Real Lives
Clydach’s brand new
Good News
for Clydach
By Mark
Barnes
Minister,
Bethel
Church
2009 has not been a
year filled with good
news. Savings and jobs
have been lost, and our
confidence in banks and
parliament is at an all time
low. It’s not surprising
that the papers have
been full of bad news.
The bad news is that
it is not just bankers and
parliamentarians who don’t
live up to the standards we
expect. If we’re honest with
ourselves, we’re no better than
they. We have all done things
of which we are ashamed.
But there is good news!
That’s why we at Bethel
Church are launching this
newspaper, and the Real
Lives events which take place
at the end of June.
What would be good news
for you? What do you hope for?
At the back of this newspaper,
former Wales’ hooker Garin
Jenkins says that as a boy he
was looking forward to big
cars and holidays that rugby
success would bring. But
No
regrets
Page 3
when success came, he found
“it doesn’t fulfil what you
think it will”.
The same story is told by
special guests and the Clydach
men and women who belong to
the church, and whose stories
are also featured inside. Each
one discovered good news in
unexpected places.
The good news is that God
loves us, he wants us to know
him personally, and deal with
our failings so we can escape
death and live forever in
heaven. That’s good news!
Even better, God offers
this as a gift. We don’t need to
earn his love by trying harder
or doing better, by going to
church or by saying prayers.
2,000 years ago Jesus Christ
was nailed to a cross, because
he claimed he was the one
– the only one – who could
restore our relationship with
God. And this newspaper is
filled with stories of people
who can testify that this is
what Jesus has done for them.
To find out more, read
through their stories, and
come to one of the Real Lives
meetings advertised in the
middle of this newspaper.
You too might find that the
Bible’s message to us is very
good news indeed.
A life-
changing
decision
Page 4
Issue 1 : June 2009
Overcoming my biggest fear
Anna never thought life
would turn out like this.
In fact, she really hoped it
wouldn’t.
Anna was brought up in a
Christian family. “I always knew
Jesus had done the unthinkably
difficult thing of being punished
by God the Father so that I could
be forgiven by him if I just trusted
him. I knew this was good news,
the bit I didn’t like was being
100% committed to Jesus.
“I desperately wanted all the
good things being a Christian
has to offer; forgiveness,
heaven, etc. but I didn’t want
to do anything that was too
difficult or uncomfortable for
me. I just wanted to be happy.”
Anna knew that being a
Christian didn’t mean having
an easy life. “I knew that some
people who were Christians
went to other countries to tell
people they can have a right
Good News Paper
Free!
relationship with God because
Jesus died on the cross to forgive
them.” Anna actually thought
this was a great idea, she laughs,
“A great idea for someone else,
“I didn’t want to
do anything that
was too difficult…
I just wanted to be
happy.”
but not for me! Some people love
the idea of travelling, but not
me. I’m a home-bird. Studying at
Bible college in London seemed
like the other end of the world.”
We all have different fears
but for Anna, her biggest fear
was being far from her family.
Anna has a house in Clydach,
with her husband, Nathanael.
Her grandparents are round the
corner and her parents live a ten-
minute walk away. So, what’s the
Wedi’i alw
i bregethu
Tudalen 6
problem? In eight months, Anna,
Nathanael and their new baby
(they’re expecting their first in
July) will leave that home and
move to Japan, long-term. But
why? “We want to tell Japanese
people about Jesus so that they
can have the opportunity to
know the true and living God.”
So, how has Anna overcome
her greatest fear? “God has
taught me a lot about trusting
him for the future. I used to try to
control my own life and future —
but never very successfully. Even
though the thought of being so
far from my family — especially
with my parents’ first grandchild
— is still scary for me, I now
realise that the scarier thing is
trying to control things myself
rather than trusting God. He is
in control anyway, so trusting
him and praying to him about
my fears and concerns is a much
happier place to be.”
Anna has a new home to set
up, a new culture to understand,
a new language to learn, a
new baby to look after, and no
family nearby. With so many
unknowns ahead of her, is she
really in a happier place? “It’s
funny how things turn out, isn’t
it? My biggest fear is coming
true and yet I am happier than I
ever dreamed I would be. I know
I can trust God with all my fears;
knowing and trusting him is the
happiest place to be. He made us
as people who will only ever be
truly satisfied and happy when
we find our satisfaction and
happiness in him.”
Page  Real Lives

