Jan Morley

An Encounter in Greece

In the June of 2001 I was made redundant after 24 years in the same job, and I thought "My God help me." By the end of June I had a new Job and I thought, "That was a bit of luck." Luck?

I had always believed in God, but never made the absolute commitment. I was a Catholic, but I found that was not enough, so I drifted away from God. But I always believed He was there.

My husband and I went on holiday in the September of that year. The holiday went fine. We went to a beautiful Greek Island called Paros. We had been to many Islands and were always looking for somewhere to settle down when we retire.

It was two days before we were due to come home, and I felt awful. I really didn’t want to come home. We were on the beach and it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The beach was empty and a couple came down, with their dog, and sat right beside us (as people do when there’s an empty beach) I felt really fed up. "Oh", I thought "I can't make conversation."

Well, the next day (our last day) I was really in the dumps and the same couple came down, with their dog, and sat right beside us again. But they started to talk to another couple that were near by us, whom we also knew. The other couple had asked the people with the dog "Are you English?" and "How did you come to live here in Greece?" (they obviously lived there because they had the dog) and the minute she started to speak, she began to say how Jesus had changed her life - that she had found Jesus - and the whole story of her life.

At the beginning of her life she had been a manager, doing very well – nice house, car - and how she had found Jesus, and didn't need all that. I was absolutely transfixed. Her name was Barbara, and she said she had written a book, about her life. And I said, "Where can I buy the book?" Barbara replied "Well, I’ve got them with me." So I bought a book and the other couple bought a book.

And I read that book - I just could not put it down. It was fantastic. But by the end of the book I was in floods of tears. I was so ashamed - I couldn't even remember the Lord's Prayer and I felt so ashamed. I kept crying and crying.

Before we left Paros, Barbara came back to our apartment, looking for us and she said, "I need your address because I need to send you a receipt for the book. But while I'm here I'll write down my e-mail address in case you need me." So she wrote her e-mail address inside my book.

And did I ever need her? Because after that, I had these feelings, these different feelings and I was 'on top of the world', and I thought "What's happening here?"

When we arrived home in England, I e-mailed her and explained everything to her and said "Help, I don't understand what's happening!" And she explained that she thought I had truly found Jesus, and the tears were tears of me repenting, and the joy of starting a new life!

So, we were e-mailing backwards and forwards to each other and she was telling me what to read in the Bible: Matthew, Mark…I couldn't get enough. I was reading everything and I thought, "this is fantastic!"

Then Barbara e-mailed me and said "It's about time you got out and found yourself a Spirit-filled fellowship."

And I wondered – "where would I find the right church?" So, back to the internet - and thank goodness for technology (for once). I looked on the Internet and there was the Church at Gun Hill website, and I thought, "This looks good."

So I e-mailed Barbara and said "Have a look at this website, see what you think."
And she e-mailed back and said "Yes, get along there, they sound great, just what you need."

And that’s how I came to be at Gun Hill, and the fellowship has welcomed me so much.

I am at a point now that I not only believe - I know! I know Jesus walked this earth. I know that He died for me and that He rose again - and He is here with me constantly.

The Church at Gun Hill is an Elim Pentecostal Church
Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance :: Registered Charity 251549 (England & Wales)