Latest news from the frontlines

Following are emergency and latest news items from the frontlines. Some missionaries and Iris leaders do newsletters that may be presented in whole or part when they present a unique current perspective or testimony expressing the Kingdom. Some editing will be done to remove items not relevant to the Iris audience at large or to clarify for those who may not know the author.

Recovery, Village transformation, and Celebration

Rolland and Heidi Baker
Iris Ministries, Inc.
Pemba, Mozambique

20 June 2008

Rolland's health

Thousands have been praying for Rolland around the world since he left Mozambique for the United States last November for prayer, treatment and rest. During this time he has been under the care of several doctors and has been meeting with counselors. The love and care expressed by so many has been wonderfully overwhelming.

His primary care physician, located in the Dallas, Texas, area, states,
"Rolland Baker is currently under my care for a Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder which has caused some short-term memory loss due the intense ministry and administrative responsibilities he has overseen for many years. For Rolland's complete recovery I am requesting, along with Iris Ministries, complete rest. Please send email of an administrative nature to 'admin@irismin.org' rather than to Rolland. He will continue to welcome personal email. Heidi, staff and board members of Iris Ministries will assume Rolland's responsibilities until further notice" (Tim Shepherd, MD, June 6, 2008).

All of us at Iris Ministries will continue to pray for Rolland's complete recovery while he rests with family and friends. This week he will return to Mozambique for Crystalyn's Mozambican wedding, and then
will see in the Lord how long he can stay. The children there are
looking forward to seeing their Papa Rolland again!

Heidi would like to express her sincere appreciation for your continued
prayers and expressions of love. Our more than a hundred international missionaries, hundreds of indigenous staff members, and Iris boards around the world continue to be blessed with continued growth and the expansion of His Kingdom through Iris. Your prayers and continued financial support have been remarkable.

Rolland will not be speaking at conferences until further notice, though
he will continue to pray for and minister to individuals, which he loves
doing. Rolland will continue to be surrounded and supported by friends
and family. We know you will honor this time of rest and restoration
through your continued prayers, love and support.

When appropriate, updates will be posted on the following websites:

http://www.irismin.com

http://www.irismin.org

http://www.irismin.ca

From Dr. Don Kantel, our Pemba director:

A recent miracle in the neighborhood of the Iris Pemba Base has made Jesus the increasing focus of people's attention.

A widow in the area had been ill for several weeks. When her condition suddenly became more serious, her five children and a number of Iris believers gathered at her house and were praying through the night. About 4 am, she died. While the children began to prepare for her burial, the believers -- led by one of Iris's construction leaders, Mossa Calisto -- continued to pray. A couple of hours later, the woman opened her eyes and sat up. She told them she had been with Jesus and he had given her an hour to return to earth to settle her affairs and make provision for her children. She busied herself with these things...then she asked the people to leave the room, closed the door and died again! This account has been widely circulated and many are asking to know more about Jesus!

Under the supernatural anointing and favor of God, Iris Ministries has
expanded dramatically over recent years. Today, we are in at least 26
countries; we have over 7,000 churches; over 3,000 indigenous
evangelists and pastors have been trained and equipped through our five Bible schools; 1,000 students have completed our Iris Harvest Missions School; and we are feeding and caring for over 8,000 orphans and vulnerable children in several countries of Africa and beyond. But with all this growth, the core values and Mission of Iris remain the same as they were when Heidi and Rolland first began ministering in Mozambique in 1995.

The mission of Iris Ministries is to help bring the Kingdom of God to
all the earth...strategically and aggressively (Mt. 11:12), as God's
Spirit leads and enables us. And the three main ministry focuses through which we daily walk out our Mission are:

1) Evangelism, church-planting, and training and equipping of indigenous evangelists, pastors and leaders; 2) ministry to the poor (Is. 61:1) -- and especially to widows, orphans and vulnerable children; and 3) spreading the revival.

We'd like to share one recent strategic initiative growing out of this
statement of mission and priorities. It's a prototype for village
transformation referred to as the "Mieze Model" which has been developed in the village of Mieze near the Pemba Base in northern Mozambique. This model has evolved as the Holy Spirit has led and enabled us...with the clear purpose of replicating it in many other village settings over the next few years. Heidi and her team have prayerfully sought the Lord's direction for the location of the next center for development based on the Mieze Model and we expect to take the first steps within the next couple of weeks. The Mieze Model has already proved a compelling and tangible expression of the Father's love for "the least of the least" and is a brilliant, God-given strategy for establishing his manifest presence in the life of a traditional African village.

