lived in Latvia. At the end only
fifteen thousand remained. Many families were eliminated and most of them left no evidence they ever
lived. Not even a roll of the names of the victims can be compiled as the
murderers kept no records of names, "only numbers"
These
are the forgotten victims of genocide.
Not
only was the camp a killing ground, it also held more ethnic groups who were
transported to Auschwitz and Treblinka camps in cattle wagons.
Many
concentration camps no longer exist. They are now housing estates or industrial
complexes.
I was
able to take photographs and The Web Master will put them on the pictures section
when he receives them.
I am
able to let you know that the operation my friend Cill had for the removal of a
cancerous kidney was a success. She is back home with Steve and progressing
well. I have heard that last week her elderly mother died so please remember
them in your prayers.
My
year of travel is drawing to a close and I thank all who pray for me.
Once
again My God has supplied through the gifts of His people.
If you
can help financially I would really be grateful. It is good to be able to help
others, but often I am left with nothing because I have given my all to others.
I
remember a cloth bracelet I was once given. WWJD what would Jesus so ?
May God Bless You.
His Friend and YOURS
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
September 2011-09-09
My Friends.
It has been a very tiring but a very
satisfying season out here in foreign countries.
I write this from a very small farm on the outskirts of
Aluksne, a town that is a short distance from the border of Russia and Estonia
and in the small country of Latvia.
As some of you may recall from the last newsletter. I was
bringing aid to this large family from the people of Sweden and Finland.
When I arrived back here from my mammoth journey through
four countries, I was certainly looking forward to a time of relaxation for a
few days, and I was surprised that I managed to get one after the work here
began.
A trench had to be
dug ( mostly by hand tools ) seventy metres long and four feet deep. This was
to gain access to water at the bottom of a long hill.
I was able to buy a water pump strong enough to pump the
water to the house. The volunteer workers then ripped out the bathroom and have
installed running water to the new shower, sink and toilet.
Can you imagine living in house that has no supply of
running water in these days?
The next job has been to put in a kitchen for the mother.
When I first arrived here the only furniture was a broken
down table and one broken chair. The kitchen range works but still is an
accident waiting to happen.
I can only manage to do what I have finance for.
The room has now been replastered and is being painted,
running hot and cold water is supplied at the kitchen sink and the table and
chairs from Sweden are doing a great job.
Everyone has a bed and the two sets of bunk beds are looking
great. The little girl "Rebecca" has a pram and a cot and it has really made a
difference.
Knives, forks and spoons are now in regular use here
thanks to those who donated them. When I first called here the family only
possessed one tea spoon.
Dried food was asked for in Finland. I have never seen so
much macaroni in my life, but here it is a part of the diet. So much food
arrived it has been shared with other families. This has been done because the
family wanted to share in their good fortune with other in the neighboorhood.
I had a dream in my heart to bring bicycles to the seven
children living here but thought it would not be possible.
How wrong can I be????????
Within days of the appeal People in Kuhmo had donated
enough bikes for everyone and Timo and his friends had overhauled them for me.
Now the older children can travel the five miles to
school in comfort.
Whils't in Sandviken I kept looking at trampolines in the
local shop and kept delaying because of lack of finance.
The last gift donated from the alcoholic unit in Jarbo
"Sweden" was a small and very perfect trampoline.
The children here have toys and clothing, the adults
have at last seen and end to real
poverty "for a while" and because others cared and helped. I was able to bring
a little sunshine into the lives of a family that needed help so desperately. I
wish I could have done more but just ran out of money and now I pray that
enough will come in to keep me going onwards.
I now have to delay my retirement once again. I have used
up all the money I required to set up home.
"The birds have nests but the son of God has no where to
lay His Head"
If it is good enough for Jesus, It is good enough for me.
Thanks to everyone who helped and prayed.
I will head for Finland this weekend and the Sweden,
followed by a trip to my beloved Faroe Islands.
God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways
for Jesus
email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
English
telephone 0044 7818230279
July 2011
My Friend.
Another hot day out here on
the mission field !
Each day
seems warmer than the day before with temperatures soaring into the mid
thirties. During the afternoon it normally rains in torrents for an hour and
stops abruptly as if on a time clock.
The people
here in Estonia are truly wonderful with perfect manners. I get a little
confused when the ladies and young girls curtsy when they meet me or receive a
Gospel from me.
I arrived
over here last week with around fifty thousand Gospels and tracts. All were
offloaded at my first port of call and I had to return to Finland for another
load. A difficult and tiring run of around a thousand kilometres each way and a
three hour boat trip from Tallin to Helsinki.
My time in
Finland has been the best yet and the drive along the Russian border was much
easier in the new vehicle. This year I managed to reach the "North Cape"
peninsula and left an English Bible on the altar of the chapel there.
Timo, the
priest from Kuhmo once again arranged
many things for me to do in the area.
A prison
visit was very successful. It was arranged to celebrate the retirement of the
prison priest after twenty years service and was attended by prison workers,
priests and prison visitors. It was a true honour to be able to speak and
witness to such a celebrated gathering of people from throughout Finland.
Later I
spoke to two seperate groups of prisoners in the locked section. Each talk was
televised to the rest of the prison and all other tv programmes were stopped
for the duration of the chapel services. It appears that many prisoners find
salvation during their sentence and continue following Christ on release.
I do not
know how long I will stay in the Baltic countries before returning to complete
my work in Finland but is very difficult for me here.
I see so
much poverty here and it is mainly the children that touch my heart. I give
them lollipops and sweets but they really need a good meal. Many shops sell
second hand clothes here but the items sold would not even be allowed past the
door of charity shops in the UK.
I asked the
Lord to find me a parking spot and was directed to park within the grounds of a
catholic convent. It is the site of one of the most famous fresh water springs
in the country. Each day it attracts hundreds of people who come with their
containers and fill up with holy water?
I put out a
table and a display of Russian and Estonian literature and many lollipops. It
has been really successfull and I have used far more than I would have dreamed
possible.
From there I
continued driving and crossed the border into Latvia. I had only been in the
country for twenty minutes when I noticed a couple of cars trying to overtake
me. The gravel road was very bumpy and I slowed down to allow the cars to pass
safely. In one of the cars I noticed a group of children laughing and waving at
me. They stopped at the side of the road and signalled me to stop.
It was the
family of the local Apostalic missionary and they invited me to their home for
a chat and a meal. It turned out that it was the birthday of one of the
children and a cake had been made for her. I asked her what the date was as I
had lost track of time whils't travelling. "It turned out that it was MY
birthday as well" so I also got a cake. The meal was a few bananas and half of
a melon.
This pastor
and his family share a farmhouse with his parents and other than a vegetable
plot they only have five sheep and a cow to provide for four adults and ten
children.
In Latvia
there are only very rich people or those who live in total poverty. I continued
on through Latvia and completed my task of driving through five countries to
the end of the Russian border.
I crossed
the bottom of Lithuania and followed the coast back to Tallin in Estonia.
As I was
driving to Tallin I just could not get out of my mind the total commitment the
pastor in Latvia has for Jesus. He was dressed well for the area but he was the
only one in the house wearing shoes. The children were running and playing on a
road made from sharp gravel and they had nothing on their feet. I also noticed
that they did not seem to have any toys to play with.
I have
decided to return to Finland via Sweden and will pick up furniture, food and
clothing for them.
It is
important that I help this family, but I must also remember that I am called to
be an Evangelist. "Mathew 25 verses 34 / 46 sums up my actions at this time. I
have friends and contacts in Sweden so even though my actions will cost me
precious finance I believe I am being called to help in this situation. Please
pray about this wonderful family of God.
