Tuesday, October 26th
It is “all over” except for the final visit and packing procedure and two trips to the Lima Airport! I can hardly believe it!
SEVEN WEEKS OF...
...Peruvian food...even the hot sauces (GREAT!!! as Tony the Tiger would roar!)
...The Spanish language salted with English here and there...
...Great fellowship with the believers here...
...Success in doing video classes for Covenant Life University or Universidad Pacto de Vida...
...Unbelievable traffic...
...Cold weather too cold for this Floridian...
Two weeks with my Wife and two grandchildren (and you can capitalize the letters - GRAND...) because they have been great – except when thy INSISTED I wear their special designed “crown” with the title, “King of Starbucks” into the Starbucks Store in Larcomar on the beach here in Lima. You should have seen the reaction of the staff when they finally realized the words. One disappeared for a couple of seconds and returned with an iPhone and took my picture and then handed it to another employee standing just around the corner, but looking around the corner to risk a “glimpse” of the North American with the crown! Anyway, they were happy so .... AND it made Facebook! The only disappointing part was that I still had to pay for my own Frappuccino. RATS!
We departed from Jicamarca and the Hodges this morning about 10:00 so the two, Allyson and David, could complete their shopping experience. Then we succumbed to Allyson’s desire for eat chicken from Pardo’s. Why? Because she fell in love with their “hot sauce” which comes with the chicken, fries and either vegetables or salad. When I say “fell in love,”I mean she ate more hot sauce than I have ever seen her eat at any time. How much was that? Well, she almost equaled me! And that is doing something! And of course, David was not lacking in either desire for Pardo’s but was not as “hooked” on it as Allyson.
Then we headed back here to my “home away from home” here in Peru, for the final night before taking them to the airport about 6:30 AM. I have the rest of the day until about 9:00 PM before I stand in line to deposit my luggage, get my seating assignment and head upstairs for the departure lounge and lift-off at 12:26 AM Thursday with landing in Miami and a drive on to Ft. Myers.
Monday was spent doing some last minute planning, getting prices and trying to assist David in preparing for the arrival of another construction team in April. They requested the facts and figures for completing the interrior of the Church so they could determine what they would be doing and the cost for their selection of work. You know the amount of drywall, the needed lumber, wiring and accessories and all that “stuff.”
O yes! Sunday evening we did minister the Word and then “flop down” on a chair with exhaustion! It was a busy day but a good one.
Well that should about complete the information available and wrap up this ministry trip. I LOVE IT! And everything about it! Just think, I am affecting a nation for Christ!
God bless,
Dr D with Marilyn, Allyson and David
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
VICTORY AGAIN! JUST COMPLETED FIVE MORE HOURS OF VIDEO!
Sunday, October 17th - Saturday, October 23rd
Sunday, two services, one at the home church of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, with Pastor Jorge and Janine Watanabee, here in Elio, a region of the greater Lima Metropolitan Area and the other in the evening at Jicamarca, Iglesia Vida with David and Ceci Hodges.
Allyson and David did the Children’s service while I handled the adults with David Hodges doing the interpreting for me. We both had a great day and the Word was planted in the hearts of the people.
David and Ceci had taken David’s mother to the airport at 5:30 in the morning, so they came to the apartment here in Elio. David assisted me while Ceci and the boys took an extended night’s sleep to make up for that which was lost by having to get up so early to go to the airport.
Then we went to a local mall for dinner and journeyed on to David’s home for a service as short time after arrival there.
Hey I must stop and finish this later because my taxi has arrived – you see this is Thursday and I have just finished 5 hours of video work and must get back to Jicamarca in order to speak at 7:30 this evening. I will pick up where I left off when I return, but when that is – is the question.
This is Sunday the 24th and I, Marilyn, am going to add to this to get something out to all of you.
We have not been at a place to have extended time on the Internet with our computers. All communication has been with our iPhones in public places. That is why communication has been sketchy.
David and Allyson have done very well. They, not only, have used all the material they prepared to work with children but have volunteered to do additional services. I have been very proud of them as they have stepped up to the plate to minister here in Peru.
I think they were pretty wide eyed at the conditions but kids are very adaptable and they have done fine with all the dust, dirt and inconvenience. We are sharing a very small space with just enough room to walk to our beds behind a wall of curtains. Ally commented that she wished we had more privacy but that just isn’t always a commodity we have while traveling.
I don’t believe they have ever seen so much dirt and dust except when we camp and as Ally said, she doesn’t like to camp. :-) It is a challenge to keep things clean and dust free. AND, the same kind of care we take in cooking and dish washing just isn’t a part of life overseas - unless it is in Western Europe.
The kids have never complained about being bored - which has surprised me but they have found plenty of things to keep them busy.
We came into Lima two days this week. They did shopping on the first day and then we visited the National Museum of Ancient Art and Culture. It was very interesting although David Kelley is the one who enjoys History and he found it especially interesting. The kids and the two David’s visited the 6th floor which was the History of Terrorism in Peru. Terrorism was prevalent until after the year 2000.
One ministry that is opening up to David in Jicamarca is to the gangs. These are not seasoned criminals but young people 13 and up who are getting into this lifestyle. Of course, if they do not find salvation and hope in Christ they will become seasoned criminals. They have been in every service, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as well as coming by from time to time to have conversation with David. Truly, the harvest is plentiful in Jicamarca.
This has been a wonderful time with our grandchildren. We feel blessed to have had this opportunity for them to share in our ministry and to spend this special time with them.
Thanks for your prayers.
It is “I” again! Dr D - the evening service is over, the second service today and I am exhausted. We had a great service this morning with Pastor Agustin and Jessica Ciccia and again God displayed His power with healing in the bodies of believers.
After a stop a McDonalds for lunch (Marilyn, Allyson and David and Rosita, Ceci’s niece who went along to interpret for Allyson’s and David’s ministry to children (I had a special Peruvian sandwich at Nuevas Fuerzas [Pastor Agustin’s church] – honestly I had two – and was full) we made it back to Jicamarcs at 3:00 - leaving enough time to catch a nap and then finish preparation of a PowerPoint illustrated sermon on the Battle To Enter The Kingdom of God.
And so we have completed all ministry for this trip and will just do some wrap up things, then pack and head for the airport and the trip back home. That journey begins Tuesday with departure on Wednesday morning early for Marilyn, Allyson and David and then I leave very early Thursday morning (12:29 AM)
However we will post at least one more to finish the account of this trip.
God bless.
Dr D, Marilyn, Allyson and David
Sunday, two services, one at the home church of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, with Pastor Jorge and Janine Watanabee, here in Elio, a region of the greater Lima Metropolitan Area and the other in the evening at Jicamarca, Iglesia Vida with David and Ceci Hodges.
Allyson and David did the Children’s service while I handled the adults with David Hodges doing the interpreting for me. We both had a great day and the Word was planted in the hearts of the people.
David and Ceci had taken David’s mother to the airport at 5:30 in the morning, so they came to the apartment here in Elio. David assisted me while Ceci and the boys took an extended night’s sleep to make up for that which was lost by having to get up so early to go to the airport.
Then we went to a local mall for dinner and journeyed on to David’s home for a service as short time after arrival there.
Hey I must stop and finish this later because my taxi has arrived – you see this is Thursday and I have just finished 5 hours of video work and must get back to Jicamarca in order to speak at 7:30 this evening. I will pick up where I left off when I return, but when that is – is the question.
This is Sunday the 24th and I, Marilyn, am going to add to this to get something out to all of you.
We have not been at a place to have extended time on the Internet with our computers. All communication has been with our iPhones in public places. That is why communication has been sketchy.
David and Allyson have done very well. They, not only, have used all the material they prepared to work with children but have volunteered to do additional services. I have been very proud of them as they have stepped up to the plate to minister here in Peru.
I think they were pretty wide eyed at the conditions but kids are very adaptable and they have done fine with all the dust, dirt and inconvenience. We are sharing a very small space with just enough room to walk to our beds behind a wall of curtains. Ally commented that she wished we had more privacy but that just isn’t always a commodity we have while traveling.
I don’t believe they have ever seen so much dirt and dust except when we camp and as Ally said, she doesn’t like to camp. :-) It is a challenge to keep things clean and dust free. AND, the same kind of care we take in cooking and dish washing just isn’t a part of life overseas - unless it is in Western Europe.
The kids have never complained about being bored - which has surprised me but they have found plenty of things to keep them busy.
We came into Lima two days this week. They did shopping on the first day and then we visited the National Museum of Ancient Art and Culture. It was very interesting although David Kelley is the one who enjoys History and he found it especially interesting. The kids and the two David’s visited the 6th floor which was the History of Terrorism in Peru. Terrorism was prevalent until after the year 2000.
One ministry that is opening up to David in Jicamarca is to the gangs. These are not seasoned criminals but young people 13 and up who are getting into this lifestyle. Of course, if they do not find salvation and hope in Christ they will become seasoned criminals. They have been in every service, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as well as coming by from time to time to have conversation with David. Truly, the harvest is plentiful in Jicamarca.
This has been a wonderful time with our grandchildren. We feel blessed to have had this opportunity for them to share in our ministry and to spend this special time with them.
Thanks for your prayers.
It is “I” again! Dr D - the evening service is over, the second service today and I am exhausted. We had a great service this morning with Pastor Agustin and Jessica Ciccia and again God displayed His power with healing in the bodies of believers.
After a stop a McDonalds for lunch (Marilyn, Allyson and David and Rosita, Ceci’s niece who went along to interpret for Allyson’s and David’s ministry to children (I had a special Peruvian sandwich at Nuevas Fuerzas [Pastor Agustin’s church] – honestly I had two – and was full) we made it back to Jicamarcs at 3:00 - leaving enough time to catch a nap and then finish preparation of a PowerPoint illustrated sermon on the Battle To Enter The Kingdom of God.
And so we have completed all ministry for this trip and will just do some wrap up things, then pack and head for the airport and the trip back home. That journey begins Tuesday with departure on Wednesday morning early for Marilyn, Allyson and David and then I leave very early Thursday morning (12:29 AM)
However we will post at least one more to finish the account of this trip.
God bless.
Dr D, Marilyn, Allyson and David
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A BUSY WEEK WITH MARILYN, ALLYSON AND DAVID
Monday, October 11th - Saturday, October 16th
This is a summary from Monday - Thursday: I got everything ready. I picked them up at the airport. They made it through immigration with no hitches, but when they picked up their bags, they got the “RED LIGHT!” For those who are familiar with this term and its meaning then pardon me while I quickly explain it to the others.
After securing your bags from the carrousel, you then hand your declaration document to an attendant and then you push the button on the green post. If you get a “green light,” you proceed to meet anyone awaiting you, but if you get a “Red Light,” then you take your bags and run them through the scanner where they check to see if you are brining in anything for which they can “tax” you.
This is a big problem when you are a lady, traveling with two GRANDchildren and have six bags packed to the hilt, each one within one pound of being over-weight, and six carry-on’s loaded. You must unload your carts, put them on the conveyor then walk to the other side and reload your bags. So Marilyn had to go through the process but they passed the inspection and proceeded to meet us on the other side. A quick trip to apartment and then all hit the sack.
Wednesday after breakfast, we journeyed to Jicamarca to see the Hodges and for all to see where we would be staying the last 10 days. This was an “acclamation visit” to prepare Allyson and David and for all to see the new Hodges - only two or three weeks old (I am a man why should I know exactly?) Then back to the apartment.
Thursday we did the “tourist thing” so we would not have to do it the last day and because we had to stay in Lima at the apartment to avoid overcrowding David and Ceci – David’s mother is there helping with the new born.
But Friday afternoon we headed out to Jicarmarca to stay until Saturday evening. We had services in which to participate – Allyson and David had a children’s service Friday evening and Saturday afternoon as well as Saturday evening. Marilyn had a ladies meeting Saturday afternoon. I attended a “gang rally” at the indoor soccer field with Pastor Everth Ipanaque - the blind pastor. He had a dynamic ministry to gangs because he was once in a very powerful gang involved in drugs and much, much more. It was while hiding from the law that a one ton rock fell on him severing his optic nerves, and forcing the amputation of his right leg. A lady had been following him for days and even weeks preaching to him everywhere he went. One day she said, “I will not die until you are standing in the pulpit preaching the gospel, even if it requires you lose your sight and a leg.” It was prophetic. He lost his sight and one leg and is now found in the pulpit having started nine churches. And Saturday evening I had my opportunity to share with some of those who were formerly in gangs but who have now found Jesus and attend Life Church, Jicamarca, Peru.
So now we are back in the apartment for 16 hours. We minister tomorrow, (Sunday) here at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church – Allyson and David with the children and me in the pulpit. Then it is out to Jicarmarca until Tuesday, October 26th when we return for the night and an early departure for Marilyn, Allyson and David on the 27th, then I depart early on the 28th.
Now you are up-to-date (that is: I am!)
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D, Marilyn, Allyson and David
This is a summary from Monday - Thursday: I got everything ready. I picked them up at the airport. They made it through immigration with no hitches, but when they picked up their bags, they got the “RED LIGHT!” For those who are familiar with this term and its meaning then pardon me while I quickly explain it to the others.