Wasted years
Colin didn’t have an easy time when he was growing up.
His dad died when he was four years old, leaving his mum
struggling to bring up three boys on her own. In his early
teens he became seriously ill with life-threatening pneumonia
and pleurisy. As a student, a bad motorcycle accident
ended his dreams of becoming a doctor. Colin says
this early part of his life was wasted years — but not
for the reasons you might expect.
With all these problems in Detective Sergeant in the Drugs laden and I will give you rest’ Pontardawe. “All I wanted to do about it though. You look at
such a short space of time, Squad was challenging work became a personal invitation to was provide a good service to things differently as a Christian. I
Colin could perhaps be and I spent a lot of time in pubs me and I accepted Jesus as my people.” Since Colin has retired, know I’m in God’s hands.”
forgiven for not knowing and clubs where the drug users personal Saviour there and then, he’s had two new hips and suffers Despite telling me he’s had
where to turn. He did were. It was around this time and became a new person in the a fairly clean bill of health,
what many people do in that Jean and I were invited Lord. From then on I wanted “I went for a Colin also suffers from arthritis.
extreme circumstances. by our two eldest daughters to live for the Lord. My life had “I’m sure that’s a result of
“In desperation I asked to attend a meeting which the changed. I used to drink and I walk on the playing prop forward in rugby
God for help”. But Colin is
honest enough to admit, “I
young people were taking at
Bethel. We had refused so many
enjoyed smoking but I no longer
wanted to do those things and
first morning for so many years. I used to
play for Liverpool University,
soon forgot all about God
once I’d recovered.”
invitations that we decided gave them up immediately. What of 1978… It Aberystwyth, Trebanos and the
to go. I sat there and watched God had given me was so much police. Rugby was such a big part
After his early struggles more wonderful than anything was a new of my life – it was my priority.
Colin had been thrilled to “I thought the world had to offer. I went for
year, and I was “I look back and wish it
have the opportunity to a walk on the first morning of hadn’t been so. I wasted so many
study medicine at Liverpool that academic 1978 and I remember breathing a new person.” years. I thought that academic
University. “There were grants
back in those days, which was
success, in the pure fresh air and thinking
how wonderful creation was. It from deteriorating eyesight
success, alcohol, playing rugby
and other things like that
good because we wouldn’t have alcohol, was a new year and I was a new that takes him for regular would bring lasting happiness.
been able to afford for me to person.” injections at the hospital. He But I know now that everlasting
go otherwise.” Sadly, Colin’s and playing laughs as he tells me, “Every happiness can only be found by
desire to be a doctor never Next steps
materialised. In his fifth year rugby would It was not long after
time I go they tell me this
injection could give you a
accepting Jesus as Saviour. This
is my prayer for those seeking
of study he had a motorcycle
accident which shattered his
bring lasting becoming a Christian that Colin
retired from the police force. He
heart attack or stroke, or if
it goes wrong you may lose
happiness in drugs, alcohol and
other temporary things, that
leg and he spent a long time in happiness.” obtained a degree in pharmacy, your eye — I have to sign a they would turn to Jesus, accept
hospital — but as a patient, not eventually opening his own form to say that’s alright.” him and know true and lasting
a student. “I just didn’t have the young people — their faces pharmacy on Herbert Street in He then adds, “I don’t worry happiness.”
the money to re-do the year so I radiated such joy and happiness.
had to give it up. It really moved me. It was such
a contrast to the young drug If you would like a lift to any of the Real Lives meetings, more information
Real Lives Response Form

“In 1957 I moved to Swansea

and joined the Swansea Borough
Police Force. I married Jean in
1963; we settled in Ynystawe,
and had three daughters.”
It was really through his
daughters that Colin came into
contact with Bethel Evangelical
Church. “My mother-in-law’s
friend insisted on taking our
girls to the church. Jean and I
were happy for them to go but
weren’t particularly interested
in going ourselves.
Divine intervention
“But in 1977 God started
to intervene in my life. Being
users I was dealing with in about the church, or would like someone to visit you, please just ask.
my work;  they too sought
happiness but I know from the Your name:
many incidents I attended they Address:
never found happiness through
taking drugs — sadly, many
Telephone:
ended their lives.”
email:
A changed life Would you like? □ A lift to church?
After that Colin began □ Some information in the post?
attending church regularly but □ Someone to visit?
it was in the last hour, of the last □ Something else? (let us know what)
day of 1977, whilst attending a
New Year’s Eve service that he Please post to Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol Y Nant, Clydach, Swansea,
actually became a Christian. “The SA6 5HB, telephone the minister, Rev. Mark Barnes on 01792 828095, or
words of Jesus ‘Come unto me email bethel@bethel-clydach.co.uk
all ye that labour and are heavy
 Real Lives Page 