A dear
friend in Kuhmo has been "Called Home"
Pettur
(Peter) was ex alcoholic who found Jesus some years ago. He always joined us on
outreach and sat alone praying throughout the whole outreach. He was the caretaker
of the local pentecostal church and was a true prayer warrior for the town. He
will be sadly missed by everybody who knew him.The funeral takes place on the
12th August and I will be back in Finland by then.
Please pray
that the Lord will give me wisdom as I drive from country to country praying
for and speaking to the people.
This year
has been very costly for me both financially and emotionally. Please pray that
the Lord will bring in a mighty harvest.
God Bless You
Your Friend in JESUS
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Inari June 2011
My Friends.
Once again I write to you
from beautiful Lapland and really feel the love and joy of the Holy Spirit
surrounding me.
The van is plodding
on and eating up the miles and drinking the diesel. I have had a few emails of
encouragement as I have travelled but would really wish for more if you would
please take the time.
I am still in the
forest but can see the trees are starting to thin out. Very soon I will be in
the area where nothing but lichen grows as I head for the furthest point north
at North Cape. To get there I have to drive through the longest undersea tunnel
on earth to gain access to the island.
"Saint Mary's Church"
in Bristol have appointed Thursday of this week as a day of prayer for this
work. This is a really wonderful event for me and I have decided to halt for
the day at the village of "Grens Jacobselv"
This is the point
where east meets west at the northernmost tip of the Norwegian / Russian border
at the Barents Sea.
I will be taking a
day of rest and prayer and it would be terrific if you could spend a little
time on Thursday lifting the work up before the "Throne of Grace"
I have just had to spend 600 euros to have new
front tyres fitted on the front of the van. It handles much better now the
tyres are gripping the road and the wheels are now balanced.
I will write a more
comprehensive report when I have reached North Cape.
Please pray that our
Heavenly Father is Glorified as I continue the prayer drive along the Russian
Border and the complete border of Finland.
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Bro Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
UK Telephone 07818230279
May 2011
My Friends.
How much I have to thank our Heavenly Father
for since I came back to the United Kingdom.
Most of you prayed so earnestly for a new vehicle for
the work when the bus broke down and soon saw your prayers answered. The new
motorhome is much smaller and very cramped in the living area. I find it very
difficult to carry all the things I need, but must get used to it.
The outside now has a
picture wrap all the way round the body with written messages in English. I
hope to have the messages in Swedish and Finnish on also, for the people I
spend so much of the year with.
The Prayer room is
also ready but is full of Gospels and sweets at the moment but will be emptied
very quickly when I reach Finland.
I hope to leave for
Demark on Monday 6th June and will be speaking at the church in Sandviken (
Sweden ) on the 10th to the reformed and actual addicts who gather together
each month.
In the last few
months I have travelled extensively around the UK.
A wonderful tour of
Shetland, Orkney, Lewis, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra,
Mull, and Iona.
I met so many people
on the tour and was able to supply literature to many people for them to
distribute.
It was so good of Donald of Brown's Bakery on the Island of
Westray in the Orkney Islands to give me many boxes of home made biscuits for
distribution to folk I meet on my travels. I really enjoyed my visits to Every
Home Crusade in Northern Ireland. I was made so welcome by the people who
supplied, delivered and paid for all the gospels I used last year. I wanted to
bring many gospels with me but I just did not have any space left in the
motorhome.
I was asked to visit
Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland to speak at a home group and never expected
the reaction it would create.
I was introduced to
Ivan who put windows in the motorhome and made my life a lot easier. He also
found me many speaking engagements in the area and installed a large diesel
tank for me. I can now travel over a thousand miles on one fill up of fuel.
From the first day of
the work in August 1996 I have prayed that I could speak at the Church of St
Mary Magdalene in Bristol. This week I was so privelidged to be aked to speak
there three times and once again my prayers have been answered. Thanks to John
Ellis who arranged the meetings. I met John on my first ever meeting in 1996
and he has become a true friend to myself and the work over the years.
I spent a few hours
with The Web Master last week. He is the person who designed and maintains the
website for me. He has done a terrific job over the last years and he has
changed the heading pictures on some of the website pages. Please pray for him,
He has just left college and is seeking employment at the moment. I pray the
Lord rewards him for the great work he has done for this ministry.
During the last
months I have received many emails from people who have been affected by the
ministry in a very positive way including people who have given their lives to
Jesus. It upsets me when I receive letters from young people who need prayer
and I cannot speak to them face to face.
One letter I received
recently was from a young lady I met a few years ago. I cannot give any details
of her because of respecting her privacy.
Please pray for Jade
that the Lord will come very close to her and her family friend Aiden.
I stay in this area
of Weston super Mare for a few days before heading for Harwich and the boat to
Denmark. On the way I hope to call on Eric from Caleb Initiative and a dear
friend Katy in Histon who both live on my way there.
I am praying about
visiting Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia but to do so I will need to pray in much
finance. I am carrying enough dried soup to supply around 25,000 portions which
I will make up and give away. Please, Please Pray.
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways f or
Jesus
PO
Box 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry. BT45 9AJ
Web www.highwaysforjesus.com
email Clifford@brotherclifford.com
My
Friends.
28 November 2010
At this time of the year
I am normally searching for news to pass on to you. This year is so different
for me as I bask in the Light and the Love that "Jesus" showers upon me.
After a
long day travelling to Perth and back on overcrowded trains I must share the
news that at last I have found a motorhome that will do the work required.
Some of
you may not like the vehicle I have chosen, but it is the one that I believe
will handle the terrain I normally work in.
The
motorhome is a coachbuilt home with two seperate rooms attached to a Mercedes
lorry Chassis. It has been used by a team of car moto - cross mechanics for the
last two years. The rear room was used as a workshop and storeroom for tools
and car tyres.
I have
arranged that everything in the workshop is taken out and the room will then be
an empty shell to be made as I need and desire. Seats from the bus will be
fitted around the room and windows inserted for extra daylight. I will also
have coffee making facilities installed. I would hope that up to 15 people will
be able to join me for prayer meetings when the renovations are completed.
Access to the room will be by the rear door.
When
gospels need to be transported I will be able to use the visitors room to hold
even more boxes than before.
The front
room will be my home.
It has a
complete kitchen with mains or battery electricity and hot and cold running
water. Seating for six people on bench seats that will turn into a bed at the
end of the day. The floor is laminated wood and very easy to clean.
The removal
of a storage cupboard will allow a door to be inserted to give me access to the
rear prayer / meeting room.
The
drivers cab is seperate from the rest of the living area.
An onboard generator will supply power as
needed and the heating of the vehicle is
by blown warm air fueled from the main diesel tank.
Much work
needs doing but I am very excited by the prospects.
I must
thank those of you who have helped me financially to get the new home. I still
do not have enough money to pick up the vehicle but hope that the funds will be
in place by the weekend.
Can YOU help me please
Now for
the bad news!
I have
been having health problems for over three years now.All this time I have been
under the watchfull eye of my dear friend "Doctor Rob".
We
thought it was just my age that was causing me to have bladder problems but
recently they have been getting much worse and causing me embarrassment.
The
doctor gave me a full medical this week and has diagnosed a "prostrate"
problem.
He has
told me that it needs urgent attention and made arrangements for me to see a
specialist this wednesday afternoon. It looks like I will need an operation
very quickly if I am to continue working in Scandinavia.
If I go
on the waiting list the delay could be for three years but done privately it
could be done within a few weeks.