After securing your bags from the carrousel, you then hand your declaration document to an attendant and then you push the button on the green post. If you get a “green light,” you proceed to meet anyone awaiting you, but if you get a “Red Light,” then you take your bags and run them through the scanner where they check to see if you are brining in anything for which they can “tax” you.
This is a big problem when you are a lady, traveling with two GRANDchildren and have six bags packed to the hilt, each one within one pound of being over-weight, and six carry-on’s loaded. You must unload your carts, put them on the conveyor then walk to the other side and reload your bags. So Marilyn had to go through the process but they passed the inspection and proceeded to meet us on the other side. A quick trip to apartment and then all hit the sack.
Wednesday after breakfast, we journeyed to Jicamarca to see the Hodges and for all to see where we would be staying the last 10 days. This was an “acclamation visit” to prepare Allyson and David and for all to see the new Hodges - only two or three weeks old (I am a man why should I know exactly?) Then back to the apartment.
Thursday we did the “tourist thing” so we would not have to do it the last day and because we had to stay in Lima at the apartment to avoid overcrowding David and Ceci – David’s mother is there helping with the new born.
But Friday afternoon we headed out to Jicarmarca to stay until Saturday evening. We had services in which to participate – Allyson and David had a children’s service Friday evening and Saturday afternoon as well as Saturday evening. Marilyn had a ladies meeting Saturday afternoon. I attended a “gang rally” at the indoor soccer field with Pastor Everth Ipanaque - the blind pastor. He had a dynamic ministry to gangs because he was once in a very powerful gang involved in drugs and much, much more. It was while hiding from the law that a one ton rock fell on him severing his optic nerves, and forcing the amputation of his right leg. A lady had been following him for days and even weeks preaching to him everywhere he went. One day she said, “I will not die until you are standing in the pulpit preaching the gospel, even if it requires you lose your sight and a leg.” It was prophetic. He lost his sight and one leg and is now found in the pulpit having started nine churches. And Saturday evening I had my opportunity to share with some of those who were formerly in gangs but who have now found Jesus and attend Life Church, Jicamarca, Peru.
So now we are back in the apartment for 16 hours. We minister tomorrow, (Sunday) here at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church – Allyson and David with the children and me in the pulpit. Then it is out to Jicarmarca until Tuesday, October 26th when we return for the night and an early departure for Marilyn, Allyson and David on the 27th, then I depart early on the 28th.
Now you are up-to-date (that is: I am!)
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D, Marilyn, Allyson and David
Sunday, October 10, 2010
GOOD BUSY SUNDAY ONLY 11½ HOURS LONG
Sunday, October 10:
Two services, one at 10:30 and the other at 5:00 but from start to finish the day ended up being 11½ hours! That included dinner, a short 15 minute stretch and the travel time to and from the services.
The morning service at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento was focused on healing. A minimum of ten people testified of being healed as other believers prayed for them. I only prayed for one lady. The goal God laid on my heart was to get the people active in believing God to use them to bring healing to people.
I reminded them Jesus did not heal as God but all the healing He did was because He saw His father do it and therefore He healed. So we as, sons and daughters of God, have the power through our relationship with Him as our Father to also do the works of God. The response was very interesting and the excitement was high as they saw the works of God accomplished before their eyes.
I also was blessed by those who stepped up and said they were willing and desired to do translation for me as their investment in the Kingdom of God in Peru through the lives of Pastors and Church leaders around their nation – a total of six. And their pastor said he would be available again the last week I am here to do more video interpreting for me. Thank God! I will hand out translation assignments and see what we can get together for the last week. I think I have three days available to do it during the day and maybe also in the evenings.
After a braised chicken dinner and a one hour trip we arrived at my evening assignment – a graduation for the first year students of Universidad Pacto de Vida (Covenant Life University) in the city of Ancon at Comunidad Carismatica Cristiana Cristo Sanador with Pastor Everth Ipanaque. We had 21 who have completed their first year and the most exciting fact is that around 8-10 of them are from 16-21 years of age – YOUTH!
Pastor Everth is blind in one eye and 80% blind in the other and has one prosthetic leg, yet he is impacting that area of Ancon and in particular the youth. Not only is he doing that but he also completed very successfully his first year of Pacto de Vida. His goal is to take the youth and start another church in a different area. AND - he also has another church in Ventanilla. There are three pastors who work with him in these churches and they also completed their first year of Bible Training.
One of the pastors told me he has 12 people who are completing their requirements of discipleship training and are anxious to begin their college work.
So the question? Does missions pay? NO IT DOES NOT PAY IT PRODUCES! There is no pay! But it sure does cause a multiplication process when the people are discipled to disciple others! No one can reach their city, their country better than the people who live there and can relate on the same level. And I count it the greatest pleasure in my life to have this opportunity to invest in the training of disciples who will disciple others!
All I have to do now is to get ready for Marilyn and the two grandkids - Allyson and David. That means do my laundry, go shopping and meet them at the airport.
God bless and thanks for your investment into the Kingdom of God!
Dr D
Two services, one at 10:30 and the other at 5:00 but from start to finish the day ended up being 11½ hours! That included dinner, a short 15 minute stretch and the travel time to and from the services.
The morning service at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento was focused on healing. A minimum of ten people testified of being healed as other believers prayed for them. I only prayed for one lady. The goal God laid on my heart was to get the people active in believing God to use them to bring healing to people.
I reminded them Jesus did not heal as God but all the healing He did was because He saw His father do it and therefore He healed. So we as, sons and daughters of God, have the power through our relationship with Him as our Father to also do the works of God. The response was very interesting and the excitement was high as they saw the works of God accomplished before their eyes.
I also was blessed by those who stepped up and said they were willing and desired to do translation for me as their investment in the Kingdom of God in Peru through the lives of Pastors and Church leaders around their nation – a total of six. And their pastor said he would be available again the last week I am here to do more video interpreting for me. Thank God! I will hand out translation assignments and see what we can get together for the last week. I think I have three days available to do it during the day and maybe also in the evenings.
After a braised chicken dinner and a one hour trip we arrived at my evening assignment – a graduation for the first year students of Universidad Pacto de Vida (Covenant Life University) in the city of Ancon at Comunidad Carismatica Cristiana Cristo Sanador with Pastor Everth Ipanaque. We had 21 who have completed their first year and the most exciting fact is that around 8-10 of them are from 16-21 years of age – YOUTH!
Pastor Everth is blind in one eye and 80% blind in the other and has one prosthetic leg, yet he is impacting that area of Ancon and in particular the youth. Not only is he doing that but he also completed very successfully his first year of Pacto de Vida. His goal is to take the youth and start another church in a different area. AND - he also has another church in Ventanilla. There are three pastors who work with him in these churches and they also completed their first year of Bible Training.
One of the pastors told me he has 12 people who are completing their requirements of discipleship training and are anxious to begin their college work.
So the question? Does missions pay? NO IT DOES NOT PAY IT PRODUCES! There is no pay! But it sure does cause a multiplication process when the people are discipled to disciple others! No one can reach their city, their country better than the people who live there and can relate on the same level. And I count it the greatest pleasure in my life to have this opportunity to invest in the training of disciples who will disciple others!
All I have to do now is to get ready for Marilyn and the two grandkids - Allyson and David. That means do my laundry, go shopping and meet them at the airport.
God bless and thanks for your investment into the Kingdom of God!
Dr D
Saturday, October 9, 2010
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! VIDEO PROJECT!
Wednesday, October 6th - Saturday, October 9th:
Victory! We almost completed everything I originally desired to get on video, except two sections which I now see should not have been part of the class and will be expanded and made into two separate courses.
The time from Wednesday through Friday were hectic! They required much editing of the material and re-editing of the Spanish to get it correct for the PowerPoint which was an integral part of the video work. In fact one section does not have either the interpreter or me on screen. The only thing on screen are the maps of the Old Testament World, the land of Israel, and the New Testament World with Paul’s journeys.
It was as different approach but one I believe will add to the course called: The Development, Scope and Study of the Bible. Anyway, that is my OPINION! And since I am the author, the director and the PRESIDENT – who is going to argue with me? Can I help it if I believe I am right? Anyway we have 21 hours of video for this course. Now to write the lesson plans, the assignments and the exams.
Fortunately, several people have stepped forward to translate into Peruvian Spanish any material I will need. They need to translate 240 pages each for a college course in English, so why not translate something that will benefit the kingdom. They are “sowing” into the Kingdom of God. So, I will leave several outlines of material I want translated here for them to get ready for the future.
And today, well I have just relaxed – almost – but I sure wish I could see some college football and hear the commentators in English. I can see at least one game and I just remembered it is on right now so if you notice a pause, you will understand – Florida State vs. Miami.
WOW! Florida State is ahead 24-7 and it is only the second quarter. I wonder how Florida did today? Does anyone know? I have lost track of the won - lost of all Florida teams.
Well, I did go downtown to meet David Hodges so we could ride with him to Jicamarca, eat supper with them and return back with the van. I have two assignments tomorrow. The first is at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento, pastored by Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez and then at Ancon, Comunidad Carismatica Cristiana Cristo Sanador for a first year graduation with pastor Evert Ipanaque. This will be our largest graduation to date here in Peru with 21 students having completed their first year of studies.
Then two days of preparation for Marilyn, Allyson and David and their arrival Tuesday evening at 9:00. You know, food, water, and some medications for emergencies for now and future trips.
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
Victory! We almost completed everything I originally desired to get on video, except two sections which I now see should not have been part of the class and will be expanded and made into two separate courses.
The time from Wednesday through Friday were hectic! They required much editing of the material and re-editing of the Spanish to get it correct for the PowerPoint which was an integral part of the video work. In fact one section does not have either the interpreter or me on screen. The only thing on screen are the maps of the Old Testament World, the land of Israel, and the New Testament World with Paul’s journeys.
It was as different approach but one I believe will add to the course called: The Development, Scope and Study of the Bible. Anyway, that is my OPINION! And since I am the author, the director and the PRESIDENT – who is going to argue with me? Can I help it if I believe I am right? Anyway we have 21 hours of video for this course. Now to write the lesson plans, the assignments and the exams.
Fortunately, several people have stepped forward to translate into Peruvian Spanish any material I will need. They need to translate 240 pages each for a college course in English, so why not translate something that will benefit the kingdom. They are “sowing” into the Kingdom of God. So, I will leave several outlines of material I want translated here for them to get ready for the future.
And today, well I have just relaxed – almost – but I sure wish I could see some college football and hear the commentators in English. I can see at least one game and I just remembered it is on right now so if you notice a pause, you will understand – Florida State vs. Miami.
WOW! Florida State is ahead 24-7 and it is only the second quarter. I wonder how Florida did today? Does anyone know? I have lost track of the won - lost of all Florida teams.
Well, I did go downtown to meet David Hodges so we could ride with him to Jicamarca, eat supper with them and return back with the van. I have two assignments tomorrow. The first is at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento, pastored by Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez and then at Ancon, Comunidad Carismatica Cristiana Cristo Sanador for a first year graduation with pastor Evert Ipanaque. This will be our largest graduation to date here in Peru with 21 students having completed their first year of studies.
Then two days of preparation for Marilyn, Allyson and David and their arrival Tuesday evening at 9:00. You know, food, water, and some medications for emergencies for now and future trips.
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
NEWS FLASH FROM PERU AND DR D
Sunday, October 3 - Tuesday, October 5:
There are experiences! There are various experiences! And then there are experiences you have on foreign soil!
I have just experienced my first election weekend on foreign soil! This was the weekend for Peru to elect their “mayors.” They have local city mayors and also regional mayors. This year the battle was between two ladies for the mayor who would be over the Lima Region – a first for Peru. Sunday evening the count was too close to call a winner. Monday, the count was less than .8 (8/10 difference.) And last night I was not able to discover who the winner is – “if” they have even finished the count.
NEWS FLASH! I JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT THE COUNT IS STILL TOO CLOSE TO DETERMINE AND THEY ARE WORKING OF REVIEWING AND CHECKING THE BALLOTS!
And because it was election weekend, Sunday services were forbidden so people would be free to go vote. And “IF” you do not vote, then you are “fined!” That’s right! YOU MUST VOTE OR YOU GET A COURT FINE! So as you can imagine there is a major turn out that requires many people to travel great distances to get back to the regions and cities where they are registered. FUN! FUN!
I return you now back to the “spiritual” world for which I came to Peru. That is I “would” “IF” ---- we were able to record on Tuesday and completed four hours of teaching. That means I have one major area to cover and when that is completed, I will call it a success, even though I have one more I would like to record, but I can live without it and instead include it in another class.
I am living on “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches” for breakfast. Really! No I also have fresh mangos for breakfast with the peanut butter and jelly – including a glass of yogurt and Starbucks instant coffee with French Vanilla coffee cream – all compliments of my wife! BUT the coffee is running low and will be out by the time she arrives with a “fresh” supply on nest Tuesday evening with Allyson (Ryan’s oldest) and David (Nicole’s oldest). Their first missionary trip! They are both excited and counting the days.
