Philip & Kathleen Powell
PO Box 648
Springwood QLD 4127
P: (07) 3423 1511
F: (07) 3423 1611
M: 0418 23 1511
E:
Thankyou for your
concern & prayers for
Kathleen.
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The accident occurred 8 weeks ago - Wednesday June 13, 2007. Kathleen slipped on the tiles in the kitchen, fell and fractured her right hip. She has osteoporosis so her bones are very brittle. Providentially on arrival at the Wesley hospital we discovered that the surgeon who had performed the operation on Kath's knee three years ago was in the operating theatre and therefore available to carry out the needed surgery that evening. It was critical that there was as little delay as possible as a fracture of this nature could cut off blood supply to the bone. The surgeon pinned her hip and put a splint on her right wrist some six hours after our arrival at hospital. Eight days later she exited the hospital to face almost total immobility in the home. Twenty one year old son Jonathan, who lives with us and our daughter Amanda Pitman and her family who live about ten minutes drive away have been most caring and helpful. In addition we are grateful for the help and support of the members and friends of the Christian Witness Ministries Fellowship here in Brisbane. Above all we praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness. Strangely enough one of the tasks that Kathleen carried out on her computer just before the accident was a search of the internet for flight tickets in connection with ministry at a British Conference in October, 2007 to which I had been invited as guest speaker with the thought of Kathleen accompanying me. It became clear after the accident that certainly Kath would not be able to make it and then as time progressed despite her willingness for me to go on my own it became clear that I too needed to excuse myself. Very graciously the organisers of my meetings in UK and in USA released me from my commitments. I must confess that this was a humbling experience as to date the Lord has always enabled me to honour my preaching commitments and promises. However as the wife of my life long friend, who has faced a similar situation commented: "Well Kath when these guys promised they said, 'In sickness and in health.'" The reality of life's vows has become even more meaningful. Notwithstanding difficulties it has been an honour and privilege to stand by each other in our marriage of 41 years. Kath has certainly stood by me in times of sickness and has never stood in my way respecting ministry and other commitments. It would be a lie to say that this ordeal has not been without its pressures. Undoubtedly it has been a most difficult time of our married life, but it has also been a time of "joy in the trials". Someone asked what lessons was the Lord teaching her and in her down-to-earth Lancastrian response Kath said, "To stand on my feet and not to fall." Please pray that there will be no long term complications and that time will reveal that the blood supply to the bone was not cut off necessitating a hip replacement down the track. Please pray that there will be no more falls and that we will find a solution to Kath's osteoporosis of which she was aware and had been taking medication (mainly herbal). Some specialist prescribed treatment had side-effects which caused her to cease taking the tablets. |
From 1989 to 1992 he served as National General Secretary of Assemblies of God in Australia and was editor of the monthly Australian Evangel for most of that time.
In 1994, Philip and Kathleen launched Christian Witness Ministries (CWM) when they began to publish the bimonthly journal “Contending EANESTLY for the FAITH” (CETF) out of Hamilton, New Zealand. This is a faith venture, which has prospered under the hand of the Lord to the point that there are now clearing offices in Australia and Britain as well as in New Zealand.
Philip carries out a resident pastoral ministry and an itinerant faith ministry.
God bless you.