On a mission to Clydach One journey I’ve

London students James, Stefan, Liz, Tim and Duncan are excited about coming to Clydach
For some university
students, the summer is
a time for a well-earned
rest after assignments are
handed in and exams are
completed. For others,
it’s an opportunity to earn
money and pay off those
ever increasing debts.
But for five students from
London, the summer
brings a very different
opportunity – James,
Stefan, Liz, Tim and Duncan
are coming to Clydach
to help at Real Lives. We
asked them why.
Tim says, “We all know Liz
as we go to the same church
in London. She’s from Clydach
and asked us if we’d come and
help her home church, Bethel,
during the Real Lives week. I’d
never even heard of Clydach
before I met Liz!”
So, is Tim only coming
because Liz twisted his arm?
“Liz is very persistent and
persuasive! But I truly believe
the Bible’s message can change
lives. I love meeting people with
different life stories to tell, and
I want to share with them the
greatest true story — that Jesus
died for their sins.”
“I truly believe
the Bible’s
message can
change lives.”
Liz explains, “I really think
Clydach people need to get to
know Jesus. Many people are
disinterested in the Bible and
church; I guess church seems
like the most boring place to
be and the Bible seems like the
most boring book to read. I used
to think like that too. But the
Bible is all about Jesus, and Jesus
is not boring! He is awesome
and I can’t think of anyone else
I’d rather tell people about.”
James agrees, “I can’t think
of anything more exciting than
helping people to know Jesus for
themselves as they find out how
much God has done for us.”
But Duncan admits, “It will
be quite scary talking about
things many people disagree
on, to people I don’t know,
but what you believe about
Jesus has eternal consequences
so I’m looking forward to
conversations where we talk
about who Jesus is and why he
came.”
never regretted
Perhaps this perspective
is not one you would expect
to hear from your average
university student. So what has
caused this change of thinking?
Stefan explains, “I called myself
a Christian for as long as I can
remember. This used to mean
church on a Sunday and trying
to be good. On my gap year I
realised that being a Christian
is what your whole life is about,
not just a part of life. I could
“I realised
that being a
Christian is what
your whole life
is about.”
never be good enough to live
for God with my whole life, and
that was the problem! I learned
that Jesus had done everything
I needed to be forgiven by God
when he died for me.”
As unpaid volunteers,
what will make the trip from
London and all the hard work
worthwhile? Liz says, “We hope
and pray people will come along
to Real Lives so they can make up
their own minds about Jesus.”
For Lorna, religion was a way of life. Her father was
a lay-reader, and they went to church three times
every Sunday. But despite all the church-going, she
came to realise that deep-down her religion was
just hypocrisy.
“When I left home and went to teacher-training college
in North­ampton, I realised that going to church had just
been a habit; it hadn’t challenged me or made me think. I
was a hypocrite, really. I did carry on saying my prayers but
that was just me being superstitious.”
Lorna’s first teaching post was in London, where she met
her husband, Malcolm, who was from New Zealand. “After
we were married we moved out there and I went to a church
which helped me to think about what the Bible said. Then
my mum back in Llansaint became a Christian and I started
to notice a change in her. Despite losing my father some
years before, I remember thinking that I didn’t need to worry
about her any more because of the security and happiness
that she now had. It was a good influence on me, I think it
made me want something of that same security.”
When they moved back from New Zealand, Lorna and
her family eventually settled in Clydach. “My sister told me
Clydach was a nice, friendly place to live, so we moved here.
God knew what he was doing, as I’m just around the corner
from what my mum called ‘a lovely little church’.”
Following her mum’s advice, Lorna started going to Bethel
Evangelical Church, with her four children. “I asked myself
‘What’s the point in being a hypocrite?’ as I had been for many
years and was in danger of becoming again.
I was challenged by sermons and
prayers I heard at church and I
came to realise that I wasn’t
right with God.
“Coming to know God was
a slow process for me — but
it is one journey I’ve never
regretted. It’s funny how
things hit you. So many times I
thought, ‘That sermon was just
for me’. And although I don’t
remember exactly when
I became a Christian I
know that God has
forgiven my sins
and I have peace
with him.”

Brian was born and bred
in Clydach. Like most
children in those days, he
went to Sunday School as
a youngster.
However, as soon as Brian
was working, he stopped
having anything to
do with church. “I
worked during
the day and
went to the
pubs and clubs to drink in
the nights and on weekends.
That was my life — no real
direction or focus.” Things
started to change for Brian
when he married Marlene.
“When our sons were old
enough my wife started
looking for a Sunday School.
A friend recommended
Bethel, so the boys went — a
couple of years later my wife
started going too.
“Now I wasn’t going to go
to church but I had no issue
with the rest of the family
going. Although I had always
felt there was a God, I had no
real thought about him. But
one Sunday I just decided to
go to church with the family
and I have been going there
ever since!
“I found it difficult to
understand the Bible and the
preaching. But over time,
God was dealing with me,
convicting me of my sins. For
the first time I realised I was a
sinner and that my sins needed
to be forgiven, so I asked God
to forgive me.
“I had become a Christian
and I realised I didn’t want to