God bless until I report again,
Dr D
There are experiences! There are various experiences! And then there are experiences you have on foreign soil!
I have just experienced my first election weekend on foreign soil! This was the weekend for Peru to elect their “mayors.” They have local city mayors and also regional mayors. This year the battle was between two ladies for the mayor who would be over the Lima Region – a first for Peru. Sunday evening the count was too close to call a winner. Monday, the count was less than .8 (8/10 difference.) And last night I was not able to discover who the winner is – “if” they have even finished the count.
NEWS FLASH! I JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT THE COUNT IS STILL TOO CLOSE TO DETERMINE AND THEY ARE WORKING OF REVIEWING AND CHECKING THE BALLOTS!
And because it was election weekend, Sunday services were forbidden so people would be free to go vote. And “IF” you do not vote, then you are “fined!” That’s right! YOU MUST VOTE OR YOU GET A COURT FINE! So as you can imagine there is a major turn out that requires many people to travel great distances to get back to the regions and cities where they are registered. FUN! FUN!
I return you now back to the “spiritual” world for which I came to Peru. That is I “would” “IF” ---- we were able to record on Tuesday and completed four hours of teaching. That means I have one major area to cover and when that is completed, I will call it a success, even though I have one more I would like to record, but I can live without it and instead include it in another class.
I am living on “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches” for breakfast. Really! No I also have fresh mangos for breakfast with the peanut butter and jelly – including a glass of yogurt and Starbucks instant coffee with French Vanilla coffee cream – all compliments of my wife! BUT the coffee is running low and will be out by the time she arrives with a “fresh” supply on nest Tuesday evening with Allyson (Ryan’s oldest) and David (Nicole’s oldest). Their first missionary trip! They are both excited and counting the days.
God bless until I report again,
Dr D
Saturday, October 2, 2010
TAKING A “BREATHER”
Tuesday, September 27th - Saturday, October 2nd:
OOOPPPSSS! I did not think it had been so long since I “blogged” but it was, so here I am! And I am glad you are glad! (I said that in “faith!”)
Anyway this has been another week of ups and downs. Agustin’s wife, Jessica, was sick on Tuesday and Thursday and he had to stay home and be the nurse as well as take care of their three children - you know the routine - feed, bathe, get off to school and get them home again. So “two” days of working in my studio came to a halt.
But Pastor Gustavo Rodriquez did make it for two days and we were able to record five sessions - hours - as well as do some more proofing of the Spanish . And it was needed. We even had to go back and do some special “cuts” to insert later because of errors on the PowerPoint as well as a couple of scriptures which in the English were correct but translated differently in Spanish and so when I did my expository dissertation on the passage it was incorrect but correct (Figure that one out!).
I am currently at the home of Dr. Roger and Magaly Falcon with their daughter, Abigail who is 19 months old now and can be very entertaining. They had contacted me and insisted that I spend a couple of days at their apartment. So here I am.
We chose this weekend because it is election weekend here. On Sunday no one can have any church services and businesses are to be closed to facilitate the election process. As well, no alcoholic beverages can be sold from Friday evening till Monday. It is to keep the potential of violence down.
So, since I went to service on Friday evening with them, I, we are now on a holiday weekend. And since I only brought “part” of my work with me, I will be forced to do some relaxing.
This afternoon Roger took me to see a relative of his who raises and trains the Spanish dancing horses. Their “stable” and “bunkhouse” is fabulous and is located in a very secure area just outside the main metropolis of Lima. We were fortunate as his cousin was there and we were able to get up close with horses that are valued at $10,000 each (they had 10 there and 50 more at a different location– the “ranch”). The uncle, the father of the cousin, is famous for his riding skills and the horses he has raised and trained. It was “very” interesting and I got some great shots of some of them in action.
Well, that about brings you up to date on my activities this week. Over-all it was productive but not as productive as I wanted or needed it to be. However, I believe we will still be able to complete the desired classes before departing Peru. And several have stepped forward to volunteer to translate other material for video production later.
So, God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
OOOPPPSSS! I did not think it had been so long since I “blogged” but it was, so here I am! And I am glad you are glad! (I said that in “faith!”)
Anyway this has been another week of ups and downs. Agustin’s wife, Jessica, was sick on Tuesday and Thursday and he had to stay home and be the nurse as well as take care of their three children - you know the routine - feed, bathe, get off to school and get them home again. So “two” days of working in my studio came to a halt.
But Pastor Gustavo Rodriquez did make it for two days and we were able to record five sessions - hours - as well as do some more proofing of the Spanish . And it was needed. We even had to go back and do some special “cuts” to insert later because of errors on the PowerPoint as well as a couple of scriptures which in the English were correct but translated differently in Spanish and so when I did my expository dissertation on the passage it was incorrect but correct (Figure that one out!).
I am currently at the home of Dr. Roger and Magaly Falcon with their daughter, Abigail who is 19 months old now and can be very entertaining. They had contacted me and insisted that I spend a couple of days at their apartment. So here I am.
We chose this weekend because it is election weekend here. On Sunday no one can have any church services and businesses are to be closed to facilitate the election process. As well, no alcoholic beverages can be sold from Friday evening till Monday. It is to keep the potential of violence down.
So, since I went to service on Friday evening with them, I, we are now on a holiday weekend. And since I only brought “part” of my work with me, I will be forced to do some relaxing.
This afternoon Roger took me to see a relative of his who raises and trains the Spanish dancing horses. Their “stable” and “bunkhouse” is fabulous and is located in a very secure area just outside the main metropolis of Lima. We were fortunate as his cousin was there and we were able to get up close with horses that are valued at $10,000 each (they had 10 there and 50 more at a different location– the “ranch”). The uncle, the father of the cousin, is famous for his riding skills and the horses he has raised and trained. It was “very” interesting and I got some great shots of some of them in action.
Well, that about brings you up to date on my activities this week. Over-all it was productive but not as productive as I wanted or needed it to be. However, I believe we will still be able to complete the desired classes before departing Peru. And several have stepped forward to volunteer to translate other material for video production later.
So, God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
Monday, September 27, 2010
PERU - WHAT’S UP DOC?
Sure glad you asked that questions! You jogged my mind and now I remember I haven’t blogged since Thursday morning of last week. So, while I finish my breakfast of a “substitute steak sandwich” (better known as a peanut-butter and grape jelly) which is accompanied by a small glass of peach fruit juice and Starbucks coffee (travel packets), I will attempt to bring you up-to-date – THAT IS IF I CAN KEEP THE EXCESS PEANUT BUTTER FROM GETTING ON THE KEYS!
Thursday & Friday, September 23rd - 24th:
Both days were not filled with anything more than continuing the process of recording the classes for The Development, Scope and Study of the Bible. I would like to tell you that everything went smooth, but I would not be telling the truth. But we finally were able to make some adjustments and now have 5 sessions complete but that is only about 20% of the total. So we have a long way to go.
This week I will have two different interpreters but we are not able to start until Tuesday, so Monday becomes a lost day.
Saturday, September 25th:
Everything was geared to getting ready for the second of a two-part series on The Will of God. There are four churches who have at least one combined youth meeting each month on Saturday at 5:00 pm. I was asked to speak to them about the importance of discovering God’s will. There seems to be a basic cultural philosophy of just getting an education or training and then getting married without any real concern for what God may want out of their life. And because of the culture, their families place a lot of demands upon them beyond what is biblical.
So the first week I shared with them how easy it is to discover God’s will: receive Christ, then serve Him full-time – your “vocation” as Paul calls it then discover your “hobby” (defined by me as the job which will give you the finances you need to accomplish the task of serving God in their “church” – not “the Church.” “Their church” is describe by the place of employment where God places them. They have a “pulpit” to “make disciples” and to “train them” as they have been trained. Plus, the only difference between them and their pastor is that God has called him to earn his living by serving the Church in the capacity of one of the 5-fold ministries described by Paul in Ephesians 4.
Saturday, the challenge was to “Place Your Life Before God.” And the basis for the teaching is found in Romans 12:1-2. I simply went through the verses explaining the words in basic terms which would describe their life.
That completes Saturday!
Sunday, September 26th:
I was only supposed to have one service, but because I needed an interpreter and the ones I generally use are pastors who have services on Sunday morning, I asked David Hodges, who’s service is at 5:300 PM to accompany me as my interpreter for the morning.
My assignment was to speak for the first year graduation ceremony of six students from Ancon, Iglesia Cristiana El Camino pastored by Walter & Clarisa Villajuan. Ancon is located about one hour from my present location – the apartment I call “home” – on a Sunday (during the week it could take up to two hors to get there).
But to be able to use David, knowing we would not get to his home and church until about 5:00 PM, I volunteered to speak for him. So off we went! The day began with a 10 AM departure and ended with a 11:10 PM return. However the day was a success both for the graduation and for the time with Iglesia Vida in Jicamarca.
Now it is Monday and because we will not be recording, I will have time to complete preparation for the final recording sessions.
And “maybe” get my hair cut! Oh, get off of it! I still have some “hairS” which need to be cut!
God bless and continue to pray.
Dr D
Thursday & Friday, September 23rd - 24th:
Both days were not filled with anything more than continuing the process of recording the classes for The Development, Scope and Study of the Bible. I would like to tell you that everything went smooth, but I would not be telling the truth. But we finally were able to make some adjustments and now have 5 sessions complete but that is only about 20% of the total. So we have a long way to go.
This week I will have two different interpreters but we are not able to start until Tuesday, so Monday becomes a lost day.
Saturday, September 25th:
Everything was geared to getting ready for the second of a two-part series on The Will of God. There are four churches who have at least one combined youth meeting each month on Saturday at 5:00 pm. I was asked to speak to them about the importance of discovering God’s will. There seems to be a basic cultural philosophy of just getting an education or training and then getting married without any real concern for what God may want out of their life. And because of the culture, their families place a lot of demands upon them beyond what is biblical.
So the first week I shared with them how easy it is to discover God’s will: receive Christ, then serve Him full-time – your “vocation” as Paul calls it then discover your “hobby” (defined by me as the job which will give you the finances you need to accomplish the task of serving God in their “church” – not “the Church.” “Their church” is describe by the place of employment where God places them. They have a “pulpit” to “make disciples” and to “train them” as they have been trained. Plus, the only difference between them and their pastor is that God has called him to earn his living by serving the Church in the capacity of one of the 5-fold ministries described by Paul in Ephesians 4.
Saturday, the challenge was to “Place Your Life Before God.” And the basis for the teaching is found in Romans 12:1-2. I simply went through the verses explaining the words in basic terms which would describe their life.
That completes Saturday!
Sunday, September 26th:
I was only supposed to have one service, but because I needed an interpreter and the ones I generally use are pastors who have services on Sunday morning, I asked David Hodges, who’s service is at 5:300 PM to accompany me as my interpreter for the morning.
My assignment was to speak for the first year graduation ceremony of six students from Ancon, Iglesia Cristiana El Camino pastored by Walter & Clarisa Villajuan. Ancon is located about one hour from my present location – the apartment I call “home” – on a Sunday (during the week it could take up to two hors to get there).
But to be able to use David, knowing we would not get to his home and church until about 5:00 PM, I volunteered to speak for him. So off we went! The day began with a 10 AM departure and ended with a 11:10 PM return. However the day was a success both for the graduation and for the time with Iglesia Vida in Jicamarca.
Now it is Monday and because we will not be recording, I will have time to complete preparation for the final recording sessions.
And “maybe” get my hair cut! Oh, get off of it! I still have some “hairS” which need to be cut!
God bless and continue to pray.
Dr D
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A DAY FOR FRUSTRATION!!!!
Thursday, September 23rd
The goal was to tape at least 4 sessions! But all we got done was ONE!
Put very simply – microphone problems!! I have a wireless system with two mics. They operate on different channels and different groups. Whenever we would turn Mic 1 on it would work okay, but with Mic 2 on – hey this is confusing to explain, but one mic works good with great volume but the second mic did not have enough volume to record and then it caused interference and produced a hissing sound.
We tried for almost three hours to find a way to eliminate the problem but finally gave up and set the one good mic up on a tripod below the sight of the camera and used it to record both my voice and that of the interpreter. And to be sure that we ha good sound, I also used my small Sony recorder and we also have the sound through the air into the camera. However the room produces a slight echo but it may be the best anyway because it gives it the feeling of a room with people in it.
So we did finish one and had to quit due to the time. I guess that is just part of the “game” – but I do not like to lose to a short in the mic system.
Tomorrow is another day and Pastor Agustin, the interpreter is bringing a system of his so we can get rolling and make some progress
God bless,
Dr D
The goal was to tape at least 4 sessions! But all we got done was ONE!
Put very simply – microphone problems!! I have a wireless system with two mics. They operate on different channels and different groups. Whenever we would turn Mic 1 on it would work okay, but with Mic 2 on – hey this is confusing to explain, but one mic works good with great volume but the second mic did not have enough volume to record and then it caused interference and produced a hissing sound.
