Torrevieja Breakfasts and Dinners
Breakfast 23rd June 2012
Derek Smith, now aged 61,has been married to Sue for just over 40 years. He has two grown daughters, and three grandchildren and is very happy with life.
His first encounter with God took place at the tender age of 11, during a church outreach at the school gates. He was invited to a series of after-school meetings, which he attended, but they could not convince him that God was real, so he rejected God, and anything to do with God.
Derek hated school and left at 15, in 1966, to begin work as an apprentice electrician. Initially work was great, but at 19, he began to feel discontented. He was in a relationship that was going nowhere, and his friends were experimenting with drugs. He wondered what his life was all about?
Derek and Sue
Derek drew up a list of what he wanted from life: a career in electronics, a new girlfriend, new friends, independence, and travel. In short, a new life, and a new beginning. Then he saw an advertisement for the Royal Air Force.
He left the Royal Air Force in 1983 to begin a new civilian life with his family. Starting work with Marconi Communications, and settling in Chelmsford, Essex, was a new life, and a new beginning for them. Derek was very content with his new life, and wanted nothing more.
Then a new church opened across the road from them, and Sue started going, every Sunday morning, and taking their girls with her ...
To find out what happened next, why not come along to the Nautic Restaurant on 23rd June at 10.00 a.m. and join us for English breakfast which will cost you just 5 euros? Click here for how to find the restaurant.
A few ladies joined us for our previous breakfast and so we have decided to throw the breakfasts open to any ladies who wish to come. The ladies will have a table of their own, but of the inside of the restaurant is full they will be asked to sit in the outside area and join the men for the testimony time.
Breakfast 28th April 2012
As some people had expressed a desire to try a different venue we had the April 2012 breakfast at The Nautic Restaurant, in the International Marina, Playa del Acequión, Torrevieja. f The restaurant is a delightful setting and looks straight out onto the Marina itself. A bonus is that the Full English Breakfast, including tea or coffee cost just 4 euros It is in the part of the Marina at the northern edge of the Acequión beach. There is a large pay car park, , or you can park in the streets nearby. It seems members approved of the new venue so it has become our new "home". For a map showing the location of the restaurant click here.
We were very honoured to have had one of God's generals share his testimony at our breakfast at the end of April. Gordon Burgess, known to his Spanish friends as Guillermo, is well into his 80s and still going strong.
Gordon was came from a non - Christian background and was converted to Christ in April 1955 while serving in the Navy. The Lord called him to Spain after he had crossed the frontier from Gibraltar in January 1957.
Gordon Burgess
When Gordon left the navy after 12 years service in 1958, the Lord renewed the call, and with his wife and five year old son he drove to Almeria in 1961 and has been in Spain ever since. He now lives and ministers in Alicante city.
Gordon´s wife Margaret went to be with the Lord two years ago but Gordon is still continuing in the calling the Lord gave him 55 years ago. Gordon is an accredited missionary of the British Assemblies of God and an accredited minister of the Spanish Asambleas de Dios.
A real pioneer of the Gospel, his ministry has been mainly church-planting and Bible School teaching and he is largely responsible for the establishment of the Assembles of God Churches in Spain.
To find out more about Gordon´s amazing life story you can hear an Mp3 recording of his testimony by clicking here.
Breakfast 18th February 2012
The speaker at our first breakfast of the season on 18th February was Graham Taylor.
Graham lives with his wife Sheila in Weybridge, Surrey and is a retired accountant. They have two children and three grandchildren. They own an apartment in Murcia Region and attend Olive Branch Christian Fellowship, Camposol, Mazarron, when they are in Spain.
Graham and Sheila Taylor
Although his parents had a faith Graham's family did not attend Church when he was growing up, except for the customary births, marriages and deaths, and in his teenage years he had no thoughts for anything other than sport so he had no concept of what Church was really about. Off the sports field Graham was shy and quiet, but after he started dating the girl who would become his wife all that changed......
During his career Graham worked for Tear Fund for a number of years as the accountant for Tearcraft.
He has been a Christian for 35 years and for the last 18 years was a member of a Pioneer church.
Gala Dinner 25th November
To see the photos from the Gala DInner please click here.
Breakfast 5th November 2011
Speaker at the next breakfast for Torrevieja will be Bert Lundgren.