go back to my old way of life
which involved drinking and
not much else; I would much
rather be in church learning
more about God.”
Page  Real Lives
A life-changing
decision
There are some decisions
that can change our lives
forever. For Henry Olonga
— the first black cricketer
to play for Zimbabwe, and
still the youngest to have
represented the country
— one day will stay in his
mind forever.
The day was 10 February
2003. Henry was in Harare
— Zimbabwe’s capital city —
preparing to face Namibia in
Zimbabwe’s opening game of
the Cricket World Cup. “There’s
about fifteen minutes to go.
Andy Flower and I look at each
other and nod. We get out the
rolls of black tape, cut off a
length and wrap it round our
left arms. Andy calls for quiet
and announces to the team
what we are doing and why.”
Both players also release a
statement to the press. In part
it reads, “We cannot in good
conscience take to the field and
ignore the fact that millions of
our compatriots are starving,
unemployed and oppressed…
Hundreds of thousands of
Zimbabweans may even die in
the coming months through
a combination of starvation,
poverty and Aids… Many people
have been unjustly imprisoned
and tortured simply for
expressing their opinions about
what is happening… People have
been murdered, raped, beaten
and had their homes destroyed
because of their beliefs… If we
remain silent that will be taken
as a sign that either we do not
care or we condone what is
happening in Zimbabwe… We
will each wear a black armband
for the duration of the World
Cup. In doing so we are mourning
the death of democracy in
Zimbabwe. In doing so we are
making a silent plea to those
responsible to stop the abuse of
human rights in Zimbabwe. In
doing so we pray that our small
action may help to restore sanity
and dignity to our nation.”
An unlikely hero
“Up until the end of 2002 I would
probably have never imagined
myself doing what I did.
Zimbabwe had lost hundreds of
millions of dollars in a war with
the Democratic Republic of
Congo. Then Mugabe’s decision
to take all farms away from
the white farmers — which
was clearly racist — made the
economy nose-dive even more.
It destroyed the country.
“Everytime I went on tour
I was constantly being asked
by international journalists to
justify and back up my country.
“At the same time I began
to realise that the corruption
in the government was causing
orphans, pensioners and
widows to really suffer. It broke
my heart — it made me mad.
Moved to action
“One day I read a verse from the
Bible, and it said ‘Defend the
cause of the fatherless, plead
the case of the widow’. And in
the very same verse, the Bible
said, ‘Rebuke the oppressor’.
The verse hit me between the
eyes. I felt that God was calling
me to say something, to speak
out against this oppressor. I
saw the country desecrated by
its rich and powerful leaders, I
just felt I’ve got to speak out.
“After Andy and I had made
the protest, we got articles
written in the paper calling
us ‘British spies’ making
accusations against us, and had
threats against our lives.
“I knew that my life was in
danger, and that I needed to
get out of the country. But I
didn’t want just to disappear
— I wanted to see this through.
But I knew the next round of the
Cup was going to be played in
South Africa. If we got through,
I would be safely out of the
country when our World Cup
ended. But only three teams
from our pool would qualify, and
we had England, Australia, India
and Pakistan competing for
those places. It meant that if we
lost to Pakistan in our last game,
we wouldn’t get through, and I
wouldn’t get out of Zimbabwe.
“I went to my hotel bedroom
the night before the match
and said a prayer: ‘Lord I’m in
trouble, and I need your help!’.
The next day I got to the ground,
we played about fifteen overs,
and it rained. And it kept on
raining, until mid-afternoon
when the game was called off
and we were awarded a draw,
which was enough to get us to
South Africa. You make up your
own mind about what happened,
but I know the Bible tells me
about a God who has the power
to intervene in people’s lives.”
An even bigger decision
The decision to speak out
against Mugabe’s regime was
literally life-changing for
Henry. It cost him his cricketing
career, and even his homeland.
But according to Henry, it was
not the biggest, nor the most
important decision of his life.
That had come several years
earlier when, still a teenager, he
decided to begin investigating
whether God really existed.
“At boarding school there
was a compulsory church
service on Sunday, and I had
many Christian teachers, so
there was constant Christian
input into my life — hymns,
the Lord’s Prayer, sometimes
Evensong. But this memorising,
and the priest reading things
off bits of paper didn’t work for
me. I’m an emotional creature,
and if I was to ever relate to God,
it’s not going to be through me
reading off a sheet of paper.
“I thought the way you
became acceptable to God was by
being a good person. I was one of
those kids who kind of avoided
the big trouble the other kids got
into, so I thought, ‘I’m not such a
bad person’. I thought that the
bad things I did weren’t that bad
really, and the good things I did
easily offset them.
“I remember debating with
mates about the existence of
God. I loved those debates, but
it wasn’t until high school that
this moved into the classroom.
Some of the teachers were
saying, ‘There is no God. Billions
of years ago, there was nothing.
Then ‘nothing’ went kaboom!
— it exploded in a big bang. You
can imagine as a child growing
up, wanting to believe in God,
and now being told that nothing
created everything, caused me
a bit of confusion.
“So off I go, on my quest to find
out what the truth is. I thought
that maybe I’d find it in enjoying
sport — I love the high of sport,
I love to win. Losing sucks! But
even after a win, there’s always
the feeling that there’s got to be
more to life than this.
“So I immersed myself in