I do not
know how much it will cost or what the specialist will find but I know that it
must be done soon.
Please
pray that all will be done for my "Father's Glory"
I walk
with "The Lord" and have no fear or anxiety at this time.
If
anything went wrong in Scandinavia I would be in desperate trouble so until
this problem is sorted out I must stay in the United Kingdom.
Much
prayer and financial help is now needed to get me back on the road.
I will
keep you informed of progress via Clifford's page on the website.
May God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
PO Box 1. Magherafelt. County Londonderry.
Northern
Ireland. BT45 9AD
Email
brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
November 2010
My
Friends.
Sitting here on the top
of a mountain, looking out across the vast Atlantic Ocean and feeling the pinch
of winter from the snow capped peaks. I should be feeling on top of the world
but I feel a little scared. I will tell you why.
Many
of you will know of the vast amount of work the bus has done this summer as I
have travelled into remote areas of Finland and Lappland delivering the Gospels
of John and Mark to couriers for Russia. The thousands of kilometres of bad roads through the Tigre forest as I
prayed the Russian border and looked out at the emptiness beyond no man's land.
I have felt the cry of the people
who have nothing.
Since
the revolution in Russia and the years of communism, the people have been
controlled by fear. Often standing for hours in the Arctic winter as they
waited to purchase food for their children.
The
world waited to see what would happen in this vast country of nearly 400
million people, and still they wait!
"David
Hathaway and Brother Andrew" and people like them heard the cry of the people
with no hope, and smuggled the gospel to the christians. They were willing to
go to prison for the Gospel.
Can I do less ?
I have
been asked so many times why I do not go into Russia and have allways said that
I have not been called there, I have enough to do with Scandinavia and the
United Kingdom is my standard reply. The bus will attract too much attention
and never be allowed into the country has been my cry. This morning I heard My
Master speak to me and realised that my reasons held NO foundation. "Jesus"
said GO. He never said where or when or why "He said GO"
This
morning is the beginning of the rest of my life.
The
bus is broken down with an oil leak and water leak and was not able to catch
the ferry to Denmark last week. I have sat here cold and miserable just waiting
for people to turn up to help. I was really waiting for a sign and did not
know.
It
will be impossible to take the bus into Russia because the roads just would not
allow it. In case of breakdown I just could not get parts for it over there.
Yet I
believe that it must continue working in that area.
I
intend finding somewhere in Finland to store the bus under cover and use it as
a transporter of gospels. Also to allow others to borrow it for outreach if
this proves to be an option.
My
intention over the next few weeks is to apply for a visa for Russia next year
and to try to find a very large Motor Home to use as my base as I travel.
It
would have to be big enough to hold meetings and carry on the normal work of
outreach and many American Motorhomes would fit the bill perfectly.
A
donation from a young man named "Simon" began all this. I believe he gave all
he had into this work last week and he made me look deeply into myself. "I
found out that I was just not doing enough"
Thank
You Simon from "Cheadle" for your wonderful answer to so many peoples prayers. You taught
an old man a very valuable lesson.
But will YOU HELP?
Prayer
and finance are needed soon. The cost of Motorhomes will rise as the spring
season approaches. At the moment they are selling for a reasonable amount but I
don't want another broken down workhorse. I have had enough of constant repair
bills.
I have
searched the internet for the last few days and found many suitable vehicles
that will meet our requirements. The vehicle must be at least 34 feet long and
I would prefer a diesel engine. Beds for six or seven people as I do not intend
to travel alone into Russia. Enough seating to hold prayer meetings and a large
awning to use as cover when we hold outdoor barbeques. I also want a "shower"
for which many people will say " Praise the Lord"
Please
pray for this vision to become reality. Gifts from a pound upwards will be
gratefully recieved by Caleb Initiative or into any of my British or
Scandinavian accounts. Please contact me for details.
Blessings
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways
for Jesus
Web Pages www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Tel
September
2010
My Friends.
Once again I appeal to you for prayer. The work continues to grow and
the stamina I require just seems to run out.
I caught a touch of flu earlier this year which turned into
pneumonia. Since then I have not been able to get rid of chest infections and
an aggravating cough which just keeps returning. I think I may have been doing
too much without a real break.
The winter is now approaching and I hope to take a break for
a few weeks, but only time will tell.
The work of delivering the gospels for transfer into
On the border of
A few weeks ago I celebrated my 65th birthday and
also the 14th anniversary of the work. I look back in awe at what
the Lord has done with this "Tramp" for the Lord.
Murmansk, Moscow, St Petersberg, The Urals, Karelia, Siberia
and Belarus along with Poland, Roumania, Czech and Estonia are just a few of
the places the work has touched with the gospel this year.
I have never visited these places but through the
distribution of gospels throughout
The small town of
The work has seemed impossibe to do at times because of the
lack of finance.
I cannot expect the couriers of the gospel to donate to this
work when they have the great expence of taking the literature into the remote
areas of
Last winter the ladies of Kuhmo baked cakes and pastries to
sell at the local market and donated the money raised to help the work. I have
been told that they are going to do the same again this year. How can I ever
thank these people for their great love?
As I write this newsletter I am on my way out of
I hope to be back in the
I hope that this year I will be able to speak to church
congregations and Christian groups as I travel
Next year could be even more challenging for me!!
Please help the work of "Highways for Jesus" reach many more
people.
Thanks to the generosity of "Every Home Crusade" providing
the Gospels and "Trinitarian Bible Society" for the Bibles, we will have
reached more than a MILLION people with the written word before the year ends.
Will you help us reach even more by helping the work financially.
"Jesus Said" Go into the World and preach the Gospel to
everyone.
Please help "Highways for Jesus" to do just that.
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards (
Highways
for Jesus
Web
Page www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
August
2010
My Dear
Friends.
The tour of
The
Russian Gospel work has really taken over. Over a hundred thousand gospels have
been placed with couriers throughout
Last year I met only one
or two people with an interest in the Russian people but since arriving in
As I travelled the
wilderness of high
Did you
know that the first man made structure in the communist block is the Cross of
Christ?
I was able to take a few
snaps of the area and more pictures feature on the web page. Go to Pictures
page and then click on
At the second hand
clothes shop I saw a few Russian/Hebrew bibles hidden away and I bought them to
give away.
Before I left the area I
was approached by a stranger who asked if I needed more of them. In a shed he
took me to was a pile of boxes.
Over 200 bibles gathered
dust and further searching revealed thousands of children's picture tracts in
Russian. They are not there anymore! I have them on board the bus.
When the borders of
I am able to trace the
visitor entries from other countries on the web site. I cannot trace
individuals but countries of origin only. This year has shown a marked increase
from
My friend Timo was
refused entry a couple of weeks ago because he had three boxes of Gospels in
his car. He left them at the Finland Border post and was allowed into
The first people he met were
a group of Teenagers whom he witnessed to about Jesus and then gave them a
Gospel each from a hidden supply in his car, ( A true
man of God)
I have made two
deliveries of second hand clothes, shoes and even a full size hand weaving loom
to the most northern town in Finland "Utsjoki" All these things will be going
to the prisons in the Murmansk area along with the Gospel.
I thought that I would
retire at the age of 65 but I have now passed that milestone and the work is
increasing.
The work is hard and long
with many hours each day driving this lovely country, but it is very
fullfilling and I believe, very much needed.
My expenses this year
have risen dramatically as I become an unpaid delivery man for the gospel in
Russian. Also donations have gone down as I am unavailable to do my normal work.