Father of four Bert, married to Anita for almost 45 years, is a member of the Swedish National Executive of FGBMFI. Born in a Christian family he grew tired of rules, regulations and religiosity and rebelled against it at 14. He trained as an engineer and built a successful career in finance which took him around the world, but also lived a wild life of restaurants, booze and so on. He had a good life but knew something was missing.
After he retired, and looking forward to the good life, he contracted cancer when he was 64 and this when he met God …………
He didn't stay retired either but took up a new career of T.V. executive.
To find out more come along to The Asturias Restaurant, Avda del Mar, Punta Prima on Saturday ............ It is on the Torrevieja-bound carriageway of the N332 on Orihuela Costa. opposite Playa Flamenca Aldi.
Breakfast 24th September
Dave Baragh will be the speaker at our next breakfast on 24th September at the Asturias Restaurant, Avenida del Mar, Punta Prima, Orihuela Costa. It is on the Torrevieja bound carriageway of the N332 from Cartagena, opposite Playa Flamenca Aldi.
David was brought up in working-class Lancashire in a Christian home. He went to college in London and married Joyce whilst still very young. David started out as self-employed at 26,and founded two family businesses which now employ 60 people. David and Joyce have been married for 47 years and are parents of three sons and grandparents of seven.
Dave Bargh
Although retired David has returned to the family businesses as they weather the recession.
Of course being born into a Christian family does not automatically make you a Christian as God does not have grandchildren. come along on 24ty at 10.00 a.m. to hear why.
Breakfast 28th May 2011
Our next breakfast will be on 28th May, and will take place at the Asturias Restaurant, Punta Prima, which is on the Torrevieja-bound carriageway of the N332 between Playa Flamenca Lidl and the Punta Marina McDonalds.
Caleb, 21, is our youngest-ever speaker, and so it would be a good breakfast for the younger generation.
From his testimony you will see that being born into a Christian family does not make you a Christian.
Here is a short version of Caleb's testimony:
"When I was 5, I prayed the sinner’s prayer more out of fear than of understanding of my depravity. I was scared of hell, and I wanted to go to heaven. My five-year-old mind understood Christianity as that, and I was content with that until about age 13. About that time my dad went through a job change into Young Life. I went to a Young Life camp that summer and the speaker there emphasized the need to make my parent’s faith my own. I had always heard that phrase growing up, but for some reason it had not clicked in my mind until then. I recommitted my life to Christ that week, but I don’t think there was much of a change in my life.
When I was 15, Young Life transferred my dad to Bloomington-Normal, IL. That was the summer after my freshman year (2005). For the first 6 months or so I was pretty angry with my parents and God. But in January of 2006, I took a missions trip to Mississippi with our church. We went down to Pass Christian, MS, where I saw the horrific destruction of Hurricane Katrina for the first time. Being down there for a week really helped me mature greatly as a person and a Christian. I started doing devotions every morning I was down there, and I have continued to do so since then. I also got the opportunity to see the body of Christ in action in the group from our church, and the Christians down there. At that point I encountered God and decided to live my life for His glory and fame.
Since then, I have grown in Christ every day. I know that I am saved because I have asked Christ to forgive me of my sins. I have admitted that I am a sinner in need of His grace. I have committed myself to following Him and letting him be the Lord of my life."
Breakfast 16th April 2011
For our next breakfast Irishman James Browne will share his testimony. Jim is married to Jayne and they live on the Orihuela Costa.
Come along to the Asturias Restaurant, Punta Prima at 10.00 a.m. to hear how God changed Jims`life 20 years ago and the difference it has made since.
James was born and grew up in Belfast, the youngest of three boys from a working class background. Although he attended church services, Sunday School and Boys Brigade he failed to see any evidence of God there and joined the British Army at 17,
at 17 he serving Queen and country until he hit 40.
In December 1989 at 23 years of age he had an encounter with God that changed his life. He began to seek God earnestly and remarkable life-shaping experiences resulted.
Jim and Jayne on a weekend away in Benidorm
The restaurant is on the Torrevieja bound carriageway of the N332 between Playa Flamenca Lidl and the Punta Prima McDonalds. It is almost opposite the Aldi Supermarket. Sorry ladies, this breakfast meeting is for the gentlemen only, but the ladies do have the Women’s` Aglow at Torrevieja Christian Centre on the second Saturday of every month - for details click here.