For a comprehensive overview and pictures of Iris's Mieze Model for
village transformation, please see http://web.mac.com/kantels

June 4, 2008: From Heidi, on the wedding of Crystalyn Baker and Brock Human

Thank you for your love and prayers. Rolland and I had a spectacular
time at our daughter Crystalyn and Brock Human's beautiful wedding in Redding, CA. God's presence was so strong as He smiled down on us with a "Mozambican" African blessing of rain during the ceremony! In our culture, rain is a sign of God showering us with His love. We lifted our hands to Jesus, worshipping to the song "Oh How He Loves Us" as God kissed the ceremony in a most precious way.

All of my Mozambican sons and daughters were thrilled at the news of
rain. In our nation, this is a sign of God's tears of joy. Not only did
God smile on us with rain, but He also came in power. Crystalyn was a
gloriously stunning bride. Brock's love for her touched me deeply. Since she was in my womb, I have been asking Jesus for a husband who would adore her with a marriage full of joy. God has answered my prayers.

Our family felt the beautiful love of dear friends who ministered with
their gifts of service and prayer. Rolland prayed a powerful father's
blessing. Sue McDonald planned the wedding in the most amazing and
anointed way. With her team, she spontaneously moved a reception to a house that was loaned to us at the last minute. Our son Elisha was a very handsome groomsman. Georgian and Winnie carried the most joyful, full of the Holy Spirit reception as we all danced together. Che, Shara, Stacey, Beni, Kris, Lesley, Juanita, Vera, Denise, Brock's parents, Chad and Julie blessed the bride and groom with prophetic prayers. Dr. Tim and Virginia sang a beautiful Hebrew song to the bride and groom. We are so grateful for such astounding love poured out on our family.

Twenty-eight years ago, Mel Tari was Rolland's best man in our wedding. This day, Sunday, May 25, he served as the perfect M.C. After decades of documenting our life of friendship, Joyce Tari put together a touching DVD collage of pictures set to Brock's original worship songs.

I am now home in Pemba planning for Christy and Brock's second
celebration in Africa. We expect three thousand guests including the
poorest of the poor. I flew home to Mozambique to also celebrate
"Children's Day" with over a thousand extremely happy children. My great joy was to go to each child living in our Village of Joy and pass out presents. I felt our Heavenly Father's love celebrating each one's life. Our Mozambican aunties, uncles, cooks and missionary team worked for weeks preparing for Children's Day. In both my own daughter's wedding and our glorious Mozambican party, I felt so thankful for how our lives have been enriched by God's unending love as well as the love of our family and friends who work together to bring His presence on earth as it is in heaven.

Thank you for holding up our family and for remembering the poor.

Much love in Jesus,
Heidi
--

U.S. office for mail, support and information:
Iris Ministries, Inc.
PO Box 493995
Redding, CA 96049-3995, USA
Tel: 1 530 255 2077
Web sites: <www.irismin.org> and <www.irismin.com>
Email: admin@irismin.org

Iris Ministries Canada
3092 Shannon Crescent
Oakville, ON L6L 6B4
CANADA
(905) 847-7749; fax (905) 847-7931
Web site: <www.irismin.ca>
Email: info@irismin.ca
Contact: Janis Chevreau

Iris Ministries (UK) Ltd
PO Box 351
Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1WQ
UNITED KINGDOM
Web site: <www.irisministries.co.uk>
Email: info@irisministries.co.uk

Iris Ministries South Africa
730 Dikhoorn St.
Moreleta Park, Pretoria
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: 27 12 998 8220
Web site: <www.irismin.co.za>
Email: irismin@absamail.co.za
Contact: Peter Wheeler

From Heidi on the wedding of Crystalyn Baker and Brock Human

Rolland prays a powerful father's blessing.

Iris Contact:
Ministerio Arco Iris
CP 275
Cabo Delgado
Pemba
Mozambique
Africa

US Support
Iris Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 493995
Redding, CA
96049-3995
www.irismin.org
www.irismin.com

Canadian Support
Iris Ministries Canada
3092 Shannon Crescent
Oakville, ON L6L 6B4
www.irismin.ca

From: Ros Fraser, Wendy's sister, June 26 update

Firstly, on behalf of Wendy, thank you so much for your prayers, flowers, gifts and cards. Wendy feels so loved and cared for by her many friends around the world.