Often it is a question of
food for me or diesel for the bus. (The bus always wins)
I do not complain but
must face up to the facts of this life.
I have now decided that I
must take a few weeks rest each year when the weather gets too cold to live in
the bus. If there is not a dramatic upturn in donations in the coming days I
will certainly have to consider retirement. If I do retire in the near future,
I will certainly not be able to say that my life has been wasted.
Frequently I send out
hundreds of emails and nearly every day I do my best to update Clifford's Page
on the web, but I get so little feedback from those I write to. Please drop me
a line and let me know that you are still alive.
The work began in 1996 with
a dying man and a pound coin, I can never forget what "Christ" has done for the
poor dying tramp . Will YOU PLEASE help me
to continue doing what I believe the Lord has given.
Please help bring "Hope" to a lost world for God can only bless You,
I am willing to continue
but I need "YOUR" help to keep on
driving the " Highways for Jesus".
God
Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus.
Brother
Clifford Edwards.
PS. Jesus Really Does Love You.
Highways for Jesus
email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Tel
Midsummers day 2010.
Kuhmo, "
The work goes on and is extremely exciting as I do my utmost
to follow the Saviour.
The trip to
The wallet was handed in at the information desk but All the money was
taken. My bank cards had not been stolen.
From there it was the long drive to
The time I spent with the Alpha group at Sandviken was a true
delight as the people really wanted to hear more about "Jesus".
As I prepared to leave I was requested to travel to a very
small village in the forest not far from Uppsalla. What a meeting that was. As
I gave my testimony the reality of "The Holy Spirit" could be felt and the
congregation was ready to receive all that was available.
Next was the long drive to the
At nearly all the meetings in
From there I travelled south to Kuhmo and the people who pray
without ceasing.
They welcomed me with great excitement and joy. The first
meeting turned into an impromptu prayer and praise time.
"Timo Suutari" the local priest in charge had meetings and
visits arranged and I have been kept very busy.
Driving to Kaajani, Sodkamo, Nurmes and so many
other places to park the bus in the market place. Then witness with a team of believers singing and handing
out tracts. It has been a real thrill.
The gospels of John in the Russian language have been
welcomed with open arms and the boxes I brought with me are now in
I contacted Every Home Crusade in
80,000 are already ordered by individuals who frequently
drive into
The bus has performed well until last week when once again
the starter packed up on the way to an outreach meeting. I thought it was only
a minor breakdown at the time and was towed to a local garage.
It turns out that the engine is badly damaged and a fresh one
is now being purchased.
This has been caused by damage to the Flywheel when the
clutch was replaced in March.
Today I prepare to go to the
The cost will be high and know I have insufficient funds to
meet the bill. I have 65,000 Gospels to deliver to the top of Lappland before
the winter and must press onwards. "Can
you Help me Please"
Donations can be sent to "Caleb Initiative" the address is on
the web site.If you live in
A great big thank you to those of you who pray,
and my greetings to your friends and family.
I must publicly thank the staff of " Every
Home Crusade " for printing and supplying the Gospels and tracts to me. I hope
to find time to visit them when I get to
God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards.
Highways for Jesus
Web Page. www.highwaysforjesus.com
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
My Friends
Spring 2010-04-17
At
last I am on tour and (I Believe) fulfilling the task
the Lord has placed before me.
It has been a very hard and cold winter in the
The old bus is now looking very sorry for itself, no engine
or windows and no wheels. I hope it will be removed to the scrap yard next week
and then I can clean up the space and leave a good witness.
I have been thrilled with the numbers visiting www.highwaysforjesus.com
and it looks like we will soon reach the 100,000 visitors.
I have been able to access the number of countries
that visit the site and was amazed to find out that even the
It looks like a very exciting year ahead as I head for
I will not be going into
I am carrying the word in twelve languages to supply to the
Blueberry pickers who visit the forests of
Once again I hope to visit many schools in
I am negotiating with
I feel that the border will soon close to the gospel and once
again we will need to smuggle the gospel in to believers. Please pray about
this and about helping financially. It is too late when the border closes.
I would hope to achieve a million gospels in three years but
that depends upon the Lord and those who are willing to reach out and help.
The bus is running very well after a series of major repairs
and even though it is overloaded with literature it will drive many thousands
of kilometres in the next six months.
I have heard that my friends in Sandviken (
Have you seen the new DVD on the visitor page yet? It is in
the English language with subtitles in Finnish and Swedish.
I would hope to send regular updates in the coming months so
please keep praying that I will have much to tell you of the Lord.s goodness to
me as I try to serve Him to the best of my limited ability.
Please drop me a line or
visit the web page www.highwaysforjesus.com and please tell your
friends and your church about Jesus and His Amazing Grace.
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Telephone 00447818240279
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
My Friends.
Spring 2010
I
apologise for the long delay in writing to you.
So much has been happening that I have not had time to sit
and inform you of the way the Lord has been testing me in the last few months.
In November a fresh bus was purchased because the old one was
costing a fortune in repairs and the engine had packed up in the
The current bus is two years younger and has a reconditioned
engine in it. Even so it really needs a full maintenance check, but I cannot
find a mechanic who is willing to do the job.
I was invited to take part in an outreach when I arrived in
Two hundred miles up the road the starter packed up and I was
stuck on a motorway service station for two days and another hefty bill.
After meeting up with friends I headed for
Even though I am used to low temperatures I have found this
winter has been very hard for me. The bus is not very easy to drive on the
slippery ice I have found here in
Enniskillen was a real treat for me as I met up with my
friends there.
I spent a full week at the
I picked up my mail during the following week. I had not
received any for over six months and was quite excited when it was given to me.
The donations for six months amounted to less than Ł200 and I only received
thirty letters and christmas cards. I was disappointed
that so few people took time to write to me. How I thank God for Caleb
Initiative and those who support the work through this fine organisation.
After moving on to
I moved on from there to Listowel in
Today I was contacted by a dear brother who has offered me
thousands of Gospels in the Russian Language. I have been in contact with
friends in
I feel the Lord is telling me to open storage areas for
literature along the
As you all know, I have been praying the whole length of the
I have laid my "Fleece before the Lord" and if the finance
comes in "Operation Gospel" will become reality. Are YOU going to be part of
it? Please PRAY.
God Bless
His Servant
and Yours
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Highways
for Jesus
Web highwaysforjesus.co.uk
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Once again the nights are getting darker and for many of you
who receive this newsletter it will be a time to anticipate a White Christmas
and to get your ski's out of the garage.
I have now left the colder areas of
The last few months have really tested my faith as the bus
developed one fault after the other.
All the trouble began with a mission trip to Soumasalmi in
As most of you know by now, three young vandals decided to
smash the bus windows and pour paint over the engine and the bodywork.
From that moment I have had nothing but trouble. It feels as
if someone is praying agains't the work, and the bus
in particular.
All my savings and even a bank overdraft have been swallowed
up in repair bills.
A new clutch, gearbox, 2 front wheel bearings, fuel pump,
retarder, webasco heater have been done in the last five months along with
numerous other repairs.
As the list of repairs escalated out of all proportion I
believed that the work of the bus was coming to an end and it was the scrap
heap and retirement for me.
As people prayed, I began to realise that everytime I
recieved a blessing from the work it was quickly followed by a mechanical breakdown.
I know for a fact that the work done in
So many schools and youth groups as well as alcoholic and
drug centres have been visited and nearly 20,000 copies of my life story as
well as 15,000 copies of the gospel of John, translated into Finnish have been
distributed in that country.