The breakfast meeting will be followed by coffee and the chapter AGM. Whilst all except one of the current officers are prepared to serve for another term they will gladly stand down to give others a chance to lead the chapter forward. We will need, however, a new membership secretary (not an onerous task). Copies of the minutes of last year`s AGM, the agenda and executive nomination forms can be obtained by clicking here.
Breakfast 19th February 2011
For our next breakfast on 19th February our speaker will be "local" man, Rafael Restrepo.
Born in Colombia South America, Rafael emigrated to the USA at the age of 9 with his mother, settling in Long Island in 1969.
From a Roman Catholic family his grandmother instilled in him a knowledge of God. Although an altar boy for about three years at the age of fifteen he stopped going to church and began to live a life very far from God. At around age seventeen he left home and was soon living recklessly.
At a low point in his life In December of 1979, he cried out to God for Him to change his life but it became worse and he stooped to even greater depths of misery. During this time he got a new job at an engineering factory where he met Christians who shared their faith with him, and it was after someone shared John Chapter 3 at a work-place Bible Study that Rafael asked God to come into his life. From that point on his life change drastically, and before long he was preparing for ministry.
Rafael and his wife Mary have worked in Montevideo, Uruguay and in Barcelona, Spain, more recently Murcia and are now in Torrevieja.
Come along to the New Asturias Restaurant at Punta Prima on Saturday 19th Februay at 10.00 to hear Rafael`s life-changing story and about the faithfulness of God. It is on the Torrevieja bound carriageway of the N332 between Playa Flamenca Lidl and the Punta Prima McDonalds. It is almost opposite the Aldi Supermarket. Sorry ladies, this breakfast meeting is for the gentlemen only, but the ladies do have the Women’s` Aglow at Torrevieja Christian Centre on the second Saturday of every month - for details click here.
Breakfast 23rd October 2010
Our speaker for October was Paul Woodward from La Trampolina in Murcia, Spain.Paul was a Jehovah`s Witness until that awkward age of 15, but became a Christian in just 2003. He has been married to Gilda for 34 years, 26 of which he says were happy! Before taking early retirement Paul worked as a Senior Psychiatric Nurse and has some amusing tales to tell. He now divides his time playing golf, being church secretary, singing in the church music group and whatever else Gilda finds for him to do.
Breakfast 18th September 2010
Our speaker in September was Patrick Vine from Cox.
Patrick, a married father of three, is known for his wacky sense of
humour. He
was an estate agent and property developer here in Spain but then the crisis came and
almost stopped that. He is now developing a consultancy service focused on
helping people with legal problems related to their properties etc. He also has
a group of contacts that deal with a whole range of services and building work.
"It’s a bit difficult to specify or put in a box" says Patrick. In a
given week he can be translating at the hospital, arranging number plate
changes for British cars, legalizing the situation of illegal houses and pools,
registering properties with the rates office, helping with residencias &
N.I.E. numbers ...........
At the moment he tries to limit himself to work in the mornings and make life as fun as possible for his children in the afternoon. About his faith he says: Raised in a Catholic home, I had awareness that something was missing in my life and started a search in which I explored the occult and drug world. At the age of 17 I was stopped in my tracks by having an experience with the risen Jesus that dramatically changed the direction of my life.
Breakfast 26th June 2010
In June we had Mike Hamblen from
the USA.
This is what Mike says about himself:
I was in the building materials
and transportation industry from 1975 to the late 80's, In the late 80's I was
in construction Management for 3 years, ran a bookstore in Botswana for 15
months, and finished up with a bakery in
Mike and Alice Hamblen
I was the
youth pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Coatesville,
Breakfast 15th May 2010
He had it all! Wealth,
businesses, houses, women, fame. He held titles such as World Kick Boxing
champion. But none of that compared with knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord.
It pales into insignificance in comparison with a relationship with the living
God!.
Andy with wife Miladys and daughter Andrea.
His life was marked by a lot of success and many other business ventures, but things came to a crashing end in 2004, with the closure of all his schools, his construction company and his property rentals, followed by a crippling divorce, but soon after this he gave his life to Christ and things could never have been better ……… until his past caught up with him in 2009!
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