Fields Of Life. Ch. 9. 

Hopes & Dreams: 

  In 2000 I moved from Newport, South Wales, back to Blaenavon, the town where I began a pioneer work in 1986.

Returning for a second time to pastor the church was both exciting and challenging. Very challenging!

It’s not unusual perhaps for one to pastor the same church at different intervals, but I felt the bar was being raised as new ideas and demands for the ministry came into play.

Challenges accompanying needs that I and my team of workers orchestrated pretty much on our own – not without the input of the Lord, of course.

The church, although small in number, had a team of workers who faithfully ran the day centre and luncheon clubs. 

Measuring the church’s effectiveness in the community, we reached approximately 3% of the population. 

For a time, we, I and my colleagues, also provided a parent and toddler group.

And that’s not all! We provided an after-school club, EKWIP, the acronym for “Every Kid With Inspirational Purpose.”

Our program attracted children from both schools in the town. This operation was not carried out without the local authorities sanction and input. In fact, the partnership between us and the local authority grew to such a scale of depth and quality – creating a window of opportunity, which prepared the way for us to have a degree of influence into other after-school clubs.

So much blessing and favour!

For us, it wasn’t a matter of working for, but working with. At all times we never compromised our Christian values, but as we worked together we added value to the community.

Added to which, other opportunities were made available to enable us to share with a few of the county schools during morning assemblies.

As the ideas and plans developed further, some of the work which I endeavoured to do in Blaenavon, included serving as president of Blaenavon Churches Together. This was an opportunity for my having had some participation in chaplain work at the local hospital.

 While I ministered in Blaenavon, other church colleagues from other parts of the South and West Wales regions, would invite me to share in different ministries.

On one such invitation to Ebenezer Baptist Church, Pengam, near Caerphilly, a young lady named Rachel found herself falling in love with the preacher..

I’m smiling! Lest I sound a little vain, I have to say, “Yes, she fell in love with me!” Wow! Was I honoured and flattered! How complimented was I that this young woman of good character; furthermore, a beautiful person, declared her love for me.

Amazing!

God misses nothing when it comes to knowing what pleases His children!

He’s in the business of blessing! 

On a lighter side and would you believe that Rachel doesn’t remember what I preached about that day? 

No matter, it was certainly a beautiful, turn-around day for both of us.

To get to the heart of the story here, Rachel and I met for the first time in February 2001. For about a year, she would travel to Blaenavon to help out with the ministry in the three luncheon clubs and Ekwip. Something should have told me she was preparing to become a minister’s wife! It was amazing and delightful to discover Rachel’s kindness. And her generosity was demonstrated as she, week after week, extended herself by spending so much time in route – as her home was in Pengam, Caerphilly-twenty miles away from Blaenavon.

Due to the infrastructure of the road system, which was typically characteristic of a valley and mountainous range, each returning journey would take two hours out of every day. What a journey!

This amounted to a forty mile round trip. Can you believe it? Not just once a week, but as many as four days a week!

Rachel certainly had dedication and was determined to complete those runs to and from Pengam and Blaenavon.

Obviously, her intentions were more than just helping out at the church. Yes, it was evident, that we were falling in love.

So, finally in April 2002, we began to go out as a couple. And on Christmas Eve 2002 we were officially engaged to be married.

The wedding day, planned for 6 September 2003, coincided with the twelfth anniversary of the day when I was given just three days to live. That, perhaps, was not a coincidence since both dates were very dramatic events in my life! I like to call these events, “A God incidence!”

Nevertheless, the months leading up to the wedding day proved very hectic,because behind the scenes in church management quite a lot was changing. Funding for the day centre was being pulled from underneath our feet, which would, consequently, have a domino effect on every aspect of the church’s life and its very existence.

 As part of our overall circumstances, while these changes were happening, a church in South Yorkshire approached us to consider a part-time “pastoral associate” ministry. We accepted the invitation.

This meant that during this upheaval while all these changes were taking place – trying to keep the church functioning with the threat of discontinuation of funding, burdened with hardship of uncertainty – we were planning our wedding day!

Additionally we found ourselves making arrangements to sell up house and move 200 miles up north.

Oh-boy! weren’t we busy! We don’t recommend anyone seeing the closure of a fellowship, selling a house, buying another, getting married, moving 200 miles and beginning a new ministry all at the same time!

Who says God doesn’t help with the details as well as the major decisions in life. He does! There’s always a bright side when He is involved!!

 Anyhow, the wedding day was an absolute brilliant day, we had over 120 guests. The ceremony held in Blaenavon New Life Christian Centre, was officiated by our friend Phil Johnson.

Unlike traditional weddings with the organ or even a piano accompaniment, we were honoured to have the Blaenavon Brass Band. What a lovely touch this was to our grand occasion.

As my bride traditionally completed her walk down the isle with her father – my best man, Paul Dando, announced the details of how the bride was dressed.

It was easy for me to envision Rachel’s complete loveliness. Yes, he shared in detail what Rachel Elizabeth Rawlings was wearing. Even though Paul was reading the description from a prepared script handed to him there and then, he added a little line!

“David, she looks drop-dead gorgeous!”

Although his reading of such a script was not traditionally part of the ceremony, it was a lovely touch – then later the official covenant words were spoken with the beautiful and appropriate vows of “I do!”

And now husband and wife – Mr. and Mrs David Anthony Prince, happily walked down the isle together, knowing this marriage and their life together would be forever because God was at the helm.

Our whole day, beautiful and sacred, caused all the uncertainties of our lives at the time to fade into oblivion, at least for the time being. And with our faith that God’s will for our lives would supersede anything that might be an obstacle, especially the factors that lay presently lurking behind the scenes, made our day complete without any fear or flaw.

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious – kind, merciful, and giving favour to you. The Lord lift up His – approving – countenance upon you and give you peace – tranquility of heart and life continually. 

Amplified Bible.

Numbers 6:24-26

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