Wherever I went in
The town of
Timo has only been in the town for less than a year and now holds
a weekly prayer meeting that attracts around forty people from different
denominations and is doing great things. Please pray for this great man of God
and the simple vision that God has given to him.
I firmly believe that one day he will be made a bishop and
then
As you will have gathered from this letter, my health has
suffered this year due to the tremendous pressure caused by overwork and
breakdowns. I cannot find anything seriously wrong but I am constantly tired
and now dread parking the bus at night in case more vandals cause trouble.
These thoughts and events come from the pit of hell and I
really ask you to pray that once again the Peace of God will reign in my heart.
All through these trials I have known the Joy of the Lord and
even though I have felt waves of panic wash over me I have never been truly
afraid. I know my God is with me and in Him there is NO Fear.
I am now waiting for the ship to take me to the beautiful
On board I have around a thousand daffodil bulbs that I informed
the children of the Faroes will help me to plant in front of the church and in
the
In the years to come as these daffodils bloom at the Easter
season, the children who planted them will tell their children and
grandchildren about the special day.
I have been given a special type of work and how I pray that
in the future years, when I have been called or taken home that I shall leave a
legacy of love and treasured memories that shall NEVER die but will cause
people to think of Jesus and tell their young children about the " Jesus Bus".
The aim of this work is to Glorify
Our Heavenly Father as The Holy Spirit directs my thoughts and actions.
At the end of most meetings a time is set aside for anyone to
come forward for prayer and this has become really popular. At the beginning of
the year I discovered that most people desired me to pray for them and my
helpers stood to one side and prayed together.
I felt this needed to be changed and took a back seat for a
while. I allowed the helpers to do all the prayer requests and I just went out
into the congregation and talked to people.
I found that I was conversing with many more visitors who needed
to know Jesus and at the final prayer which I led to close the meeting more
people had remained in the hall as I was available to everyone. I have since
heard of many instances of healing from these meetings including at least two
cancer sufferers.
In less than seven weeks, "Christmas" will be a memory and
all the mail from charities and mission work will have been answered and
donations sent to those you choose.
As you answer these advertisements and appeals for help,
would you please also consider helping this work to continue to serve our Dear Saviour.
Next year I will once again head for the northern parts of
The winter will be spent in the
If you want to contact me after December 16th I
will be able to recieve mail at the address at the top of this letter until
early March.
If you desire to help in a practical way, donations can be
sent to the above address or to "Caleb Initiative" whose address is on the home
page.
I will write again before Christmas and until then I pray
that God SHALL Bless You All.
Your Friend in "Jesus"
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Email Clifford@brotherclifford.com
Mobile GB 0044 7818230279 Suomi 0466216917
September
2009
My Dearest Friends.
I wonder
how often you really look backon your life and feel a real sense of
achievement.
Much of my life was wasted and dedicated to what I could use
to benefit myself and to forward my career as an entertainer. The ultimate aim
was to make as much money as I could and to gain popularity. Nothing or nobody
was allowed to get in the way. As we all now know, in the end I lost everything
and found myself paying for my mistakes with a death sentence because of
alcoholism.
Today,I can look back on a career
full of achievement and satisfaction, a career that began in 1996 and ends at
the end of eternity. In other words a career for life, for
life eternal.
When I was instructed to come to Finland and travel the
border I thought it would take a month at the most as it was only a couple of
thousand miles. How wrong I was!
Six months and 15,564
Kilometres or 9727.5 miles later the task is completed and I am praying to find
the next step in this great adventure for Jesus.
The popularity of the bus mission has been beyond my wildest
dreams and so much has happened in this beautiful yet wild country. Church after
church has asked me to call and witness and there has been such tolerance
between church denominations that I have been amazed.The Christians of Kuhmo
and Saala, have been set on fire for Jesus, and now
Please pray for a satisfactory conclusion to the matter.
The journey along the Russian border was very difficult as I
once again had to follow the roads closest to the border. As I took the last
road in
On the counter was a display of tracts and Christian
literature. The staff finished up having a prayer meeting before I crossed the
border.
One man in the shop recognised me as he had just read my life
story and had prayed that he would one day meet me. It took God less than a day
to answer his prayer. Yes, it turned out to be a Christian outreach and on FIRE
for Jesus.
The final stage of the Russian border was a nightmare drive
over very narrow mountain roads that large vehicles do not use. My final night
was spent at the side of the road in Russian territory and then in the morning
I drove to the harbour of "Grense Jakobselv" and was able to pray for the
completed task.
Onwards ever onwards to complete the whole vision the Lord has given me.
I followed the
I tried to get to the most northerly European point at North
Capp, but the road tunnels were not big enough to accommodate the bus height. I
was really upset and headed south for 50 kilometres before the Lord spoke to
me.
"North Capp is on an island and has only been accessible by
road for five years." I was instructed to follow another road that brought me
over high mountains and very narrow roads to the highest land point in
I stopped at a very small church in
He even
instructs us to put on our heavenly armour for the battle.
The whole season I have been in
For those of you who have left messages on the Visitors Atrium,
Thank You, You are an inspiration to me as I travel and witness. To those who
pray for me thank you. " It Works"
God Bless You All.
Your Friend
Brother Clifford Edwards. (
Highways
for Jesus
E.mail C@clifford.com
Tel 0044
7818230279
Suomi 00358 466216917
My Friends. August
2009
This is going to be such a difficult letter to write. So much has
happened here in
I arrived here in
Kuhmo ( Kukmo ) to sing in an International festival
for the Lutheran church.
The event was a resounding success with much publicity and an
invitation by the parish priest Timo Suutari to extend my stay.
Many meetings were arranged and I made an invitation for
anyone to join me on the streets to try outdoor evangelism. On the first
occassion 14 people turned up tp help in the local market area including
guitars and keyboard.
Many copies of my life story were printed on the church
printer and handed out and people sat around listening to us for up to four
hours as we sang and testified to the power and love of Jesus. " A further 20,000 have since been printed."
Within days the outreach extended to other towns in the area
and my days began to exceed 18 hours as the pure Joy of witness took hold of us
all.
It was at this stage we realised a need for gospel tracts in
Finnish as everyone avidly read whatever we gave them. Timo showed me a Gospel
of John and two thousand were soon sent to us.
I had received an invitatation to a family camp in Pieksamaki
to speak for an evening and drove away to attend.
The evening was a great success and because friends from
Jacobstad and
A new concept for evangelism came to me in prayer and I began
taking photographs of children sitting behind the steering wheel and after
printing them I gave them away. Each photograph had a gospel message on the
back and over 700 were printed. I was also requested to speak at the youth
meeting and have since heard that decisions were made to follow Jesus.
From Pieksimaki I called to pick up tracts from the only
Finnish Gospel Printers I have been able to find. I cleared the shelves of
thousands and then ordered 25,000 John's Gospels to be printed. This has now
increased to 125,000 and will be increased as they are distributed. I hope to
get one into the hands of EVERY school child in
I called at the Garage in Jacobstad for the air pipes to be
replaced as the brakes continue giving trouble.
Then an invitation to go to
A long drive back to the border and a return to Kuhmo was the
next step after a farewell home meeting in the home of some very special
friends in the Jacobstad area, A full house and a tremendous sense of the
moving of the Holy Spirit was all we desired and recieved.
Back here in Kuhmo the team was waiting and it has been non
stop evangelism drawing many people to hear the good news. Each evening had
meant starting out at around 4pm and not returning until very late. The nearest
small town is fifty miles away and often I drive over three hundred miles in an
evening.
The bus is often full to capacity with willing helpers and
their children and up to four car loads of people set out before us to begin
the work as I drive to meet them.