We tried for almost three hours to find a way to eliminate the problem but finally gave up and set the one good mic up on a tripod below the sight of the camera and used it to record both my voice and that of the interpreter. And to be sure that we ha good sound, I also used my small Sony recorder and we also have the sound through the air into the camera. However the room produces a slight echo but it may be the best anyway because it gives it the feeling of a room with people in it.
So we did finish one and had to quit due to the time. I guess that is just part of the “game” – but I do not like to lose to a short in the mic system.
Tomorrow is another day and Pastor Agustin, the interpreter is bringing a system of his so we can get rolling and make some progress
God bless,
Dr D
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
THE DAYS ARE FULL OF WORK - WORK AND NO PLAY!
Sunday, September 19:
I arrived back in Lima at 8:00 AM and had to rush “home” (my apartment - well honestly the Dan and Brenda Clowers apartment – but they said it is mine anytime, even if they are here) so I did rush home! Well after I found my way upstairs at the airport to Starbucks – everyone has to treat someone to something special and I was the only one there that I knew who needed to be treated “special.” Anyway my ride wasn’t there so I had to kill some time and what better way to do it than with a frappuccino.
I had only one hour from arrival at the apartment to get ready and depart for my morning assignment - preaching at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento pastored by Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez. He is ministering in Chile and I was the “fill-in.” His assistant and brother-in-law, Dr.(MD) Roger Falcon was my host and interpreter for the morning. He and his wife, Magaly, were interpreters for Marilyn and I the first time she came to Peru with me and that was before they were married. Oh, yes! The service ended with four or five (I am honestly not sure about one) who received Jesus. So it was a good day.
After walking about three blocks to a mall, (Marco Aroni said “3") but I counted more, we ate in an open air food court so to keep my food warm all the way to my stomach, I ate and let them talk. And the rest of the day was spent in getting the items I took on the trip to the jungle put in the correct place and into my laundry bag. Then I spent the concluding time sharing with the Clowers.
Now believe it or not, though I have been here an average of 2-3 times per year for the last 5 years, and for the last three years I have served as the Conference Missions Director for the SonShine Conference - this was the first time that Dan and I actually met in Peru. And I have stayed in their apartment at least 3 times before and preached here at the church. It “appeared” that we had something against each other and therefore avoided seen each other but the contrary is the truth. We tried, but never were able to accomplish it.
Monday and Tuesday, September 20th, 21st and whoops, this is Wednesday, the 22nd:
Well I have spent the time since Monday morning, either meeting Americans who asked to meet with me or working on the course, The Development Scope And Study of the Bible, just to get it ready both in Spanish – getting the correct translation for the student edition and the PowerPoint presentation as well ans seeing that the English (my copy) was in harmony with the Spanish. This is not an easy task for one who is not versed in Spanish. But with my limited knowledge and the help of Marco Aroni (the coordinator for Universidad Pacto de Vida (Covenant Life University) we have accomplished the task.
So today, after cancelling the recording session yesterday because we discovered there were some issues that needed to be settled and because we needed some additional equipment to set up the recording studio, we finally did begin recording today. We accomplished two full class lectures of 50-55 minutes each.
Our studio is set up in the living room of the apartment. It may look primitive to some but it worked. Agustin Ciccia, pastor of Nuevas Fuerzas (New Strength) along with Franz, who is a genius with computers and video, we made it and are looking forward to 5-6 hours of recording tomorrow.
Now for you who refer to me as “Dr. Gadget,” I want you to know the many “gadgets” I carry – many of them proved to play a key part in the establishment of studio: the wireless mics (2); the Sony MP3 recorder; a Sony 40 GB hard-drive camera; my aluminum typing table; my computer; my Proxima projector; my many cables and extension cords; and my Logitech controller for operating my PowerPoint.
So go ahead and make fun! I will get the last laugh!
Anyway, that catches you up on the details of the ministry through today as well as telling you what I will be doing for the next almost three weeks until Marilyn, Allison and David arrive. Except for Saturday and Sunday speaking engagements and meeting with pastors.
God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
I arrived back in Lima at 8:00 AM and had to rush “home” (my apartment - well honestly the Dan and Brenda Clowers apartment – but they said it is mine anytime, even if they are here) so I did rush home! Well after I found my way upstairs at the airport to Starbucks – everyone has to treat someone to something special and I was the only one there that I knew who needed to be treated “special.” Anyway my ride wasn’t there so I had to kill some time and what better way to do it than with a frappuccino.
I had only one hour from arrival at the apartment to get ready and depart for my morning assignment - preaching at Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento pastored by Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez. He is ministering in Chile and I was the “fill-in.” His assistant and brother-in-law, Dr.(MD) Roger Falcon was my host and interpreter for the morning. He and his wife, Magaly, were interpreters for Marilyn and I the first time she came to Peru with me and that was before they were married. Oh, yes! The service ended with four or five (I am honestly not sure about one) who received Jesus. So it was a good day.
After walking about three blocks to a mall, (Marco Aroni said “3") but I counted more, we ate in an open air food court so to keep my food warm all the way to my stomach, I ate and let them talk. And the rest of the day was spent in getting the items I took on the trip to the jungle put in the correct place and into my laundry bag. Then I spent the concluding time sharing with the Clowers.
Now believe it or not, though I have been here an average of 2-3 times per year for the last 5 years, and for the last three years I have served as the Conference Missions Director for the SonShine Conference - this was the first time that Dan and I actually met in Peru. And I have stayed in their apartment at least 3 times before and preached here at the church. It “appeared” that we had something against each other and therefore avoided seen each other but the contrary is the truth. We tried, but never were able to accomplish it.
Monday and Tuesday, September 20th, 21st and whoops, this is Wednesday, the 22nd:
Well I have spent the time since Monday morning, either meeting Americans who asked to meet with me or working on the course, The Development Scope And Study of the Bible, just to get it ready both in Spanish – getting the correct translation for the student edition and the PowerPoint presentation as well ans seeing that the English (my copy) was in harmony with the Spanish. This is not an easy task for one who is not versed in Spanish. But with my limited knowledge and the help of Marco Aroni (the coordinator for Universidad Pacto de Vida (Covenant Life University) we have accomplished the task.
So today, after cancelling the recording session yesterday because we discovered there were some issues that needed to be settled and because we needed some additional equipment to set up the recording studio, we finally did begin recording today. We accomplished two full class lectures of 50-55 minutes each.
Our studio is set up in the living room of the apartment. It may look primitive to some but it worked. Agustin Ciccia, pastor of Nuevas Fuerzas (New Strength) along with Franz, who is a genius with computers and video, we made it and are looking forward to 5-6 hours of recording tomorrow.
Now for you who refer to me as “Dr. Gadget,” I want you to know the many “gadgets” I carry – many of them proved to play a key part in the establishment of studio: the wireless mics (2); the Sony MP3 recorder; a Sony 40 GB hard-drive camera; my aluminum typing table; my computer; my Proxima projector; my many cables and extension cords; and my Logitech controller for operating my PowerPoint.
So go ahead and make fun! I will get the last laugh!
Anyway, that catches you up on the details of the ministry through today as well as telling you what I will be doing for the next almost three weeks until Marilyn, Allison and David arrive. Except for Saturday and Sunday speaking engagements and meeting with pastors.
God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Ayacucho Adventures of Dr D
Wednesday, September 15
It begins the same way! Get up and go! And that is what I did! I got up at 3:00 AM on Wednesday and journeyed to the Lima Airport, where I met Larry Cochrane and Larry Montgomery from Wilmore, Kentucky and Ismael Zubiandi from Venezuela. And that is where the event begins.
It was only a 40 minute flight from take off to touch down and we arrived in Ayacucho. It was certainly better than the 7 hour bus trip the medical team had to take from Lima. After going to the wrong bus station and then the wrong small buss transportation company, we finally met the team and piled into three 18 passenger vans loaded to the limits – including their top racks.
Now for the fun! YEAH! For the next six and one-half hours we turned left, back right, left, right – sometimes almost as soon as you got the wheels straight you turned again. That is bad enough, but then when you add the fact the road is gravel and drops for thousands of feet on one side or the other plus it is many – many times a one way road. Which means if another vehicle comes the opposite direction one of you has to pull completely over “if” there is room and if there isn’t then one has to back up so the other can pass.
And to complicate matters, you are crossing mountains 4,000 meters high (that is over 13,000 feet) and a passenger is also prone to car sickness it adds another dynamic – and we had two – one each in different vehicles.
Since we had no breakfast and there was a place about one hour out of Ayacucho – a tourist trap – we stopped to eat. Breakfast consisted of meat – “Cooie” (Guinea Pig) some lettuce and one of the 3,000 varieties of Peruvian potatoes and Inca Cola to drink. Not bad and I was hungry and YES the meat was delicious!
We departed at 8:20 AM and arrived in San Francisco - Kimbiri (twin cities across the river from each other) about 3:30 PM. Then waited on the fourth van to get there with our luggage by stretching out on my bed on the fourth floor. I wanted to take a shower but there was no water running in my room. So I got up and went downstairs and discovered the luggage had arrived and lugged it up stairs and prepared for the evening banquet.
My comments on it are this: It was a long time before we got to eat but all the officials of the city, the mayor and the educators were there and were honored. So we got things off the ground.
Thursday, September 16:
Morning arrived too early with the roosters, the neighbors and the dogs beating my alarm to the punch. I had water —COLD— water for the shower and shaving, but that’s life overseas. Breakfast was a fried egg, with a potato covered with the typical Peruvian yellow sauce. We got that only because we refused to eat chicken for breakfast.
But this was after we walked to the Christian radio station – we were told – which turned out to be a TV station where we were to be interviewed. We did and they did and in one hour we finished and headed to breakfast.
I guess I should tell you this was a medical outreach with services in the evening and teaching on Friday and Saturday. So the first thing on the agenda was to spend the majority of the day taking the Mayor’s Tour. We visited a water purification plant – it was very interesting – and it was just beginning the process. Then we went to the waste treatment operation to see how they sort the solid waste, sell the plastic and glass, and process all the other waste by converting it into fertilizer. Then to their fish farm for a fish dinner and speeches by the mayor and other leaders.
FINALLY we got back to the hotel to rest and prepare for the evening rally. It was outside on the street next to the city building with plastic chairs and a high platform with “flexing” boards that provide a thrill whenever someone walked by or decided to dance to the music. And lest I forget, THE BUGS! But the Lord protected me and even though we were warned about the mosquitoes – I never had even one attempt to bite me or fly close enough to hear it. My prayer was answered. And I was protected without getting a yellow fever shot – which I found out I should have had.
Ismael Zubiandi- was the speaker and for all I know it was good. It was in Spanish and the people enjoyed it but I somehow did not understand it. It makes it very difficult to have to minister at the altar to pray for sick and not be able to pray with knowledge about the problem, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT KNOWS and so you just lay hands on them an pray.
Friday, September 17:
Unfortunately the day actually began with the end of the previous day. No water at night to get rid of the accumulated dust and perspiration so you crash waiting on the dawn of the new day. However, it began the same way the other ended – NO WATER! I had just enough in my water bottle to try to rinse off the shaving cream and wiped the rest off with the towel and departed for the day smelling just like I did the night before – but since I could not smell myself I figured I smelled okay!
I was the first speaker of the morning. The crowd filled about half of the college class room when we started and by the time I finished they had doubled the number of the chairs and there was “standing room only.” I had the next session free. People continued to come, so for the next session they had all those who had heard me to stay and the rest to pick up their chair and follow me to the next class room and I repeated the first teaching which was on leadership. Lunch came next and then I had the remaining part of the afternoon free and my next session was on Saturday morning.
Another open square rally with more in attendance than the first night filled the street beginning about 7:00 for an hour with some Quechuan music – the music of the mountain people. It is very distinguishable both in musical sound and in language. After some more contemporary music, Pastor Desiderio Escalante from Chincha who lived in Kimbiri from the age of two and found Christ while living there shared his testimony and the altar was filled with those coming to make a commitment to Christ. This was followed by a long prayer time for the sick.
Saturday, September 18:
I skipped breakfast as did several other pastors when we discovered “Cow-Cow Soup” was the special (only) offering of the day. If you can not figure out what “Cow-Cow” is it is “cow’s belly” and I am not against it, just against putting it in my stomach – I have one already!
While on my way to the Church for my teaching session I discovered that Larry and Larry (read paragraph one) were going to stay along with a doctor to minister to 200 who had walked for two days down river for medical attention, while the rest of us were to leave at 10:30 AM. But to our dismay, we discovered there was no more medicine available – it had all been used!
I will “NEVER” forget the sad look on the faces – no, the tears – of those who arr hospital in the arrived at the church and were told they would not be able to be seen by a doctor or receive any medical assistance. There is not even a hospital or medical clinic in the area to which we could refer them. So I stood to teach, looking back at the rear door filled with eyes filled with disappointment and did my best to teach my final session.