music and performance, but I
didn’t find what I was looking
for there, either. I thought I then
ought to try something more
spiritual, so I bought a book
called Teach Yourself Yoga. But I
couldn’t do the exercises and the
meditations were just baloney!
Giving God a chance
“I was sixteen-years-old by then,
and I knew it was time I gave God
a chance. So I finally agreed to
go on a Christian youth camp.
Each day there were activities
and sports, then each night a
guy got up to speak. Using the
Bible, he totally undermined
my confidence that I was good
enough for God, which was what I
had put my trust in. He read from
the Bible where it says, ‘All have
sinned and fall short of the glory
of God’, and he said that nothing
we do can make us good enough
for God. He also said that sin is
not just doing the wrong things,
“The Bible
totally under-
mined my
confidence
that I was
good enough
for God.”
but sin is also not doing the good
things God asks of you like ‘Love
your neighbour’, or ‘Forgive
those who sin against you’.
“So I know I’m damned.
One, I’ve broken God’s law;
two, I haven’t done the good
things I’m supposed to. The rug
is being pulled from under my
feet. The speaker read from the
Bible that ‘The wages of sin is
death’, and that God needs to
punish those who do wrong.
“But the speaker went on to
Real Lives Page 
read the whole verse from the
Bible, ‘The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
life’. He said that God the Father
hung his Son on a cross to
reconcile us to God, and all I had
to do was call on the name of
Jesus to be saved and forgiven.
It doesn’t matter who you are,
it doesn’t matter what you’ve
done. Whatever you’ve done in
your life, if you turn to God in
repentance he will save you.
“It was a no-brainer! So
I prayed, but no angel from
heaven sounded their trumpet.
I thought that there must be
more than this!
“But over time I discovered
an assurance that my sins had
been forgiven. The barrier that
I felt between me and God had
gone. For the first time in my
life I knew there was nothing I
could do to make God love me
more. I was accepted just as I
was.”

Meet Henry Olonga — hear him sing and tell his story
Thursday 25th June, 7:30pm, Admission Free
Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol Y Nant, Clydach
www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/henry Since being forced from international cricket, Henry has
become an acclaimed speaker, artist and singer-songwriter