Decisions are being made for Jesus and I am hearing of people
being healed.
One lady had a large cancerous lump on hand that had been
scheduled for surgery and overnight it dissappeared. A man requested prayer for
an undisclosed health problem. I met him in Soumasalmi yesterday and through an
interpreter he disclosed that he sufferred from bad ear pain and noises in the
ear. They went away as he slept.
This week I was booked for 9 lessons at the senior high
school. Great problems began when classes of pupils arrived in the bus without
a teacher and had to be turned away. I spoke at 18 lessons in the end.
Pupils persuaded teachers to change timetables so they could
hear the "Englishman" speak to them. In each lesson I once again chose a pupil
to translate for me. It was great to see the expressions on the faces of the
teachers as they realised just what their pupils could achieve when given the
chance.After six months with only one day off I am ready to move on towards
Lappland and the North Cape.
Tomorrow I begin a week in Soumasalm, then past the
Please pray that I will continue to receive strength to go
on. We need your prayers and much help to purchase materials to give away.
I would be very grateful if some of you would reply to this
letter and let me know what is going on in your area and life. Also please
visit the web page, it only needs a click on the heading and you are there. If
you desire to send this letter on or print it for your church or home group
please do so. There is no copyright in God as far as I have read in the bible.
It say's " Go and Tell" Please do so and encourage
people like myself who really need YOU.
God Bless
Your Friend in Jesus
Clifford
Highways
for Jesus
Email thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
Web Highwaysforjesus.com
My Friends.
Once again it is time to update you with the way the Lord has led me, as
I drive the Highways of
So many things have happened in the last few weeks that it is
hard to remember all the wonderful experiences the Lord has led me through.
I left
As I left the church to head south I called on Santa Clause
and took him a gift from us all.
Please tell the children that Santa has an English Bible and
a New Testament in Finnish and Brother Clifford has it recorded on DVD. Copies
are available if you drop me an email.
As I left and headed south I felt the Lord telling me to make
a detour of around 5,000 miles to return to the
I had asked many mechanics to look at the problem but none
were willing to attempt the very difficult job.
My friends at Fugliafjiord had the heater up and running in four days
and another friend filled up the diesel tanks with over a thousand litres of
fuel for the return trip.
After an exhausting drive and passage on four ships I arrived
back in
A mechanic eventually arrived and a broken wheel bearing was
found to be the trouble. It took two days to replace and I was able to get to
the last day of a three day conference at a lovely retreat centre in
Jacobstown. The conference finished and I decided to stay in the area for the
weekend.
On the Sunday afternoon I was invited to an open air service
to meet the bishop for the area and to hear him speak. When we arrived at the
venue I was surprised how many people had turned up to listen to this very
popular cleric. Then the news came that he would not be there as his wife had
broken her wrist that morning. Guess who spoke to the crowd ? ........ God has
a plan........
I left the area on Monday and continued the prayer tour along
the western border and headed for
Can you come and meet someone, the driver asked?
The Lord told me to wait for you and take you to our centre,
he added.
I was led to a retreat centre and there met the leaders of
the Frank Mang Centre.
Frank Mang was an evangelist in the last century in
I was requested to stay and preach the sermon at the Sunday
service but declined as I had made other arrangements. They changed the day of
the service to Thursday evening and we had a terrific time singing the psalms
and songs of the Lord.
As I was driving away I felt a real urge to go to
I had made arrangements to go to
As I prepared to take the motorway turn off for
It was causing real concern among the local churches and
nothing was being done about it.
Within 48 hours Anna Maria had organised prayer warriors and
the Jesus Bus was touring the city streeets of
I have since heard that bus drivers are refusing to take out
the offending buses, The advertising is being ripped off by persons unknown and
now the moslem community is objecting very strongly to the campaign.From
Helsinki it was only a short drive to to lowest part of the Eastern
(
This year I hope to cover more of the border area as I do not
have to contend with the snow just yet. The
roads here can be very difficult to drive because most of the border areas wend
there way through the largest forest in the world ( The
I am now in Kuhmo and awaiting the start of the International
Music Festival I take part in next week. If you desire you may copy this
newsletter or send it on to other Christians, I really need your prayers.
God Bless.
Your Friend in Jesus.
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways
for Jesus
Email
c@clifford.com or thejesusbus@hotmail.co.uk
tel British 07818230279
My Friends.
June 2009
Once again it is time to pray the borders and take the long drive around
My time in
I had promised to return to Sandviken when I left for
The work was very demanding but exremely rewarding.
Before leaving
During my time there I was invited to join 28 thousand other
church people for a gathering and witness in
I am still recieving emails from people who are just reading
them and finding blessing from the contents.
I was informed that it was not possible for the bus to get
into the city of
During my time there, thousands of people passed the bus as
they went sightseeing. I was kept awake each night with the constant flashes
from the cameras taking photos of the bus. A display of tracts was put outside
and I had to keep filling it up.
I was invited to the small town of
One young man kept returning to ask questions after he had
finished college each day. He used all the usual arguments about Christianity yet
kept on coming back to see me.
One day I was asked to speak at the Pentecostal church and he
came to listen to me. At the end of the service he stopped arguing with God and
made a life changing decision for Jesus.
After praying for many people I was approached by a young man
who was on fire for Jesus and we had a good talk about his life in the church.
This culminated in me baptising him and his younger sister a couple of days
later in a local lake.
Two weeks later his older sister was baptised in the
Pentecostal church and I was able to be there. How I praise the Lord for His
goodness to us all.
During my time in
Schools once again kept asking me to speak and I must have
spoken to over two thousand young people, in class, during my time there.
A couple of incidents caused me distress in Sandviken. On
Easter Sunday I found that someone had thrown eggs at the bus during the night
and it took a lot of power washing to remove the dried yolks which can ruin the
paintwork if left.
On my last few days in the town I decided to go shopping. As
I walked to the shop a car pulled up beside me. The passenger window was open
and as the car pulled up I thought the driver needed help. Imagine my surprise
when the passenger pointed a handgun at me and fired towards my head.
Thank God that he has angels on permanent guard and they
protected me.
The result was that I stayed in the town a few extra days and
saw another soul come into the kingdom.
Driving towards the
Since coming over the border I have been astounded at the
cost of living in
I will be travelling the whole border of
I hope to call on Santa Clause at the
Please continue praying for the work and logging on to the
web site. The work really depends upon YOU.
If you desire to copy this letter or send it on to your
friends, Please feel free to do so. I need as many prayer partners as possible
to help me on this mammoth tour of
I hope to reach the border with
May God Bless You.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford Edwards
Highways
for Jesus
Email
clifford@brotherclifford.com
May
2009
My Dear
Friends.
It is so wonderful
to be out on the road and serving the Lord Jesus in the way I believe he asks
of me.
I left Scandinavia during
the last week of 2008 because of the intense cold I was experiencing in the bus
in
The cold is not a problem
at the moment as I am finding the sunshine here in Sweden is causing a
greenhouse effect in the bus with afternoon temperatures around 30 degrees in
my living area.
The trip to
At last I arrived in
Sandviken and was amazed at the welcome the local church has given to me. I was
able to bring many English tracts with me and managed to find a supplier who
was able to send me a couple of booklets in Swedish and also Finnish.A couple
of thousand are now ready for the right opportunity to give them away.
A dear friend from the
methodist church has translated my life story into Swedish and a company in
I am delighted to inform
you that at last I am seeing people in
The true highlight of the
tour was when I baptised two young people in a local lake and because it was
done quietly with no large gathering of people it made it extra special.