As we climbed into our vans for the seven hour return to Ayacucho, we were greeted by people bring their offering – huge pineapples, fresh ground home grown coffee, oranges and various other fruit. You could see the love and yet know the sacrifice they were making to bring their offering to us. With gladness of heart because of the spirit in which it was given we received their gifts and later passed them on to bless others because we knew we would not be able to get them back to Lima.
We departed, all of us, and endured the long journey, probably never getting above 40 miles per hour for over any time frame of 3-4 minutes, but turning and turning, going up the mountain in a serpentine method we finally arrived in Ayacucho and our hotel for the night and the flight back to Lima Sunday morning.
As I complete the blog for these four days, I am able to recognize this as an “encounter for the future.” I handed out all of my Spanish Business Cards for CLU – there was great interest. I met a pastor from Lima, it was another “open door”. I met Nino Martini, a captain of the National Police Department of Peru. I had watched him lay hands on the sick and believe God for their healing. As we departed, he grabbed me, kissed me on the cheek as an expression of special connection because I had shared my 20 year volunteer ministry with him as a chaplain of the Fort Myers Police Department – we were more than just acquaintance were of the same fraternity. He wants me to become the “priest” (as he said in his broken English) of the Lima National Police Department. That will not happen but I do believe I will here from him again and have an opportunity to speak to new recruits and even some of the high officers of the military.
Only God knows why the events scheduled did not materialize as I had been told, but the establishment of relationships because they were built upon the foundation of the Holy Spirit will have great dividends.
It begins the same way! Get up and go! And that is what I did! I got up at 3:00 AM on Wednesday and journeyed to the Lima Airport, where I met Larry Cochrane and Larry Montgomery from Wilmore, Kentucky and Ismael Zubiandi from Venezuela. And that is where the event begins.
It was only a 40 minute flight from take off to touch down and we arrived in Ayacucho. It was certainly better than the 7 hour bus trip the medical team had to take from Lima. After going to the wrong bus station and then the wrong small buss transportation company, we finally met the team and piled into three 18 passenger vans loaded to the limits – including their top racks.
Now for the fun! YEAH! For the next six and one-half hours we turned left, back right, left, right – sometimes almost as soon as you got the wheels straight you turned again. That is bad enough, but then when you add the fact the road is gravel and drops for thousands of feet on one side or the other plus it is many – many times a one way road. Which means if another vehicle comes the opposite direction one of you has to pull completely over “if” there is room and if there isn’t then one has to back up so the other can pass.
And to complicate matters, you are crossing mountains 4,000 meters high (that is over 13,000 feet) and a passenger is also prone to car sickness it adds another dynamic – and we had two – one each in different vehicles.
Since we had no breakfast and there was a place about one hour out of Ayacucho – a tourist trap – we stopped to eat. Breakfast consisted of meat – “Cooie” (Guinea Pig) some lettuce and one of the 3,000 varieties of Peruvian potatoes and Inca Cola to drink. Not bad and I was hungry and YES the meat was delicious!
We departed at 8:20 AM and arrived in San Francisco - Kimbiri (twin cities across the river from each other) about 3:30 PM. Then waited on the fourth van to get there with our luggage by stretching out on my bed on the fourth floor. I wanted to take a shower but there was no water running in my room. So I got up and went downstairs and discovered the luggage had arrived and lugged it up stairs and prepared for the evening banquet.
My comments on it are this: It was a long time before we got to eat but all the officials of the city, the mayor and the educators were there and were honored. So we got things off the ground.
Thursday, September 16:
Morning arrived too early with the roosters, the neighbors and the dogs beating my alarm to the punch. I had water —COLD— water for the shower and shaving, but that’s life overseas. Breakfast was a fried egg, with a potato covered with the typical Peruvian yellow sauce. We got that only because we refused to eat chicken for breakfast.
But this was after we walked to the Christian radio station – we were told – which turned out to be a TV station where we were to be interviewed. We did and they did and in one hour we finished and headed to breakfast.
I guess I should tell you this was a medical outreach with services in the evening and teaching on Friday and Saturday. So the first thing on the agenda was to spend the majority of the day taking the Mayor’s Tour. We visited a water purification plant – it was very interesting – and it was just beginning the process. Then we went to the waste treatment operation to see how they sort the solid waste, sell the plastic and glass, and process all the other waste by converting it into fertilizer. Then to their fish farm for a fish dinner and speeches by the mayor and other leaders.
FINALLY we got back to the hotel to rest and prepare for the evening rally. It was outside on the street next to the city building with plastic chairs and a high platform with “flexing” boards that provide a thrill whenever someone walked by or decided to dance to the music. And lest I forget, THE BUGS! But the Lord protected me and even though we were warned about the mosquitoes – I never had even one attempt to bite me or fly close enough to hear it. My prayer was answered. And I was protected without getting a yellow fever shot – which I found out I should have had.
Ismael Zubiandi- was the speaker and for all I know it was good. It was in Spanish and the people enjoyed it but I somehow did not understand it. It makes it very difficult to have to minister at the altar to pray for sick and not be able to pray with knowledge about the problem, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT KNOWS and so you just lay hands on them an pray.
Friday, September 17:
Unfortunately the day actually began with the end of the previous day. No water at night to get rid of the accumulated dust and perspiration so you crash waiting on the dawn of the new day. However, it began the same way the other ended – NO WATER! I had just enough in my water bottle to try to rinse off the shaving cream and wiped the rest off with the towel and departed for the day smelling just like I did the night before – but since I could not smell myself I figured I smelled okay!
I was the first speaker of the morning. The crowd filled about half of the college class room when we started and by the time I finished they had doubled the number of the chairs and there was “standing room only.” I had the next session free. People continued to come, so for the next session they had all those who had heard me to stay and the rest to pick up their chair and follow me to the next class room and I repeated the first teaching which was on leadership. Lunch came next and then I had the remaining part of the afternoon free and my next session was on Saturday morning.
Another open square rally with more in attendance than the first night filled the street beginning about 7:00 for an hour with some Quechuan music – the music of the mountain people. It is very distinguishable both in musical sound and in language. After some more contemporary music, Pastor Desiderio Escalante from Chincha who lived in Kimbiri from the age of two and found Christ while living there shared his testimony and the altar was filled with those coming to make a commitment to Christ. This was followed by a long prayer time for the sick.
Saturday, September 18:
I skipped breakfast as did several other pastors when we discovered “Cow-Cow Soup” was the special (only) offering of the day. If you can not figure out what “Cow-Cow” is it is “cow’s belly” and I am not against it, just against putting it in my stomach – I have one already!
While on my way to the Church for my teaching session I discovered that Larry and Larry (read paragraph one) were going to stay along with a doctor to minister to 200 who had walked for two days down river for medical attention, while the rest of us were to leave at 10:30 AM. But to our dismay, we discovered there was no more medicine available – it had all been used!
I will “NEVER” forget the sad look on the faces – no, the tears – of those who arr hospital in the arrived at the church and were told they would not be able to be seen by a doctor or receive any medical assistance. There is not even a hospital or medical clinic in the area to which we could refer them. So I stood to teach, looking back at the rear door filled with eyes filled with disappointment and did my best to teach my final session.
As we climbed into our vans for the seven hour return to Ayacucho, we were greeted by people bring their offering – huge pineapples, fresh ground home grown coffee, oranges and various other fruit. You could see the love and yet know the sacrifice they were making to bring their offering to us. With gladness of heart because of the spirit in which it was given we received their gifts and later passed them on to bless others because we knew we would not be able to get them back to Lima.
We departed, all of us, and endured the long journey, probably never getting above 40 miles per hour for over any time frame of 3-4 minutes, but turning and turning, going up the mountain in a serpentine method we finally arrived in Ayacucho and our hotel for the night and the flight back to Lima Sunday morning.
As I complete the blog for these four days, I am able to recognize this as an “encounter for the future.” I handed out all of my Spanish Business Cards for CLU – there was great interest. I met a pastor from Lima, it was another “open door”. I met Nino Martini, a captain of the National Police Department of Peru. I had watched him lay hands on the sick and believe God for their healing. As we departed, he grabbed me, kissed me on the cheek as an expression of special connection because I had shared my 20 year volunteer ministry with him as a chaplain of the Fort Myers Police Department – we were more than just acquaintance were of the same fraternity. He wants me to become the “priest” (as he said in his broken English) of the Lima National Police Department. That will not happen but I do believe I will here from him again and have an opportunity to speak to new recruits and even some of the high officers of the military.
Only God knows why the events scheduled did not materialize as I had been told, but the establishment of relationships because they were built upon the foundation of the Holy Spirit will have great dividends.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
PACKED AND PREPARED FOR THE “EYEBROW OF THE JUNGLE”
Tuesday, September 14:
I have just completed the task of packing for my first experience in the jungle area of Peru. Although it is not “in” it still is called the jungle by the Peruvians, better “the eyebrow of the jungle.”
We fly from Lima at 5:30 in the morning, arrive in Ayacucho at 6:40 and then meet our bus for a seven hour ride over very treacherous roads through the “cocoa leaves” – the basis for cocaine. So it can be dangerous not just from the roads but from those who use the roads to transport their drugs.
We will make our way to San Francisco and Kimbiri just across the river. Aschinca is the name of the tribe of people who live in this area. They still live by their ancient tribal customs. One of the big struggles is the marriage practices. They have no marriage laws and most girls bear children at the age of 12. Now I understand why I was asked to speak about sex. It isn’t that they do no know how, but they do not practice morality with it and therefore it becomes a major problem in the Church.
I have not figured out the schedule yet. I know where we are going and when we return from Ayacucho on the airplane and that there is at least a seven hour journey from San Francisco. And I know that my plane departs Sunday morning at 6:50 AM, arriving in Lima at 8:00 and that I have a service at 10:30 AM. Beyond that information I am lost.
I look forward to meeting the North American who will be at the airport– I have talked to him by phone – and those on the bus in Ayacucho from Peru and from North America.
So this will be challenging and exciting. Well if you call battling mosquitoes fun! Even though it is still cold here they tell me it will be “hot” in the jungle. But their hot is in the 70's. They really do not know what hot is do they!
God bless and keep me in your prayers,
Dr D
I have just completed the task of packing for my first experience in the jungle area of Peru. Although it is not “in” it still is called the jungle by the Peruvians, better “the eyebrow of the jungle.”
We fly from Lima at 5:30 in the morning, arrive in Ayacucho at 6:40 and then meet our bus for a seven hour ride over very treacherous roads through the “cocoa leaves” – the basis for cocaine. So it can be dangerous not just from the roads but from those who use the roads to transport their drugs.
We will make our way to San Francisco and Kimbiri just across the river. Aschinca is the name of the tribe of people who live in this area. They still live by their ancient tribal customs. One of the big struggles is the marriage practices. They have no marriage laws and most girls bear children at the age of 12. Now I understand why I was asked to speak about sex. It isn’t that they do no know how, but they do not practice morality with it and therefore it becomes a major problem in the Church.
I have not figured out the schedule yet. I know where we are going and when we return from Ayacucho on the airplane and that there is at least a seven hour journey from San Francisco. And I know that my plane departs Sunday morning at 6:50 AM, arriving in Lima at 8:00 and that I have a service at 10:30 AM. Beyond that information I am lost.
I look forward to meeting the North American who will be at the airport– I have talked to him by phone – and those on the bus in Ayacucho from Peru and from North America.
So this will be challenging and exciting. Well if you call battling mosquitoes fun! Even though it is still cold here they tell me it will be “hot” in the jungle. But their hot is in the 70's. They really do not know what hot is do they!
God bless and keep me in your prayers,
Dr D
Sunday, September 12, 2010
A Great Day!
Sunday, September 12:
Another Lord’s Day is coming to a close and that makes for another “SPECIAL DAY!”
We had a great service, even if I was the preacher! Think about that! Now Smile! See, it has been a good day! How do I know? Because you just smiled.!
New Strength (Nuevas Fuerzas in Spanish) is growing both numerically and spiritually. You can hear, see and witness it by the Spirit during the worship and while delivering the Word. The last two times I have ministered here I have delivered messages which are far from being the basic messages of the past to a new congregation. There is a new depth in the body.
Now how do I tell you about the response and the flavor of the service without sounding egotistical? Maybe this will do. They had between 80-90 adults in the Tent of Meeting (It is literally a tent but supported by aluminum poles and trusses). Pastor Agustin Ciccia told me he had orders for 50 CD’s of the message. And one visitor requested my phone number so he could pass it on to his pastor because he believed his pastor would want me to minister in his church on a Thursday (since all my Sundays are filled.) Well, I’d better be honest – well I am but what I mean is – one visiting pastor purchased 15 to disperse to other pastors and churches.
The message conclusion is an encouragement for the people to worship and to “SHOUT” as Israel did when the had completed the seventh trip around Jericho on the seventh day. There was good response but it subsided. Then from outside the flaps of the tent was heard the “Cock-a-doodle-doo” three times of a rooster.
I guess in Peru if the people do not shout and praise the Lord the roosters will!
Or maybe my sermon was “for the birds!”
Anyway the response has been gratifying and I know God touched some who have previously been very reserved in the expression of their worship.