We are seeing a slow improvement in her condition. The breakthrough definately came during the 24 hours of concerted prayer last week, during which time Wendy stopped deteriorating. As of today she can just manage to get out of bed and slowly walk a short distance with a nurse's assistance and using a walking frame. Doing this once per day is all she can manage as the effort required is absolutely exhausting. After 2 weeks in bed Wendy is desperate for some fresh air and sunshine! The affected muscles in her face are also gradually gaining strength. Her hands, fingers and feet however, are still very weak and lacking feeling. We have been told that her recovery will take from several months to years. We are believing God to reduce that time considerably!

We have much to thank God for but your prayers are still desperately needed.

Please pray:

1. For God's continued manifest presence that has been such a wonderful comfort uplifting Wendy even on the darkest days.
2. For Wendy to regain the use of her legs and feet so that she can walk unaided.
3. For healing for the rest of Wendy's body particularly her hands and face.
4. That Wendy's condition improves rapidly by Monday. If this occurs she will go directly to the rehabilitation hospital next week instead of staying in hospital and receiving another 5 day round of intravenous treatment.
5. For absolute 100% recovery faster than all expectations. We know this is God's will for Wendy. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!

Thank you again for your love and prayers.

Blessings to you all,
Ros

Date: 19 June 2008 11:25:00 AM
Subject: Wendy Walker Update

Dear Friends,

Firstly, I want to say thank you for all your prayers on behalf of Wendy over the last few days. Your messages of concern and love have all been given to Wendy and have meant so much to her.

The time has come when we really need urgent answers to prayer. Wendy is daily losing movement in her hands and legs and can no longer walk unassisted, even using a walking frame. The current treatment for Guillain Barre Sydnrome doesn't appear to be achieving much at this point. The plan is to move her to another hospital (Royal North Shore Hospital) tomorrow for plasma exchange treatment which cannot be done at her current hospital.

We need to pray urgently that:
1. WENDY'S CONDITION STOPS DETERIORATING IMMEDIATELY
2. Night time pain stops completely
3. Wendy begins to gain strength back into her arms, legs and back
4. Nerve endings and coverings begin to regenerate immediately
5. Wendy's immune system gets back to perfect working order

We're asking you, her friends and family, to join with us for 24 hours of concerted prayer for Wendy at this critical time. We know that it is NOT God's will that Wendy lie in a hospital bed in excruciating pain with the prospect of many months of convalescence before her. We know that God's will is perfect health for her now and for the rest of her life. And we know that God's heart for her is immediate healing, not because she's such a great person but because Jesus paid the price by dying on the Cross for her.

Thank you again for praying.

Blessings,
Ros

June 16, 2008, Emergency Prayer for Wendy Walker, Zimpeto Missionary from Australia

Wendy came home from Mozambique to Australia to visit her mother who has been very sick. Thankfully, her Mum is home from hospital convalescing and recovering well but slowly from Guillain Barre Syndrome.

However, the day Mum came home from hospital, last Friday, I took Wendy to hospital emergency with very similar symptoms to Mum's in the early stages of her illness. She was admitted the same day and yesterday, Sunday, the neurologist started Wendy on treatment for Guillain Barre Syndrome. This illness is rare, non-contagious and doesn't run in families so the fact that Wendy is now suffering from it is almost unbelievable! Following is a link to a website explaining this syndrome so you can pray with knowledge :

http://www.brainfoundation.org.au/AZ_of_Brain_Disorders/guillainbarre_syndrome

Wendy is in extreme pain and on very high doses of several pain medications to manage the pain. Every day she is a little worse, ie., she is weaker in her hands and legs and finding it more difficult to walk. Could you please pray that the paralysis stops NOW and does not progress any further. With the pain comes difficulty sleeping so your prayers concerning her sleep would be appreciated. Guillain Barre Syndrome is a very serious illness but we are believing God for a quick and complete recovery. Despite the pain and discomfort Wendy is experiencing God's peace in quite a miraculous way.

She is at the Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga, Sydney. At this point we don't know how long she will be staying.

Thank you so much for your prayers. God is good and his love for us knows no bounds!