Real Lives
Wednesday 24th June
12:30pm Talk and Lunch
7:30pm Real Lives: Garin Jenkins
Thursday 25th June
10:30am Coffee Morning
7:30pm Real Lives: Henry Olonga
Friday 26th June
7:30pm Y Gair a’r Gân
Wed. 24 June, 7:30pm Thur. 25 June, 7:30pm Sat. 27 June, 7:30pm
Garin Jenkins on facing up Henry Olonga on speaking Billy Burns on forgiveness Saturday 27th June
to the challenge of God. out against suffering. and friendship.
8:30am Men’s Breakfast
Everyone welcome. Refreshments and crèche provided. Free entry.
7:30pm Real Lives: Billy Burns
Sunday 28th June
Real Lives is organised by Bethel Evangelical Church. All the events
last about an hour and are held at the church. They’re not church 10:30am Real Lives Family Service
services — apart from those on Sunday, of course! Real Lives evening and buffet lunch
meetings will feature Paul Hinton (pictured right) introducing the 6:00pm Real Lives Guest Service
special guest, who will tell their real-life story. Then Paul will give a
St. John’s Road

short talk from the Bible on the topic our guest speaks about.
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Other events give you an opportunity to meet many of the people in Bethel
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Church whose lives God has changed forever, over a cup of coffee or even a meal.
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Hig
These events will deal with equally absorbing topics and Paul will also take part. Clydach
Tudalen  Real Lives
Yr Iesu nad oeddwn i byth wedi Ei adnabod
Wedi’i alw i bregethu Ganwyd Eleanor yn
“Crist wedi Ei groeshoelio” Rhydypandy ac mae hi’n dal i
fyw yno. Mae ei theulu wedi
Ar ôl hyfforddi yn Aberystwyth, dysgodd John y bod yn byw yma am gant
Gymraeg am dair blynedd ar hugain. Roedd yn namyn un o flynyddoedd,
swydd oedd wrth ei fodd . Felly, pam, yng nghanol ac maent yn byw yn chwech
ei ddeugeiniau, wnaeth e roi’r gorau i’w yrfa fel o’r tua deg ar hugain o dai
athro? I ateb y cwestiwn rhaid i ni fynd yn ôl i yn y pentref. Wrth iddi dyfu
blentyndod John. lan, âi’n ffyddlon i Gapel y
“Pan oeddwn yn fachgen yng Ngorslas, roedd nifer o bobl Bedyddwyr Cymraeg lleol,
yr ardal wedi cael eu newid gan Dduw yn ystod diwygiad 1904. fel y gwnaethai’r rhan
Roeddynt yn wahanol i’r dyn crefyddol cyffredin - roedd eu fwyaf o bobl yn y pentref,
ffydd a’u tystiolaeth yn fywiog ac roedd ganddynt frwdfrydedd felly roedd yn syndod i nifer
mawr tuag at Dduw. Y cyfan y byddent yn siarad amdano o bobl glywed Eleanor yn
oedd yr Arglwydd. Cafodd hyn effaith ddofn ac, weithiau, dweud nad oedd yn Gristion
ofnus arnaf. Yn fy arddegau hwyr profais argyhoeddiad cryf o mewn gwirionedd tan oedd
bechod, felly gelwais ar Dduw am iachawdwriaeth a chredais Esboniodd Eleanor sut y ni allu cyrraedd Duw – roedd
yng nghanol ei thridegau. daeth hi i ddarganfod pwy oedd yn pregethu am bethau nad
fod Crist Iesu wedi marw dros fy mhechodau. “Roedd Salem yn rhan
“Fodd bynnag, nid oeddwn yn llwyr ymroddedig i Grist. yr Iesu mewn gwirionedd. “Daeth oeddwn byth wedi eu clywed o’r
fawr o’m bywyd. Roeddem yn gweinidog ifanc, Mr Dafydd blaen a gwnaeth hyn fy mhoeni
Rhoddais ran o’m calon yn unig Iddo a chedwais ran i mi fy
ymfalchïo yn y lle oherwydd Morris, i Salem a dywedodd yn wir. Bob noson yr wythnos
hun. Wedyn, ar ôl dyddiau coleg, rwyf yn cofio’n glir wrth
bod y capel wedi cael ei wrthym o’r Beibl fod yr Iesu wedi honno roeddwn yn crïo, gan
weddio un noson cael fy ngorlethu yn sydyn gan bresenoldeb
adeiladu ym 1777. Fy nhad oedd marw ar groes, ac roedd wedi ddweud ‘Beth fydd yn digwydd
Duw. Roedd yn brofiad nerthol a gorfoleddus, a ches fy
yn chwarae’r organ ac roedd nawr?’ Methais gredu yn llwyr
narostwng a’m trawsnewid. Trowyd fi yn llwyr at yr Iesu, ac “Methais gredu yn
ein holl deulu yn hoff o ganu.. fy mod i wedi mynd i’r capel
roeddwn mor ddiolchgar i Dduw am Ei amynedd tuag ataf
gan iddo fy nghadw i gredu drwy gydol y blynyddoedd hynny
Euthum i’r gwasanaethau, yr llwyr fy mod wedi drwy gydol fy mywyd ond nid
Ysgol Sul, a’r Band of Hope ond
pan oeddwn yn byw ond yn rhannol Iddo. mynd i’r capel drwy oeddwn yn gwybod y Beibl ac
gwnes i fwynhau’r cyfarfodydd nid oeddwn yn Gristion.
“Roedd popeth wedi newid nawr. Doeddwn i ddim am
pen chwarter yn enwedig. gydol fy mywyd,
fyw i blesio fy hunan bellach ond byw i blesio Duw. Gwnaeth “Dros gyfnod o amser,
“Pan oeddwn yn un mlwydd ond nid oeddwn gwnes i dderbyn yr hyn yr
fy agwedd tuag at bobl eraill newid; roeddwn am dystio i
ddaioni Duw. Newidiodd y ffordd o ddefnyddio fy arian, fy
ar bymtheg oed, a dechrau yn gwybod y Beibl oedd y Beibl yn ei ddweud.
ennill fy nhamaid gofynwyd i mi
amser, a’m doniau; newidiodd popeth. Effeithiodd ar ein ac nid oeddwn yn Felly, gwnes i gyffesu i Dduw fy
: ‘Ydych chi’n credu yn yr Iesu?’ mod i’n bechadur a deuthum i
bywyd teuluol; mae’n effeithio ar bob agwedd o fywyd.
a dywedais, ‘Ydw, wrth gwrs!’
Gristion.”
“Dyw hyn ddim yn hawdd, gan fy mod yn filwr mewn wybod nad oedd unrhyw obaith
achos ei fod yn wir - wedi’r cwbl, colli Ei waed fel y gallai faddau i Hebddo. Teimlais gymaint o
brwydr; yn brwydro yn erbyn fy hen ffyrdd pechadurus, yn
roeddwn wedi mynychu Salem fi fy mhechod. Wrth i fi wrando ryddhad. Ac wrth i fi heneiddio,
erbyn y byd ac yn erbyn y diafol. Ond mae gennym ni Waredwr
drwy gydol fy oes. Felly, cefais fy dechreuais sylweddoli yn araf rydw i’n sylweddoli fwyfwy pa
rhyfeddol sy’n rhoi lloches a thangnefedd i ni. Mae’n diwallu
medyddio a deuthum yn aelod. deg pwy oedd yr Iesu yn union mor gwbl annheilwng rydw i
pob angen sydd gennym, ac yn ein harwain. Mae’n rhoi i ni
Ond y broblem oedd, roeddwn yn a’r hyn roedd wedi ei wneud. o bopeth y mae Duw wedi ei
ddedwyddwch ynddo Fe a’n gwna’n fodlon ymhob peth mae’n
credu mewn Iesu nad oeddwn yn “Dywedodd fod megis mur wneud i fi. Dyna fe, y cyfan
rhoi i ni.
“Ar ôl sawl blwyddyn euthum yn anesmwyth fy ysbryd er Ei adnabod mewn gwirionedd. Yr mawr rhyngom ni a Duw ond oedd gyda fi oedd crefydd, ond
fy mod yn mwynhau dysgu yn fawr iawn. Gofynnais i mi fy unig beth yr oeddwn yn gwybod fod yr Iesu wedi torri trwy’r nid yw’n ymwneud â chrefydd;
hun a oeddwn wedi bod yn rhy hir yn yr un ysgol , felly gwnes am yr Iesu oedd y ffaith Ei fod yn mur hwnnw, gan faddau i ni mae’n ymwneud ag adnabod
gais am swydd newydd ond hyd yn oed wedyn roeddwn yn ddyn da a wnaeth wyrthiau.” ein pechod a chreu ffordd i Duw mewn gwirionedd.”
dal i deimlo’n anesmwyth. Dechreuais sylweddoli bod Duw yn
rhoi awydd newydd ynof. Ces i fy ngorfodi i weinidogaethu
Gair Duw - ond roedd yn deimlad a bylodd o bryd i’w gilydd.
Roedd hyn yn fy mhoeni, felly rhenais fy ngofid gyda ffrind
o Gristion ac awgrymodd ef y dylai’r ddau ohonom gwrdd i
weddïo ar Dduw gyda’n gilydd . Dyna beth y gwnaethon ni
Y Gair a’r Gân
bob dydd Llun am ddwy flynedd nes i mi gael sicrwydd mai
gweinidog oedd Duw am i mi fod” Eglwys Bethel, Heol Y Nant, Clydach
Galwyd John i fod yn weinidog ar Eglwys
Efengylaidd Bethel ym 1980, felly symudodd Dydd Gwener 26ain Mehefin, 7:30pm
ef a’i wraig Elizabeth a’u dau fab i Glydach.
Croeso i bawb. Dim tâl. Lluniaeth ar gael.
Ond er i John ymddeol fel gweinidog ar yr
eglwys yn 2000, mae’n dal i fod yn aelod
St. John’s Road