Now it is time to get back to the computer and do some work and preparation for the air trip to Ayacucho and then a seven (7) hour bus ride to San Francisco which is located between the last range of mountains and the jungle. They call that area the “eyebrow of the jungle.”
God bless and thanks for your prayers!
Dr D
Another Lord’s Day is coming to a close and that makes for another “SPECIAL DAY!”
We had a great service, even if I was the preacher! Think about that! Now Smile! See, it has been a good day! How do I know? Because you just smiled.!
New Strength (Nuevas Fuerzas in Spanish) is growing both numerically and spiritually. You can hear, see and witness it by the Spirit during the worship and while delivering the Word. The last two times I have ministered here I have delivered messages which are far from being the basic messages of the past to a new congregation. There is a new depth in the body.
Now how do I tell you about the response and the flavor of the service without sounding egotistical? Maybe this will do. They had between 80-90 adults in the Tent of Meeting (It is literally a tent but supported by aluminum poles and trusses). Pastor Agustin Ciccia told me he had orders for 50 CD’s of the message. And one visitor requested my phone number so he could pass it on to his pastor because he believed his pastor would want me to minister in his church on a Thursday (since all my Sundays are filled.) Well, I’d better be honest – well I am but what I mean is – one visiting pastor purchased 15 to disperse to other pastors and churches.
The message conclusion is an encouragement for the people to worship and to “SHOUT” as Israel did when the had completed the seventh trip around Jericho on the seventh day. There was good response but it subsided. Then from outside the flaps of the tent was heard the “Cock-a-doodle-doo” three times of a rooster.
I guess in Peru if the people do not shout and praise the Lord the roosters will!
Or maybe my sermon was “for the birds!”
Anyway the response has been gratifying and I know God touched some who have previously been very reserved in the expression of their worship.
Now it is time to get back to the computer and do some work and preparation for the air trip to Ayacucho and then a seven (7) hour bus ride to San Francisco which is located between the last range of mountains and the jungle. They call that area the “eyebrow of the jungle.”
God bless and thanks for your prayers!
Dr D
PERU: BACK ON THE FIELD AGAIN!
Saturday, September 11:
Let me being at the beginning of this trip:
Thursday, my travel day was a typical experience without anything significant, other than a $600 plus item was lost on the airplane and when the container was found by those who searched for it – the contents were gone! I guess I like to throw money away! It is fun????????
Then I discovered that I had forgotten to change the “sim card” in my travel phone. Meaning: I could not call for assistance when I discovered the item was missing and I do not have access for others to call me.
Number 3: I brought a special surge protector with me to protect all items I plugged in and failed to note it was not good for 220 volts. Therefore I had a sudden electrical explosion, a rancid odor and the end of the surge protector!
Do you want to hear another one? I forgot my regular leather sport jacket. That translates into the reality that I have only one sport coat for the entire trip – 7 weeks!
Enough of the “blues” because I do not have time to dwell there! Why? Because there is “good news” available! Anything that begins with a struggle has got to have a great ending and my expectation is soaring! So let us move on and hurry through Friday because it was just a heavy work day in preparing some courses to be sure I have the correct translation on my PowerPoint presentations.
My ministry began with a combined youth service with three churches: Nuevas Fuerzas with Pastor Agustin and Jessica; Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento with Pastor Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez and Iglesia Vida with Pastor David and Ceci Hodges. The attendance surpassed the 100 mark.
I had been asked to speak on the subject, “The Will of God” because there is a mentality here among the younger generation that one gets saved, attends church, gets married, works at their job and not much else.
I will not re-preach the message with which I struggled in preparation, but the delivery was free, flowing and fun (even for the preacher) with the result of an altar service for over one hour. However I do want to tell you that finding the will of God is easy! I can tell you right now what the will of God for you!
Most people spend agonizing hours trying to determine the will of God. Simply stated, when you are born again you have been called into the full-time ministry. So all you have to determine is how you are going to earn your living while you serve God. Your job could be God leading you into the position of being one of the five-fold ministries (apostle, pastor, teacher, prophet or evangelist) or into any other “job” that will provide income whether it be that of a doctor, a mechanic, a salesman, a secretary or a myriad of other occupations.
Look at Ephesians 4:1 where we are told to walk worthy of the vocation to which we are called. Our vocation is the call of God to ministry and therefore the only area left is that of a “hobby.” So our vocation is ministry and our “hobby” is the job we use to keep our needs supplied.
My premise, my understanding is that once we understand what God wants from us - ministry a personal relationship with him that produces salt and light for the world, then everything else, food, shelter and clothing fall under God’s responsibility to provide for us.
Enough of the message. The altar ministry of one hour in length and the one and one-half hour of fellowship afterwards were satisfying and exciting, so Sunday here we come!
Let me being at the beginning of this trip:
Thursday, my travel day was a typical experience without anything significant, other than a $600 plus item was lost on the airplane and when the container was found by those who searched for it – the contents were gone! I guess I like to throw money away! It is fun????????
Then I discovered that I had forgotten to change the “sim card” in my travel phone. Meaning: I could not call for assistance when I discovered the item was missing and I do not have access for others to call me.
Number 3: I brought a special surge protector with me to protect all items I plugged in and failed to note it was not good for 220 volts. Therefore I had a sudden electrical explosion, a rancid odor and the end of the surge protector!
Do you want to hear another one? I forgot my regular leather sport jacket. That translates into the reality that I have only one sport coat for the entire trip – 7 weeks!
Enough of the “blues” because I do not have time to dwell there! Why? Because there is “good news” available! Anything that begins with a struggle has got to have a great ending and my expectation is soaring! So let us move on and hurry through Friday because it was just a heavy work day in preparing some courses to be sure I have the correct translation on my PowerPoint presentations.
My ministry began with a combined youth service with three churches: Nuevas Fuerzas with Pastor Agustin and Jessica; Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento with Pastor Gustavo and Jenny Rodriquez and Iglesia Vida with Pastor David and Ceci Hodges. The attendance surpassed the 100 mark.
I had been asked to speak on the subject, “The Will of God” because there is a mentality here among the younger generation that one gets saved, attends church, gets married, works at their job and not much else.
I will not re-preach the message with which I struggled in preparation, but the delivery was free, flowing and fun (even for the preacher) with the result of an altar service for over one hour. However I do want to tell you that finding the will of God is easy! I can tell you right now what the will of God for you!
Most people spend agonizing hours trying to determine the will of God. Simply stated, when you are born again you have been called into the full-time ministry. So all you have to determine is how you are going to earn your living while you serve God. Your job could be God leading you into the position of being one of the five-fold ministries (apostle, pastor, teacher, prophet or evangelist) or into any other “job” that will provide income whether it be that of a doctor, a mechanic, a salesman, a secretary or a myriad of other occupations.
Look at Ephesians 4:1 where we are told to walk worthy of the vocation to which we are called. Our vocation is the call of God to ministry and therefore the only area left is that of a “hobby.” So our vocation is ministry and our “hobby” is the job we use to keep our needs supplied.
My premise, my understanding is that once we understand what God wants from us - ministry a personal relationship with him that produces salt and light for the world, then everything else, food, shelter and clothing fall under God’s responsibility to provide for us.
Enough of the message. The altar ministry of one hour in length and the one and one-half hour of fellowship afterwards were satisfying and exciting, so Sunday here we come!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
A GRUELING EXCITING DAY
Sunday, July 4th
The public ministry arm of this trip is over, but ministry continues.
The public section began this morning at The Lighthouse Center, Pastor Guzman. It is an Assemblies of God Filipino congregation that is “turned on” in worship and to the Word. For a while I was rubbing my eyes to be sure I was really in Brussels, Belgium and not back home at Life Church. The worship and the flow of the Holy Spirit was definitely reminding me of home.
Pastor Guzman did not tell me how to turn the service to him after I ministered the Word, but when I motioned for the worship team to come, he stepped forward and whispered in my ear, “You go ahead and do the altar service.”
That took a load off of me. During the worship time I had heard the voice of the Lord direct me to pray for the sick. I wanted to be sure that was the direction and when the Pastor spoke to me it was a confirmation. At that moment a release came. I will not be able to write all that happened but suffice it to say there was confirmation after confirmation that this service had all be orchestrated by God’s divine plan.
I had been encouraged to contact a couple of pastors to fill in the Sunday morning, but I just did not have a release to do it but when Missionary Bill Schwartz told me he had suggested me to Pastor Guzman, I knew instantly that I was to accept the invitation. It was a divine connection and an extension of the Kingdom of God.
Well you do have to eat and so we enjoyed a “Hector Chicken” lunch and hurried home to catch the 8:30 worship of Life Church on the internet and was able to participate in the first half of the sermon before departing for the evening and final service of the Belgian International Pentecostal Holiness Convention with Pastor Mauricio Salazar and representatives from two other congregations.
And so my day ended, with a great Greek Meal and fellowship in the evening sunlight at the Brussels’ Park, a couple of blocks from the stadium where the Tour-de-France climaxed for the day.
Now all that is left is spending personal time with the missionaries, pastors and friends on Monday. Yet this is often the most important time in this ministry God has opened for me to Pastors and Church leaders in the nations of the world.
Thanks again for your prayer,
Dr D
The public ministry arm of this trip is over, but ministry continues.
The public section began this morning at The Lighthouse Center, Pastor Guzman. It is an Assemblies of God Filipino congregation that is “turned on” in worship and to the Word. For a while I was rubbing my eyes to be sure I was really in Brussels, Belgium and not back home at Life Church. The worship and the flow of the Holy Spirit was definitely reminding me of home.
Pastor Guzman did not tell me how to turn the service to him after I ministered the Word, but when I motioned for the worship team to come, he stepped forward and whispered in my ear, “You go ahead and do the altar service.”
That took a load off of me. During the worship time I had heard the voice of the Lord direct me to pray for the sick. I wanted to be sure that was the direction and when the Pastor spoke to me it was a confirmation. At that moment a release came. I will not be able to write all that happened but suffice it to say there was confirmation after confirmation that this service had all be orchestrated by God’s divine plan.
I had been encouraged to contact a couple of pastors to fill in the Sunday morning, but I just did not have a release to do it but when Missionary Bill Schwartz told me he had suggested me to Pastor Guzman, I knew instantly that I was to accept the invitation. It was a divine connection and an extension of the Kingdom of God.
Well you do have to eat and so we enjoyed a “Hector Chicken” lunch and hurried home to catch the 8:30 worship of Life Church on the internet and was able to participate in the first half of the sermon before departing for the evening and final service of the Belgian International Pentecostal Holiness Convention with Pastor Mauricio Salazar and representatives from two other congregations.
And so my day ended, with a great Greek Meal and fellowship in the evening sunlight at the Brussels’ Park, a couple of blocks from the stadium where the Tour-de-France climaxed for the day.
Now all that is left is spending personal time with the missionaries, pastors and friends on Monday. Yet this is often the most important time in this ministry God has opened for me to Pastors and Church leaders in the nations of the world.
Thanks again for your prayer,
Dr D
Saturday, July 3, 2010
BELGIUM: THE FIRST THREE DAYS!
July 1-3, 2010
Sometimes “time” goes so fast and your schedule is so cramped with things to do in preparation and the mind just skips a beat! What beat? The “Blog Beat!” So here we are........
The flight over was uneventful except for the 9 hour layover in Atlanta, but I took advantage of the time and laid out the structure for a new message called: “Connection Power.” So at least the time wasn’t wasted.
I arrived at 8:10 AM on Thursday in Brussels. Their entry process is a breeze compared to other countries. No documents to complete and the customs people just watch as you pass them. Maurico Salazar met me and we were off and running – to the BED! I had not had but 2 hours sleep since Tuesday morning at 7:00. So a quick nap was in order – but the problem – I was so tired and sleepy I could not stop with a “nap”and spent most of the afternoon falling asleep and waking up only to do it again until supper.
Now when you are in Belgium, you MUST have a Belgium Waffle! So after the meal, Mauricio, Betsy, his daughter, and Obed, his son, and I headed downtown to wrap our lips around the best waffle in Brussels! We were sitting at the sidewalk tables indulging and heard the sound of a band. We looked up the street and saw a parade heading our way.
We later discovered that it was the annual celebration of entrance of Charles the 5th from Spain into Brussels from which he reigned while alive. It was unique! All horses, people and vehicles were typical of that period of time. They passed so close that sometimes you had to move to keep from being “sprinkled” (really I didn’t need to participate, I have been baptized) and anyway this was a “horse sprinkling”! The only camera I had with me was my new iPhone 4. Man did it take good video – you will have to see it to believe it!
On Friday morning after 12 hours of sleep (but it was 11:00 AM) Mau (as Maurico is called) told me it was breakfast time. and then we were off to meet a couple of missionaries: Bill & Gretchen Schwartz, who will be moving to Belgium in the next 6 months and Ronald & Margaret Turner from Romania for lunch at Pizza Hut. However it was just 30 minutes after completing a Mexican breakfast: A tortilla with eggs sunny-side up covered with catsup and refried beans. So I only had a Pepsi to drink and enjoyed the fellowship.