Ros, Wendy's Sister

FROM HEIDI, MAY 3, 2008

We are pressing in for the presence of God in our meetings and in our relationships. With all the meetings, I find myself being drawn into more soaking prayer in the few hours I have alone each day. One of my life’s messages is that all fruitfulness flows from intimacy. My hearts desire is for an even closer and deeper friendship with God. At times, I am so hungry for more of Him that I find myself unable to concentrate on any other thought than wanting even more of the glorious life giving presence of Jesus. The longing is increasing. I feel like I am stepping into a season of greater grace and joy in extended times alone in His presence. I want to see Him. He longs for us to know Him and see the love and power of Holy Spirit living within us. I love Jesus more then life, more then breath, and more then any other person on earth. As I meet with people individually and corporately, I find Him there in them too. If I spend enough time in His presence, everything I do in ministry seems easy. If on the other hand, I feel pulled to do more then the Father wants of me, I find myself tired and frustrated. I pray we will all learn to live out of a place of fullness and rest. This is our loving Father’s desire for each one of His beloved children.

Sunday, I had the tremendous joy of ministering at the weddings of two first generation Makua couples. The young women getting married both spent years growing up with us at the Village of Joy in Pemba. They are the first in their families to ever be married, and they both married pastors. I am reminded of the powerful vision I had in Canada before I really knew who the Makua were. God took me up into His glory presence. I saw the colors of heaven flash before my eyes and was overcome with a desire to yield every thought, every action, and every moment of my life to Him. I felt as if I were right inside the Lord’s heart. God could have asked anything of me and I would have done it. My passion is for a life of love and obedience. It was during this transforming experience that I heard the voice of God. Jesus said, very clearly, “go and bring home my Makua Bride!” Now, with hundreds of others, we are bringing this tribe home to Jesus. What a joy it is for each one of us to hear, to love and to obey. I pray God takes us all into such a deep place of yielded love that we realize our destinies.

We just graduated another group of incredibly joyful pastors. Today, they each return to their villages and families. They are now commissioned as harvesters called to minister the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Directly after graduation, many of us took off to another village to share the very good news of the Kingdom. Makua youth ministered with drama and testimonies. Netto, one of our worship leaders, shared how he was one of the most feared and dangerous thieves in Pemba. He fearlessly told the crowd that he never had to purchase clothing before he gave his life to Jesus. He explained that he only needed to threaten people at knifepoint and that he either killed them or they turned over their clothing! Everything changed for him when he met Jesus. He thought he would never be married or have a job. Now the formerly notorious bandit holds the keys to the church and sound system and ministers with his beautiful bride.

Last night, small children were the first to respond to the love of Jesus. Then alcoholics pushed through the crowds to receive prayer to be set free from their pain and addictions. I kept calling for anyone deaf to come forward for healing but no one came. As we were about to leave, I was trying to speak to one of our local leaders in the village about service times and he motioned to me that he could not hear me. He said his ears were greatly damaged during the war. After we prayed for him, his hearing was perfectly restored. God’s glorious Kingdom is expanding. Each one of us is called to carry His glory into a dark world.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support. Please don’t stop. We love you and appreciate you.

In Jesus arms,
Heidi

Ministerio Arco Iris
CP 275
Cabo Delgado, Pemba

Mozambique, Africa
US Support: Iris Ministries Inc.

P.O. Box 493995
Redding, CA 96049-3995

www.irismin.com

www.irismin.org

Canadian Support
Iris Ministries Canada
3092 Shannon Crescent
Oakville, ON L6L 6B4
www.irismin.ca

Emergency Prayer Request for Patrick, our Sudanese Director, May 1, 2008

June 26, 2008: Prayer Update from Michele Perry on Patrick

Thank you to all of you who have been praying with us in this latest dance through the storm. Truly the waves are launching us deeper into His heart. Patrick is able to do a little more every day and we are celebrating even small steps in the right direction. We still need a major miracle for him that decimates every cancer cell in his body and completely restores all the damage done by them, but we are standing gratefully in what God is already doing. He is currently in Kampala overseeing the purchase of our first 4-ton lorry. Please keep the prayers coming for him- the situation is still extremely serious, his life depends on a miracle from Jesus.

May 10, 2008 After Prayer Request

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Greetings and blessings to you all from Gordon Haggerty, currently in Pemba, Mozambique.

I am writing this brief but urgent prayer request to you on behalf of
Patrick Jalan, the national pastoral leader of Iris Ministries Sudan, who
works alongside Michele Perry at the Iris center in Yei, in Southern Sudan.