I believe I now know how
Philip felt when he baptised the Eunach.
Please pray for Catherine
and Daniel as they seek to find the will of God in their lives.
I have been invited to speak
at an outdoor gathering of christians in the capital
city. Each year the churches gather in
followed by a meeting of
testimony and song. How I pray that the Lord will give me the right words to
speak as I am sure the Lord has begun a very positive work in
The spring flowers are in
bloom here and I will be following the season of Spring
as I head north at the beginning of June. My work in Sandviken is drawing to a
close and I preach my last sermon on the last Sunday in May at the
Bjogcentrakirkan and then begin the trip to the top of Lapland in
I really look forward to the drive through the
The work in the schools
has been terrific and hundreds of young people have heard about my life and
committment to Jesus. The headmaster at the Montessiori school
really made me welcome and it was good to take another two days speaking to
every class in the school. He was really brave and invited me to speak at a
specially arranged parents evening which went extremely well.
I forgot to mention that
my generator has been removed because it went Kaput. I am now praying in the
finance to buy a new one before the winter. If anyone can help the work
financially I would be really grateful. Donations can be sent to the charity
that looks after donations in
I am informed from them
about all donations recieved.
Please keep on praying I
need your prayers more than anything else.
God
Bless You
I
Remain
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
(
Highways for Jesus
Spring 2009
Email clifford@brotherclifford.com
Web highwaysforjesus.com
My Friends.
Once
again I must thank each one of you for your love and prayers. Often I find
myself in situations when I need encouragement to go on and I actually feel the
power of your prayer within my heart.
I have been so blessed in the last few years by knowing how many
people are supporting the work in the most important way possible.BY PRAYER.
2008 was an incredible year for me as I travelled to places I have
only imagined I could ever visit.
As a boy I heard about the great explorers who travelled to the
frozen north and remember the excitement deep within myself as I heard about
Scott other great men.
I never realised that one day I would find myself driving through
the terrain that dreams are made of. The
Following the border between
As I travelled through the vast wilderness of pine trees I occassionally came to areas that still showed evidence of
the war between
As I took time to pray at each site I came to I realised that the
war between Good and Evil is still being fought by each one of us. The guns at
the sites had been restored and painted with loving hands and the Information
Boards told of the exploits of the battle weary men as they fought courageously
for freedom from the oppressor.
The world-wide war is still going on and each one of us should be
having our armour restored on a daily basis. The only way to do that is to take
ourselves to the Throne of Grace and allow our Heavenly Father to restore us
and tenderly heal our wounds. The battle for souls is the only reason to live
and even though many of our people are not able to join the evangelists
travelling to remote areas of the world preaching the gospel it does not mean
they cannot take part in spreading the word.
I am just one of the people God has chosen to go to the uttermost
parts of the world, I
need each one of you to help me spread the Word.
Please continue to pray that the Lord will give me wisdom as I
once again set off for the northernmost parts of
I write this on board ship heading for the
I have appointments to keep in the town of
When I return to
The story in Finnish was translated by a lovely lady who lives on
the
My friend Larry is a priest in the church in Sandviken and a very
busy man. He still took the time to translate the story into Swedish and
arranged dozens of meetings during December for me. I will be back with him in
April when once again I expect to be very busy.
I hoped to have the translated stories printed in
If you feel the Lord speaking to you to help me print the story
into other languages or would like to support the mission please drop me an
email and I would be delighted to hear from you.
Why not follow my exploits for Jesus on www.highwaysforjesus.com
God Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus Christ
Brother Clifford Edwards
(
Highways for Jesus
Email Clifford@brotherclifford.com
My Friends.
Christmas
2008
Once again Christmas and
the New Year are upon us.
How I pray that each one of you
will have a truly Blessed Time as you serve our Lord and Saviour in the way He
desires. May your New Year resolution be that your lives will bring Glory to
Our Heavenly Father.
During the last few months of
service I have seen and heard so much that can only change my life and bring me
closer to our Heavenly Father.
The young people I have spoken
to in the many schools I have visited really bring home to me the power of the
spoken word.
So often we ignore or critisize
the younger generation when we should be loving and
listening to them.
At the end of each school
lesson I allow time to answer questions the students ask me. I have been
astounded and very challenged by many of the things the students have asked of
me. I feel it is time to give our youth opportunities in the church and to take
a really active part in the day to day life of the church.
As I take each lesson in the
schools, I use the students to translate for me. Of course we have minor
problems to begin with, but by the time the lesson is over I don't have a class
in front of me, but a team who are working together and helping each other
master a foriegn language.
It is truly amazing to watch
the teachers who attend each class, as they realise that the students who do
not excell in english are suddenly transformed as they listen to my story and
take an active part in the telling of it..
I will be sending out a longer
newsletter in the new year and bringing you all up to
date with the mission field the Lord has given to me.
As I drove the border of
God
Bless You All.
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
email Clifford@brotherclifford.com
Tel Sverge
0736720417
My Friends.
The weather here in
Sweden is as you would expect, (COLD AND WHITE). I am parked in the centre of
the town, at the side of the main church and surrounded by graves. It is the
custom in Scandinavia to celebrate the festival of Advent as a very important
part of the year for secular and church communities. Most of the graves have a
candle placed upon them on Advent Sunday and the sight of them at night is
spectacular. The snow which covers the ground at this time reflects the light
and turns the whole church area into a winter wonderland. When I was invited by
the priest to come here I did not know what to expect and have been amazed and
delighted with my reception from most of the people here. The children are a
little shy at the first contact with me but soon lose their timidity and
chatter away amongst themselves. Up to now I have been invited to speak at two
schools but more are now hearing about me so more work will be coming in. The Bessemergymnasiet
( Bessemmer) school for the senior high school students. The age range was 16
to 19 and I spent three days there taking English and Religion classes. It was
great to have the young people translating for me as I spoke and I was really
impressed with the quality of their interpretation. At the end of each lesson
it was question time and the questions really did challenge me as I answered
them. Each pupil would ask their question in Swedish and then I would choose
someone else to translate for me, I watched them grow in confidence as each
question was asked.
It
is surprising how God works in this world and how amazing His time scale is. I
was busking on the streets of Manchester in the early 1990's when I was
approached by a doctor who offered me help with my alcohol problem. It was many
more months before I looked him up for help at his surgery. He put me into
hospital to dry out and over a matter of around five years he took great
trouble with his most difficult patient. He helped me during my illness of
cirrhosis and then diagnosed the cancer in my throat in 2001. He even invited
me to his home for dinner one evening so that I could tell my story to his
children.
During his time dealing with me he attended the Pentecostal church in
Manchester and took me there on numerous occasions ( both drunk and sober )
Eventually he changed churches and returned to the Church of England. Early
this year he went on a retreat and met many Anglicans from different countries
and cultures. He mentioned one of them to me as he joined me on the boat to
Norway in May and told me that the priest Larry worked in Sweden.
During his motor bike holiday in Scandinavia
he travelled many kilometres until he experienced mechanical problems in the
large town of Gavle, (Larry the priest lives there) Due to Doctor Robert's constant
reminders I eventually met Larry and went for a meal with him as I travelled
through Sweden to Finland. It was many miles out of my way but I felt it was an
appointment to keep. I promised to call into his parish when I had completed my
tour of the Finland and Russian border. The original plan was for a brief visit
as I returned to Northern Ireland for the winter.
As
I wrote in the last newsletter to you all, Finland and Lappland was a
tremendous success and I intend to return there next year. Already I am
receiving emails begging me to speak in churches throughout Lappland and I hope
to spend three months there next summer.