I spent the afternoon doing office work – better sermon preparation for the services on Saturday and Sunday. I wanted to get to sleep but when it is still light at 10:30 and 15 minutes later it is just turning dark – but that isn’t all of it – it gets light at 4:30 AM – full light! Added to that is the 6 hour adjustment and you now face another problem. Trying to get you body to cooperate with the newly introduced facts which say it is bedtime. I did not succeed until 3:30 AM and then it was revile at 7:00 and into the car and off to the Church at 7:45 for the graduation service at 10:30.
This was an thrilling experience. I learned that Logos Bible School (which is a two year Bible training school under Covenant Life University) has 60 students that have completed the two year program and many more who have been theire for at least one year since it began. Today, in the service were 6 pastors in attendance who had graduated from Logos and they counted at least 6 more who were not present who are pastors or in active ministry. They represent about 15 churches that have been started by these graduates.
One pastor has 5 Churches he has started or are under his ministry. One student was hired by the Church of God to be the supervisor for Europe for there inter-cultural ministries and spoke to me today and said he and his wife wanted to enroll in CLU by internet and complete their degree. An African pastor to an African congregation here in Brussels also approached me and communicated the same desire.
At the Luncheon the Regional Missions Coordinators for Eastern Europe, David and Linda Fallin were talking with me and the door for placing CLU in Hungary is swinging open as well as Romania. In addition, Logos is going to add the remaining two years of curriculum and become a full extension campus of CLU.
One important item I forgot to state: Many students from Logos are now back in their home countries in Africa and beyond in ministry. So you can see that Life Church through CLU is impacting the world!
Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to an Assembly of God Filipino congregation and then will complete the IPHC (International Pentecostal Holiness) Belgian convention tomorrow evening.
God bless and thanks for your prayers.
Dr D
Sometimes “time” goes so fast and your schedule is so cramped with things to do in preparation and the mind just skips a beat! What beat? The “Blog Beat!” So here we are........
The flight over was uneventful except for the 9 hour layover in Atlanta, but I took advantage of the time and laid out the structure for a new message called: “Connection Power.” So at least the time wasn’t wasted.
I arrived at 8:10 AM on Thursday in Brussels. Their entry process is a breeze compared to other countries. No documents to complete and the customs people just watch as you pass them. Maurico Salazar met me and we were off and running – to the BED! I had not had but 2 hours sleep since Tuesday morning at 7:00. So a quick nap was in order – but the problem – I was so tired and sleepy I could not stop with a “nap”and spent most of the afternoon falling asleep and waking up only to do it again until supper.
Now when you are in Belgium, you MUST have a Belgium Waffle! So after the meal, Mauricio, Betsy, his daughter, and Obed, his son, and I headed downtown to wrap our lips around the best waffle in Brussels! We were sitting at the sidewalk tables indulging and heard the sound of a band. We looked up the street and saw a parade heading our way.
We later discovered that it was the annual celebration of entrance of Charles the 5th from Spain into Brussels from which he reigned while alive. It was unique! All horses, people and vehicles were typical of that period of time. They passed so close that sometimes you had to move to keep from being “sprinkled” (really I didn’t need to participate, I have been baptized) and anyway this was a “horse sprinkling”! The only camera I had with me was my new iPhone 4. Man did it take good video – you will have to see it to believe it!
On Friday morning after 12 hours of sleep (but it was 11:00 AM) Mau (as Maurico is called) told me it was breakfast time. and then we were off to meet a couple of missionaries: Bill & Gretchen Schwartz, who will be moving to Belgium in the next 6 months and Ronald & Margaret Turner from Romania for lunch at Pizza Hut. However it was just 30 minutes after completing a Mexican breakfast: A tortilla with eggs sunny-side up covered with catsup and refried beans. So I only had a Pepsi to drink and enjoyed the fellowship.
I spent the afternoon doing office work – better sermon preparation for the services on Saturday and Sunday. I wanted to get to sleep but when it is still light at 10:30 and 15 minutes later it is just turning dark – but that isn’t all of it – it gets light at 4:30 AM – full light! Added to that is the 6 hour adjustment and you now face another problem. Trying to get you body to cooperate with the newly introduced facts which say it is bedtime. I did not succeed until 3:30 AM and then it was revile at 7:00 and into the car and off to the Church at 7:45 for the graduation service at 10:30.
This was an thrilling experience. I learned that Logos Bible School (which is a two year Bible training school under Covenant Life University) has 60 students that have completed the two year program and many more who have been theire for at least one year since it began. Today, in the service were 6 pastors in attendance who had graduated from Logos and they counted at least 6 more who were not present who are pastors or in active ministry. They represent about 15 churches that have been started by these graduates.
One pastor has 5 Churches he has started or are under his ministry. One student was hired by the Church of God to be the supervisor for Europe for there inter-cultural ministries and spoke to me today and said he and his wife wanted to enroll in CLU by internet and complete their degree. An African pastor to an African congregation here in Brussels also approached me and communicated the same desire.
At the Luncheon the Regional Missions Coordinators for Eastern Europe, David and Linda Fallin were talking with me and the door for placing CLU in Hungary is swinging open as well as Romania. In addition, Logos is going to add the remaining two years of curriculum and become a full extension campus of CLU.
One important item I forgot to state: Many students from Logos are now back in their home countries in Africa and beyond in ministry. So you can see that Life Church through CLU is impacting the world!
Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to an Assembly of God Filipino congregation and then will complete the IPHC (International Pentecostal Holiness) Belgian convention tomorrow evening.
God bless and thanks for your prayers.
Dr D
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
UKRAINE MAY 2010 COMPLETED (Tuesday, May 25th)
It is all done but the departing! We have completed our assignment for this visit to a land and people we have come to love.
Today we had our final pastoral visit, really it was a “lady visit” as Marilyn and Ira Ivanov and baby Katrina were the focus of this visit. But it was also a “pastoral ministry time for the lady’s. It is always good for pastor’s wives to have someone they can unload their burdens with and know “all is well” - nothing with be misused. This is particularly true when it has been hard to develop close relationships with other pastors and wives.
“Relationships” – I guess that has been the theme of this visit. The time the pastors had just to focus on theological issues and discuss them at the retreat and the relationships that developed from those free-time discussions is invaluable.
You must understand the background and the cultural upheavals which have plagued Ukraine. These pastors were children when their country was under the control of the communists. No one trusted anyone. You were not supposed to. You were schooled on “reporting others” for any misuse, conduct or communications. And so their households were permeated with this spirit of distrust and “isolationism.”
The single most repeated comment from pastors who attended the Idea Exchange in Crimea was focused on the fellowship and the potential of the development of new relationships.
Even now, though the power of communism is no longer visible, the new government has invoked new “rules” which are impacting the Churches. The first visible sign was the huge increase in the rent for any facilities used by Churches – 3 ½ times the previous. In addition, Churches are no longer able to use the facilities of government run schools (Church and State Separation - sound familiar?)
We have spent the last two days with Vadim Uruymagov and his sons, Peter and Mark. Much of our discussion with them has been about their progress since death of Inna, the wife and mother. I am happy to report all are doing well. They are moving on, looking to the future – to discover where God is leading them as a family and for Vadim’s ministry. I will sum this up by saying, “Praise God! They recognize they have future and a hope and are looking forward to it.
So now we look to the future. The owners of the resort, The Equator, have given a verbal invitation to return next year. Several pastors have expressed a desire for a meeting next year. We, Marilyn and I have each shared some thoughts about next year, now we must hear from God. So pray with us.
Until we see you in Ft. Myers,
God bless and thanks for your prayers.
Dr D & Marilyn
Today we had our final pastoral visit, really it was a “lady visit” as Marilyn and Ira Ivanov and baby Katrina were the focus of this visit. But it was also a “pastoral ministry time for the lady’s. It is always good for pastor’s wives to have someone they can unload their burdens with and know “all is well” - nothing with be misused. This is particularly true when it has been hard to develop close relationships with other pastors and wives.
“Relationships” – I guess that has been the theme of this visit. The time the pastors had just to focus on theological issues and discuss them at the retreat and the relationships that developed from those free-time discussions is invaluable.
You must understand the background and the cultural upheavals which have plagued Ukraine. These pastors were children when their country was under the control of the communists. No one trusted anyone. You were not supposed to. You were schooled on “reporting others” for any misuse, conduct or communications. And so their households were permeated with this spirit of distrust and “isolationism.”
The single most repeated comment from pastors who attended the Idea Exchange in Crimea was focused on the fellowship and the potential of the development of new relationships.
Even now, though the power of communism is no longer visible, the new government has invoked new “rules” which are impacting the Churches. The first visible sign was the huge increase in the rent for any facilities used by Churches – 3 ½ times the previous. In addition, Churches are no longer able to use the facilities of government run schools (Church and State Separation - sound familiar?)
We have spent the last two days with Vadim Uruymagov and his sons, Peter and Mark. Much of our discussion with them has been about their progress since death of Inna, the wife and mother. I am happy to report all are doing well. They are moving on, looking to the future – to discover where God is leading them as a family and for Vadim’s ministry. I will sum this up by saying, “Praise God! They recognize they have future and a hope and are looking forward to it.
So now we look to the future. The owners of the resort, The Equator, have given a verbal invitation to return next year. Several pastors have expressed a desire for a meeting next year. We, Marilyn and I have each shared some thoughts about next year, now we must hear from God. So pray with us.
Until we see you in Ft. Myers,
God bless and thanks for your prayers.
Dr D & Marilyn
Saturday, May 22, 2010
PENTECOST IN A MESSIANIC JEWISH CONGREGATION (Saturday, May 22nd)
An unexpected/expected invitation took me to a Messianic Jewish Congregation this morning. It was the result of Marilyn counseling with the pastor, Inna Rekhlo from House of Joy on Friday. I had sent notice to her that I would be in Chernivtsi, but she failed to get the email. However on her calendar she had placed the notice “Special Guest Speaker on May 22nd.” At least God knew and had made notice of it in writing.
House of Joy is just that – a “House of Joy” when it comes to worship with a Jewish flavor. And since it was the time of the Feast of Pentecost I ministered on “The Feast of Pentecost,” using the Old Testament instructions from Leviticus on how Israel was to celebrate it and the prophetical aspects as they related to the New Testament Church today. If I may say so (and you are not here to tell me I can’t) it was an “excellent teaching” recalling for them their heritage and set it in perspective for them today.
AND I did it with my “kipa” (translated from the Russian word for it) – that is my special “skull cap” given to me by the pastor’s husband. But there was one problem! How do you keep it on your head when you can not use a bobby pen to fix it to your hair? I mean there isn’t any hair to pen it to! I needed a special “suction cup” fastened to the inside of it and then stuck on my head! It must have been the will of God for me to wear it because it actually stayed on my had during the entire message. “CHUDA!” (Russian for “miracle.”)
Under the direction of the Holy Spirit I was led to speak a word of knowledge to a lady who had been under great stress for several days and was weeping a night under the pressure of the situation. I noticed one lady in particular of the four that raise their hands. I knew which one God was talking about. But little did I know that she was the lady the pastor had requested for Marilyn to meet after the service at the restaurant and counsel. God had put it all together and set her up for the time with Marilyn.
We concluded our day with a dinner engagement (for you who use the term “supper” to refer to the evening meal) I will change and use the term “supper” engagement with Pastor Dima Nemchenko, his wife Natasha and Pastor Vitaliy and Ira Pavlenko. It all began about 5:00 and ended when we returned at 11:00. In reality it was an Apostolic meeting over a meal. The food was great and the opportunity to speak into their lives and give direction for the Church was precious. It seemed like I was speaking to four “sponges” (Not “Sponge Bobs” – that’s TV land) as they soaked up every word from both of us.
It is times like this which give you the realization of how your words and instructions impact lives and can impact generations. Serving God is GREAT!
Now it is time to “lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord, my soul to keep” (you prayer your prayer and I’ll pray mine!).........ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz - See you when I wake up..........
Love and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
House of Joy is just that – a “House of Joy” when it comes to worship with a Jewish flavor. And since it was the time of the Feast of Pentecost I ministered on “The Feast of Pentecost,” using the Old Testament instructions from Leviticus on how Israel was to celebrate it and the prophetical aspects as they related to the New Testament Church today. If I may say so (and you are not here to tell me I can’t) it was an “excellent teaching” recalling for them their heritage and set it in perspective for them today.
AND I did it with my “kipa” (translated from the Russian word for it) – that is my special “skull cap” given to me by the pastor’s husband. But there was one problem! How do you keep it on your head when you can not use a bobby pen to fix it to your hair? I mean there isn’t any hair to pen it to! I needed a special “suction cup” fastened to the inside of it and then stuck on my head! It must have been the will of God for me to wear it because it actually stayed on my had during the entire message. “CHUDA!” (Russian for “miracle.”)