Some time ago, Patrick was involved in an accident on his motorbike that resulted in an injury that separated his skull from his spine and shattered the top vertebrae. The doctors in Uganda diagnosed the problem and determined that a relatively simple surgical procedure could be done to re-attach the vertebrae to the skull, but it would have to be done by a specialist in South Africa. Meanwhile, Patrick had come to the point where he could not eat solid food and was becoming disoriented and in great discomfort.

We arranged to have Patrick fly down to Johannesburg to receive the surgery, but the doctors in Johannesburg, when they did a scan and further tests, discovered a large, fast-growing malignant tumor surrounding the site of the injury and literally choking off his throat and blood supply, and rendering the situation inoperable.

Patrick's hosts, Peter and Melodie Wheeler, Pretoria, have taken him for prayer, with some relieving results, but the situation is still growing rapidly worse.

It appears that the root of the accidents and cancerous tumor stems back to a violent and powerful curse that was placed on Patrick and others by another disgruntled pastor from a tribe of powerful witches in Southern Sudan.

There are limits to what the doctors can do at this point, and we
desperately need an intervention from heaven to break the curse off at its root and set our brother free from this death grip. Please pray with us, and pass this on to others who you know will stand with us to watch our God who cancels the power of death and releases LIFE do His miraculous work in our brother.

Thank you for standing with us for victory.

In His Love,
Gordon Haggerty
Iris Ministries

Addendum: Patrick is 30 years old. He and Betty have an 8 month old baby named Zion.

May 10, 2008 Follow-up Report

Apart from ongoing prayer, Patrick will finish his radiation therapy on Wednesday afternoon 14th May, after which he will then again see the doctor for an assessment. They are also still doing tests to determine the source of the cancer which they think is either kidneys or liver. Once this is known, they will consider chemotherapy as well. All his other blood tests came back normal and healthy so good news there too.

He is still on pain and anti-inflammatory meds, including morphine twice daily. These have reduced his pain and he is able to walk around and outside the house a bit, he lies down and watches TV, including some of the Todd Bentley crusade.

He has to wear his neck brace at all times as his top 2 vertebrae have been damaged and partially dissolved on one side by the cancer.

Today for the first time he was able to eat solid food without having to wash each bit down with water. The Dr says they think that there is no obstruction in his throat, but that his nerve that controls the swallowing has been affected - but here we see a great improvement, whatever the cause.

He is awesome to have around us - so positive, full of faith and believing God for his restoration.

His wife Betty and son Zion have now got their passports this past week in Sudan and will travel to Uganda to get their visa's as well as their flight to South Africa next week. It will be wonderful for them to be reunited after many weeks apart.

Michele Perry will probably fly here as well this week to join them for a few days.

Depending on the next stage of the treatment, he and Betty will be with us for a few weeks before returning home to Sudan again.

Will let you know if we have any significant new news to share.

Thanks for everybody's encouragement and ongoing prayer. We are aware of an awesome peace surrounding our home.

Melodie Wheeler, Pretoria, South Africa

May 16, 2008, Follow-up Report from Melodie Wheeler, Pretoria, SA

It has been an ongoing struggle to get Betty's travel documents sorted out, and has taken so long that it nearly made no more sense to come to SA. The SA embassy in Uganda (from where she can fly to SA), then also decided today that they would not issue an emergency visa, and that she has to wait till next week Tuesday. She will thus no longer travel to South Africa.

Michele flew in today, and will be ministering in Pastor Colin McGeer's church on Sunday. We will take Patrick there too. She has also been invited to minister on Tuesday in Johannesburg to impart the Lakeland Revival anointing.

Back in South Africa, the doctor's have also reviewed all of Patrick's tests again and have informed him that they do not recommend him taking any further chemotherapy treatment. The type of cancer he has does not respond to any known treatment. The tumour in his neck should still continue to shrink after completing the radiotherapy. They are trusting that Patrick's vertebrae will re-grow some cartilage as soon as the tumour shrinks away sufficiently.

He still has quite a bit of pain following any time of activity, such as eating and talking. He has to rest his head every few minutes as well.

Patrick will thus return to Sudan, via Uganda, on Thursday this coming week.

But, Patrick and us have chosen not to believe the doctor's report. We believe that God will raise him up and restore him to health. He is positive and spends much time in the Word and prayer. Please continue to pray as God leads you for full restoration.