o’r eglwys ac nid yw’n ystyried ei fod wedi

t
tree
Heo

Bethel il S
Syb
lYN

ymddeol. “Nid oes modd ymddeol! Alla i Spar

ant

ddim rhoi’r gorau i bregethu. Mae arnaf
reidrwydd i bregethu Crist a Christ
wedi Ei groeshoelio, a byddaf yn
parhau i wneud hynny cyhyd
ag y mae Duw yn rhoi iechyd a
nerth i fi.”
Barclays
t
tree
hS
Hig
Clydach
Dan arweiniad Peter Hallam a Martin Williams
Mae Peter Hallam yn dod o Rydaman. Bu am gyfnod
byr yn bennaeth Ysgol Gyfun, Ystalyfera. Am ragor o fanylion:
Daw Martin Williams yn wreiddiol o Abergwaun. Yn dilyn ffoniwch y Parch. John Mainwaring ar 01792 845957
cyfnod yng Ngholeg y Bedyddwyr Caerdydd, mae e bellach ebost bethel@bethel-clydach.co.uk
yn weinidog ar Eglwys Noddfa, Pontarddulais. gwefan www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/ygairargan

To view an English version of this page, visit www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/real-lives/welsh


On top of the world
Hubert loves to tell stories
and he’s got many stories
to tell! He can tell you
about his years in the RAF,
or his time as a teacher or
headteacher in several local
schools. He can tell you
about Enid, his wife of more
than 60 years, or about the
church, where he’s been
an elder more than half his
life. He
can
Jae-Hyun and Han-Sol are
from South Korea and
have been in Wales for
nearly five years. “We
wanted to study in the
UK. One of my Korean
professors recommended
Lampeter University
so we moved here. I’m
“He tried to kill me — but when I met him, I liked him”
The 6 April 1983 was the
day that changed Billy’s
life. He’d been called to
an armed bank robbery,
and had been chasing the
robbers in a high-speed
pursuit through the streets
of Bristol. Then the car
the robbers were driving
crashed. As Billy cautiously
approached the vehicle,
his world was suddenly
turned upside down.
even tell you what it’s like
to be a WRU referee. But
the story Hubert loves to
tell most is a very simple,
ordinary story from
seventy-three years ago.
“One of the most vivid
memories from my childhood
is that of a tinworker from
Llanelli preaching in church.
He explained how he had first
met with Jesus his Saviour.
When he explained what the
Bible said, it seemed as though
he was speaking only to me. He
spoke slowly, convinced every
word was vitally important.
What struck home was that if
the Lord Jesus has done all that
for me I must follow him.
“After church I
remember how
we crowded
into my
researching about the
great revival movement
of South Korea.”
So, how do Welsh
churches compare to
ones in Korea? “There
are so many Christians in
Korea; their faith is strong
and alive. South Korea
“The bullet hit me just
under the lip, sheared off
my teeth, went through my
tongue into my throat. It
physically lifted me clean off
the ground and knocked me
unconscious.”
As Billy lay fighting
for his life, his attacker
— teenager, Stephen Korsa-
Acquah — hijacked two other
vehicles before being caught
on the M4. Eventually he was
given three life sentences for
attempted murder. But for
Billy, rebuilding his life did not
mean simply trying to forget
his attackers. Instead, he sent
them a Christmas card.
“In our Christian faith we
believe in forgiveness and
letting go, not holding grudges.
I was very grateful to be still
alive.”
The card certainly made
an impact on Stephen. He took
Real Lives Page 
grandmother’s house. Everyone
talked about the meeting and
as we sang there were tears on
people’s faces. I wondered why.
“We had the customary cup
of tea and sandwiches before
we started on the journey
home. As we walked I thought
hard on those words, ‘If Jesus
has done all that for me I will
follow him’.”
Hubert determined then to
follow the Lord Jesus and says
he has been doing so ever since.
But what does that mean? “It
was the same for the disciples in
the Bible; Jesus said to them, ‘If
anyone desires to come after me,
let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow
me’ and they did. It was a simple
thing to do really but at times it
proved to be quite difficult.
“You see, rugby ultimately
became a big part of my life. I
played from a teenager until
I was thirty-four, and then I
has the biggest churches
in the world. There are
very many activities for
everyone, helping us all to
study the Bible.”
So what are their plans
once Jae-Hyun finishes his
studies? “We might return
to Korea for Jae-Hyun to
some time to come to terms
with his crimes. Eventually he
realised his punishment was a
“I believe in
forgiveness
and letting go,
not holding
grudges. I was
very grateful to
be still alive.”
legacy of his own actions and
something he had to deal with.
He knew part of that meant
saying sorry for his earlier
crimes. So he contacted the
prison chaplain, and asked if he
could get a letter back to Billy,
apologising, and asking to meet
him. Billy readily agreed, but
with mixed emotions. “I had
no issues with forgiving him,
that was the very essence of
qualified as a WRU referee.
The very first top-class match
I was given to referee was on
a Good Friday; I had to reject
it as I wanted to be at church
instead. I was told I wouldn’t
get another game like that
but the next month when my
appointments came through, I
had the Australian tourists.
“I was soon refereeing in
England, Scotland and France. I
was on top of the world and at
the top of my career but I was
still following the Lord Jesus by
putting him first in everything.
“Then on three successive
Sundays we had three different
preachers, who had the same
text, Hebrews 12:1-3:
“‘Let us throw off everything
that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles, and let us
run with perseverance the race
marked out for us. Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus… who… endured the
cross, scorning its shame…’
become a minister in a
church there. Or we might
stay in Wales and work
here as missionaries.
We both really love
Welsh people. But we
just pray we can tell
people, whatever
their nationality, the
my Christian faith. Forgiveness
is not about condoning or
justifying someone’s actions,
but it releases you from
what can actually be a very
cancerous bitterness.
“When I got to the prison,
I was anxious about his
character — whether I would
like him or dislike him; which
way this was going to go. But
I liked him — it appeared that
he was genuine... It’s seeing
people for what they are.”
Over the following years
Billy visited Stephen often
in prison, and eventually
supported his application
for parole. Stephen now
Meet Billy and hear him tell his story
Saturday 27th June, 7:30pm, Admission Free
Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol Y Nant, Clydach
www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/billy
“And I thought, ‘Lord,
you’re talking to me about
rugby. It’s hindering my walk
with you’. But I didn’t want to
give up rugby and I made lots
of excuses, like ‘I can speak to
the lads about the Lord’ which
I could, and ‘it’s not sinful’