When
I met up with Larry in Gavle he told me that he had a few meetings lined up for
me to speak at. I never expected the reception I have been given by the people
in this town of 25,000 people. The bus
has experienced problems due to the intense cold but it has still been used
mightily. A day of outreach during
Advent Sunday afternoon brought many visitors to meet me including a man from
Arabia who decided to follow " Jesus". I am awaiting a bible in Arabic for him.
The
schools I have visited have brought many students into the bus and the junior
school brought wet snow and around a hundred and fifty children to have a go
behind the steering wheel. The people of Finland and Lappland remember the
Finnish war this weekend and the main speaker has requested that I take her
place and give the address. I visited nearly all the battle sites just a few
weeks ago on the Border of Russia and Finland. (Perfect Timing)
Many
meetings with alcoholics have been attended and next week I spend a day at a
treatment centre and then speak to residents and visitors at the evening
meeting that is being arranged for me.
As
I wrote earlier!!!!!!!! God has his own
time schedule.
If
Doctor Rob had not stopped to speak to a drunk tramp all those years ago.
I
wonder if I would have been doing this work today or if I would have died in
1996 as was expected.
Speak
to someone about Jesus today and allow our "Heavenly Father" to change the
world.
Your Friend in "Jesus"
Brother Clifford Edwards
(Sandvekan Sweden)
Highways
for Jesus
email
Clifford@brotherclifford.com
My Friends.
Soumi November 2008
The tour this year
has been demanding and yet so worthwhile. So many great things have happened
since I last wrote an email to you.
The Lord has been a true
rock for me as I have travelled the border of
God
Bless
Your
Friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
Highways for Jesus
Web Page. www.highwaysforjesus.co
Email Clifford@brotherclifford.com
Finland October 2008
My Friends in Jesus.
So much seems to be
happening as I at last drive the roads of Scandinavia and head beyond the
Arctic Circle.Since my last newsletter only a few short weeks ago I have left
the Faroe Islands and taken ship for mainland Scandinavia. Norrona left me
behind at Hantsholm in Denmark and after a short drive I embarked at
Frederikshaven for Gothenberg in Sweden. I would recommend a holiday in Denmark
or Sweden if you enjoy driving. Even though there are no mountains here, there
is no shortage of trees. The forest I have been driving through is known as
"The lung of the World" it is also known as the Tigre or Tiger and is the
largest forest on earth. The forest stretches through Norman, Sweden, Finland,
Lapland and Russia to name just a few of the countries it covers. To stop each
day surrounded by trees and to be able to seek God in total silence is an
incredible experience.
The trip through Sweden was really memorable for me when I met a priest from
Gavle. Larry was made known to me by my doctor in England. Doctor Rob had been
to a Christian retreat and had met a few interesting people whilst he was
there. One of the people he told me about was Larry. When we met on the
outskirts of Gavle we really hit it off together and I knew it was a divine
appointment. Since leaving him he has been in touch with me again and I return
to meet up with him again in December for a week of outreach around his parish.
This will end with a united service of all the churches in the
town.
As I was driving I heard the voice I know so well speaking into my mind, "Drive
the border separating Russia and Finland, as you drive pray that I may be
Glorified by the people on both sides of the border" This is happening as I
write the newsletter and a difficult task it is to do. Most of the border is
through the forest and only the trucks hauling logs use them. I have to drive
very carefully as it is hunting season here and the local inhabitants are
stocking up their freezers with fresh meat. I stayed for a night in a picnic
area beside one of the main roads outside the town of llomantsi and prepared
for an early bedtime. At around 11pm I heard a car revving up outside the bus
and went to investigate, fearing trouble from the drinkers or youth out to
cause trouble. It turned out to be a middle aged couple having problems with
their car . We tried charging the batteries with my booster charger but it just
would not go anywhere. The couple ended up ringing a friend to travel over 60
kilometres to come and take them home. Of course it was an invitation to join
me in the bus or freeze outside so the kettle was put on for a cuppa. They both
showed an interest in the bus so I told them a little about Jesus and why I
served Him. It was revealed that they had only been married for a short time
when I gave them a copy of the Bible in English. I was not able to mend their
car but I was able to tell them the real way to fix all things "Including
Life" was through Jesus. I have had an email from them and the car is in the
garage being fixed.
Once again I am having bus problems and as I wrote I am praying that a mechanic will
turn up to sort out my air lines connected to the brakes. The weather has now
changed for the worse and temperatures have plummeted to below zero. If it gets
much worse I will have to abandon the rest of the border drive until next year.
It would be great if a few supporters joined me for the trip which would entail
a stay of around two weeks in Finland in April or May. (Why not pray about
it)
I had to stop writing at this point as a mechanic has called and has now fixed the
problem. I am concerned that the clutch will not last much longer because I had
to drive so far to find a mechanic. The snow is now with us in Finland and I
cannot venture any further north without replacing the tyres so I would hope to
complete the venture early next year and head for Norway when the spring arrives.
It seems very unusual to gaze out of the window and watch reindeer passing by
as they move freely around the forest and towns searching for lichen. The elk
has gone into hiding because of the hunting season in this part of the
world.
complete this news update from the small town of Potio where I have been
received with open arms. Yesterday I was invited to open the bus in the high
school playground and it was used as the classroom for the students studying
English. The bus was packed out all day and three newspapers sent reporters to
take pictures and get the story. Please feel free to use this newsletter to
share with fellow Christians of life
"On the Front Line"
God Bless
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother Clifford
Highways
for Jesus
Web page Highwaysforjesus.com
Email brothercliffordinprayer@hotmail.co.uk
Time flies and waits for no man, or so I have
been told. Parts of this year seem to have done the opposite for me as I waited
for repairs to the bus or hung around waiting for car ferries. But in the end I
still found that Jesus is,
"The
same Yesterday, Today and Forever"
Visitors have flocked into the bus from so many
countries,
I have been astounded at the end of each week
with the reception I have received as I have parked in such isolated lay-byes
in
As most of you know by now, I had a bad accident
with the bus earlier this year and for a time I thought that the days of the
mission were numbered. Well things do change and I am now still raring to go
and carry on the commission the Lord gave me in 1996. How can I ever thank the
valiant few who contributed financially to make the mission solvent again and
able to continue this vital work. It would be great if just a few more
individuals or churches made a commitment of even a small amount to take away
some of the pressure caused by soaring fuel and money exchange problems. Please
pray about it
From here I visited a church where I am
guaranteed a warm welcome, "Hofn"
We had a grand time of fellowship with the
congregation as I preached my final sermon in
I am still working just as hard in The Faroe
Islands and truly loving every minute being with such friendly and warm people.
"New Horizons Beckon"
I leave this week on a three thousand kilometre trip to the top of
I believe that hundreds of thousands of people
visit in November and December so please pray that I will be able to witness to
a small percentage of these people from
"ALL OVER THE WORLD"
A new diesel tank has just been fitted to the bus. This brings my fuel
capacity to just over 1000 litres and will save a tremendous amount of money.
Each country I visit has different rates for fuel and this means I can fill up
where fuel is not quite so expensive. Each penny a litre is worth ten pounds on
a full tank.
It would be good to have some feedback from this
newsletter if you can spare the time to visit the web site or email me. Also if
you desire, you can print it out and share it with your friends. There is no
copyright on any of my newsletters or testimony so feel free to use as the Lord
Directs.
May God
Bless You
Your Friend in Jesus
Brother
Clifford Edwards
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