which it wasn’t.
“But I came to realise that
wasn’t the point really. If I was
to follow Jesus, I had to put
him first in everything, and
everything else second. I knew
I couldn’t give him everything.
Something had to go. And I could
never refuse doing things for
Jesus, so if I could do something
for him, then I would. So I gave
all the rugby up. I was sad to
finish but I was doing it for the
Lord so that I could serve him
better. Those words still come
back to me, ‘If Jesus has done
all that for me I will follow him’.
Giving him my very best, my all,
is the least I can do.”
good news
about
Jesus.”
works with young people
encouraging them away from
lives of violence.
“It’s so satisfying to see
him moving on. Bearing in
mind I come from a police
background, it’s good to feel
I’ve done something to help
that happen.”
Billy’s life has also taken off
in directions he didn’t expect.
He’s appeared on television
and radio, with Esther Rantzen,
John Snow, Michael Buerk and
John McCarthy.
“It’s not a one-way thing.
Stephen has contributed to
my quality of life, he’s a true
friend.”
Page  Real Lives
With more than fifty caps,
Garin Jenkins is Wales’ most
capped hooker. A former
captain of Swansea, he’s
played in three World Cups,
and won both league and
cup honours with his club —
not to mention scoring a try
in Swansea’s famous 21‑6
rout of Australia in 1992.
But in this special interview
he explains that his biggest
challenges have come not
on, but off the field.
“Throughout my schooldays
I had a passion for rugby. But
there was a time in school
when I was pretty much a non-
attender, I was pretty wild.
I think I succumbed to peer
pressure; I was out to impress.
“I had always been brought
up to go to Sunday School. But I
turned away and really rebelled
as a thirteen-year-old, and went
off the rails. I got thrown out of
school, and got sent away to a
‘home for naughty boys’, shall
we say. It was a big wake-up
call. I really didn’t want to be
there.
Dark times
“It was a dark time and I
didn’t think I would ever have
come back from where I was
going. I remember thinking I’m
going down the river here at a
rate of knots and I can’t reach
the bank. But I remembered the
little lessons I learned in Sunday
School, so I was also praying to
God for help. Looking back, if it
wasn’t for the love that God had
for me through my parents, I
don’t think I would have made
it through.
Facing the challenge
“After four or five months I
was back in Ynysybwl, and later
got a job in the colliery. I enjoyed
playing for Ynysybwl youth and
working. But I always needed
discipline. I’d served a lot of
rugby bans, for six or ten weeks.
It looked at one point that I would
not fulfil my rugby dream.
“Then there was a lot of
pit closures, and in 1988 I was
made redundant. Rugby was
a bit ‘what-if?’ at the time,
because it wasn’t professional,
but there was an opportunity to
go to New Zealand to play. So I
went and things really started
to take off. After I came back
my rugby career started to
spiral upwards.
“I always remember I was
digging a trench in Pontypridd
Park when I had the call to say
I’d been selected for Wales. I
can tell you I stepped out of
that trench pretty quick!
Dreams fulfilled
“The first cap was great, but I
didn’t just want the first cap. It’s
strange, we set our standards,
but when you actually get there,
it doesn’t fulfil what you think it
will. When I was a kid I thought,
‘When I get to play for Wales I’ll
have a big car and holidays’, and
yes they were nice — but they
still don’t fill the void.
“Another dark moment came
when I was captain of Swansea.
We were playing at Cardiff — it
was the day that Gwyn Jones
broke his neck. It was live on
S4C and at the end of the game I
jumped over the barriers into the
crowd. Everybody thought I was
doing an Eric Cantona, but my
“We set our
standards,
but when you
get there, it
doesn’t fulfil
what you
think it will.”
father had had a heart attack on
the terraces whilst I was playing.
“People who will have
watched me playing will think,
‘Well you weren’t much of a
Christian’. But I really believe
that the early days, going to
Sunday School and the little
teachings on a Beach Mission in
Newquay really stuck with me
during all that time, even if it’s
only come to prominence in the
last couple of years.
“It was always ‘Next week,
I’m really going to start going to
church regularly’. I didn’t really
want to come out and make
a stand for God. I kept telling
myself that I wasn’t ready yet.
But even through those times
the message that I heard on the
Beach Mission in Newquay was
always near me.
“They told a story in the Bible
about Lazarus and the rich man.
If I’m honest it always frightened
me as a twelve-year-old. The rich
man had everything in the world
but when he died he wasn’t in the
place where we as Christians trust
we are going. But Lazarus had
nothing in life, he was picking
up the scraps from the dogs. But
when his life was finished, he
ended up in a place where there
was no pain, for eternity. And it’s
I think now I have more integrity
that doesn’t take away from my
that story that really spurred me competitiveness. Unfortunately
on my way.
I’m forty-two and about five
stone overweight so I’ll never
Not in charge
“I always used to think that
be able to put that to the test as
there was lots of time. There’s
“If when I was
always next week, but we’ve got
to realise that we’re not in charge. playing I’d
Not long ago I had a secondary
been where I
tumour in my neck. It was very
challenging, and again I turned
to God big time in prayer. I made
am now – as
a commitment to God because a Christian – I
of what he’s done for me. I feel
very blessed to experience the think I’d have
warmth and love from God that’s
been there all along but has come
been far more
to be very special. successful.”
“I’m very thankful that
things are working out good. But a player! But I’m sure there’ll be
this time there’s no ‘Aah great, many challenging opportunities
God’s helped, now I’m off again’.
to come off the field.
Now I’m committed to him.
“When I look back I know
“Some people have said,
that God has been with me all
‘You’ve had too many bumps
my life. People will say, ‘You’ve
on the head so you’ve become
worked hard, you’ve got good
a Christian!’. But if when I was
playing I’d been where I am now determination’, but I know that
— as a Christian — I think I’d God has really helped me and
have been a far more successful blessed me with all the positive
rugby player. I would have been things in my life. I feel so blessed
inwardly stronger, and I’d have that God has shown me so much
had more discipline at times. And grace over the years.”
Real Lives
Meet Garin and hear him tell his story
Wednesday 24th June, 7:30pm, Admission Free
Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol Y Nant, Clydach
www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/garin
(see centre pages for more Real Lives events)