Under the direction of the Holy Spirit I was led to speak a word of knowledge to a lady who had been under great stress for several days and was weeping a night under the pressure of the situation. I noticed one lady in particular of the four that raise their hands. I knew which one God was talking about. But little did I know that she was the lady the pastor had requested for Marilyn to meet after the service at the restaurant and counsel. God had put it all together and set her up for the time with Marilyn.
We concluded our day with a dinner engagement (for you who use the term “supper” to refer to the evening meal) I will change and use the term “supper” engagement with Pastor Dima Nemchenko, his wife Natasha and Pastor Vitaliy and Ira Pavlenko. It all began about 5:00 and ended when we returned at 11:00. In reality it was an Apostolic meeting over a meal. The food was great and the opportunity to speak into their lives and give direction for the Church was precious. It seemed like I was speaking to four “sponges” (Not “Sponge Bobs” – that’s TV land) as they soaked up every word from both of us.
It is times like this which give you the realization of how your words and instructions impact lives and can impact generations. Serving God is GREAT!
Now it is time to “lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord, my soul to keep” (you prayer your prayer and I’ll pray mine!).........ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz - See you when I wake up..........
Love and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday May 20th Is Over
This was a hard day for both of us. Marilyn is improving with her sore throat, cough and infection. For me it was a rough day trying to get over not sleeping last night and having to do without eating anything to allow my stomach to get back in to shape (if you know what I mean) but this was a double whammy. Something I ate kept my stomach in an uproar with indigestion plus! But with the help of some Ukrainian “Special Grass Tea” I have weathered the fight and look forward to tomorrow and being able to eat something again.
We had a service this evening at Word of Life. There is some false teaching going around here regarding the “law and grace” so I laid some scriptural foundation to combat the heresy In fact one pastor is teaching that God is bringing divorce to families so he can get the people together with the right people - He is “healing” families! All of this under the guise of “grace” plus other additions to make it palatable for the people to swallow – and many are!
To sum up this trip to this point – we have had victories through struggles, physical and spiritual. But God is good and it is a pleasure to see God at work in the lives of these people. During the worship tonight I broke with the thought, “God, why have you allowed me to have this impact on the lives of these sweet people.” I must say, it is humbling and as well carries a tremendous responsibility.
I must hit the sack – of course after checking the emails and sending those Marilyn is about to write.
Thanks for your prayers and God bless,
Dr D & Marilyn
We had a service this evening at Word of Life. There is some false teaching going around here regarding the “law and grace” so I laid some scriptural foundation to combat the heresy In fact one pastor is teaching that God is bringing divorce to families so he can get the people together with the right people - He is “healing” families! All of this under the guise of “grace” plus other additions to make it palatable for the people to swallow – and many are!
To sum up this trip to this point – we have had victories through struggles, physical and spiritual. But God is good and it is a pleasure to see God at work in the lives of these people. During the worship tonight I broke with the thought, “God, why have you allowed me to have this impact on the lives of these sweet people.” I must say, it is humbling and as well carries a tremendous responsibility.
I must hit the sack – of course after checking the emails and sending those Marilyn is about to write.
Thanks for your prayers and God bless,
Dr D & Marilyn
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A DAY OF STUDY PREPARATION AND LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS (Wednesday May 19TH)
Thanks to everyone for your prayers. I am not 100% - can’t seem to shake this cold but I am better. If laying on a bed would make me well, I would have been well several days ago.
This afternoon, Tanya, who was the main Assistant Pastor at the Church that had problems came to talk with me. I have kept in contact with her every time we have come to Chernivtsi. She really struggled after the problems and hadn’t gone to Church. I just kept encouraging her and talking about the God potential in her. At the time, she had a hard time seeing that God would use her again.
BUT, this time was different. She and her husband are attending Church and God has started giving her dreams about her future and her future ministry. Thank God, His gifts are resident in her to be used for Kingdom purposes. She thanked me over and over for speaking to her. She talked about specific times and places (that I don’t even remember) and though it seemed like she was rejecting what I was saying - the Holy Spirit was dealing with her.
Cell Group met here tonight and I’ll let Dave tell you about that but one of the lady’s who came is a massage therapist. She came in my room and massaged my hands, arms and face with a special cream (and it felt wonderful) praying all the time she was working. Here’s the kicker - when she left she gave special instructions for Oksana. She left fresh milk and told Oksana to warm it, put butter in it and some sugar. Dave didn’t want me to drink it because of the nasal situation and he thought it would make it worse but they believe it will really help. So, when in Ukraine do as the Ukrainians would do - and I drank a half a cup. It was delicious, we’ll see if it does anything to help me.
Cell group meetings are a vital part of the life of the Church in Ukraine. It is often their only other service besides either a service on Saturday or Sunday. It is a non-threatening place to invite people to whom the Church family has ministered. Tonight was no exception. When I entered the room, I noticed that those there were not the usual group. Since I stay in the home where this group meets, I have had the opportunity to speak every time I am here. I mean you are living here, so how can you say anything but “Yes.”
I had been planning on having the usual group but when I saw them I knew I had chosen the wrong teaching from the two I had wrestled with. I chose the one I had fully prepared in the afternoon instead of the one that wasn’t finished. Guess what? I had to use the “unfinished one.” And I am thankful I listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit and made the last minute switch, even though I had to use my computer to teach from.
At the conclusion of the teaching and a long discussion about the topic of God’s sanctification process with our soul the hostess said, “It is a tradition that everyone be prayed for.” So I did as was suggested. There was a young girl here and her sister requested that I pray first for her. She was to return to Italy tomorrow and was afraid of the flight and also needed prayer for a physical problem. As I prayed I began to realize that she was facing a big decision. So I stopped and began to speak to her about her decision. Tears began to flow down, both from her and the sister. You could see the visible move of God upon her. She said she had been attending a Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Italy but after attending this Church and been with these people she knew she had to find a Church like this.
Ministry to the others followed the same pattern as God spoke to each according to their situation. God knows how to speak through you to the hearts of the people even when you do not know the language of the fullness of their cultural backgrounds. It is fascinating to watch their faces as you speak directly to a situation. They know you do not know them and coming from someone with a different language through the interpreter still conveys the same anointing that came from you.
God is Great! Thanks for your prayers.
Dr D and Marilyn
This afternoon, Tanya, who was the main Assistant Pastor at the Church that had problems came to talk with me. I have kept in contact with her every time we have come to Chernivtsi. She really struggled after the problems and hadn’t gone to Church. I just kept encouraging her and talking about the God potential in her. At the time, she had a hard time seeing that God would use her again.
BUT, this time was different. She and her husband are attending Church and God has started giving her dreams about her future and her future ministry. Thank God, His gifts are resident in her to be used for Kingdom purposes. She thanked me over and over for speaking to her. She talked about specific times and places (that I don’t even remember) and though it seemed like she was rejecting what I was saying - the Holy Spirit was dealing with her.
Cell Group met here tonight and I’ll let Dave tell you about that but one of the lady’s who came is a massage therapist. She came in my room and massaged my hands, arms and face with a special cream (and it felt wonderful) praying all the time she was working. Here’s the kicker - when she left she gave special instructions for Oksana. She left fresh milk and told Oksana to warm it, put butter in it and some sugar. Dave didn’t want me to drink it because of the nasal situation and he thought it would make it worse but they believe it will really help. So, when in Ukraine do as the Ukrainians would do - and I drank a half a cup. It was delicious, we’ll see if it does anything to help me.
Cell group meetings are a vital part of the life of the Church in Ukraine. It is often their only other service besides either a service on Saturday or Sunday. It is a non-threatening place to invite people to whom the Church family has ministered. Tonight was no exception. When I entered the room, I noticed that those there were not the usual group. Since I stay in the home where this group meets, I have had the opportunity to speak every time I am here. I mean you are living here, so how can you say anything but “Yes.”
I had been planning on having the usual group but when I saw them I knew I had chosen the wrong teaching from the two I had wrestled with. I chose the one I had fully prepared in the afternoon instead of the one that wasn’t finished. Guess what? I had to use the “unfinished one.” And I am thankful I listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit and made the last minute switch, even though I had to use my computer to teach from.
At the conclusion of the teaching and a long discussion about the topic of God’s sanctification process with our soul the hostess said, “It is a tradition that everyone be prayed for.” So I did as was suggested. There was a young girl here and her sister requested that I pray first for her. She was to return to Italy tomorrow and was afraid of the flight and also needed prayer for a physical problem. As I prayed I began to realize that she was facing a big decision. So I stopped and began to speak to her about her decision. Tears began to flow down, both from her and the sister. You could see the visible move of God upon her. She said she had been attending a Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Italy but after attending this Church and been with these people she knew she had to find a Church like this.
Ministry to the others followed the same pattern as God spoke to each according to their situation. God knows how to speak through you to the hearts of the people even when you do not know the language of the fullness of their cultural backgrounds. It is fascinating to watch their faces as you speak directly to a situation. They know you do not know them and coming from someone with a different language through the interpreter still conveys the same anointing that came from you.
God is Great! Thanks for your prayers.
Dr D and Marilyn
Monday, May 17, 2010
DAY OF REST, RAIN; EVE OF UKRAINIAN PIZZA AND A MALL! (Monday May 17th)
How is that for a “Day of Rest”?” Well, I’d better begin with the service from Sunday evening since Marilyn could not go because of her cold and therefore did not and could not tell you about it.
Worship? Great! Preacher? Maybe we ought not to comment on him, sometimes he has it and sometimes he doesn’t. But “if” the response of the people and their intense looks have any meaning, then he probably did a decent job. Let us leave that in the hands of the final “Judge of All Things.” But his message was titled: “Dare To Believe And Confess.” It was a challenge to remember believing isn’t enough. We need also to “confess our faith” and then “trust” God though the circumstances do not appear to have changed or the future doesn’t seem any brighter.
The service was at Word of Life, pastored by Dima and Natasha Nemchenko. It is the result of a merger of two Churches from the tragedy of the past into one and then the voluntary submission of one pastor to the other and taking the position of assistant. Dima as a student of the Word and an evangelist at heart. So you can expect him to challenge the Church to become involved in a ministry to their city and to reach the lost.
We had approximately 70 (conservatively speaking – that opposite of “evangelistically speaking” – that should help some of you recognize my attempt at “honesty” with numbers.) Anyway we will be involved all week with this Church including: a meeting with the pastors, the leadership, a cell group, a special midweek service, and then again on Sunday evening. And lest the ladies jump on my back – there is a special “Ladies Day” activity on Friday – meaning: “NO MEN ALLOWED!”
Now a “day of rest” simply means “no services” but it does mean a full day of study and message development. And then it also meant an evening with a former interpreter and her husband. They took us out to supper, excuse me, “dinner” which consisted of a soup, a salad, and pizza. Then we went to see the newest mall in Chernivtsi. It is “SOMETHING ELSE!” You should see it! I was surprised! It had a car dealership, many many restaurants which surrounded the ice-skating rink, a pool hall with approximately 60 billiards tables, a bowling alley – state of the art to boot, clothing stores, a household store with everything you would want, and a large grocery store and then to boot – that means “in addition” in case you are not up on the vernacular of today – a drive in theater. What else you ask? I do not know but I am sure I missed something. Oh yes! A music store full of instruments and it was operated by the husband of one of our former interpreters - Vovo (not Volvo!) The interpreter was Nadya Torubalko since you asked.
We made it home by 10:00 and now we are – well Marilyn is waiting for me to finish this so she – I can see if she has any emails from anyone. Therefore, I must stop and send this to be posted and check for incoming emails.
A SIDE NOTE: IF you send or respond to an email, please start a new email and avoid just hitting reply which will send our original back with your response. We do not have WiFI nor an email hook up and so I must use my Ukrainian phone and ISP which is slow, troublesome. But keep them “emails” coming!
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
Worship? Great! Preacher? Maybe we ought not to comment on him, sometimes he has it and sometimes he doesn’t. But “if” the response of the people and their intense looks have any meaning, then he probably did a decent job. Let us leave that in the hands of the final “Judge of All Things.” But his message was titled: “Dare To Believe And Confess.” It was a challenge to remember believing isn’t enough. We need also to “confess our faith” and then “trust” God though the circumstances do not appear to have changed or the future doesn’t seem any brighter.
The service was at Word of Life, pastored by Dima and Natasha Nemchenko. It is the result of a merger of two Churches from the tragedy of the past into one and then the voluntary submission of one pastor to the other and taking the position of assistant. Dima as a student of the Word and an evangelist at heart. So you can expect him to challenge the Church to become involved in a ministry to their city and to reach the lost.
We had approximately 70 (conservatively speaking – that opposite of “evangelistically speaking” – that should help some of you recognize my attempt at “honesty” with numbers.) Anyway we will be involved all week with this Church including: a meeting with the pastors, the leadership, a cell group, a special midweek service, and then again on Sunday evening. And lest the ladies jump on my back – there is a special “Ladies Day” activity on Friday – meaning: “NO MEN ALLOWED!”
Now a “day of rest” simply means “no services” but it does mean a full day of study and message development. And then it also meant an evening with a former interpreter and her husband. They took us out to supper, excuse me, “dinner” which consisted of a soup, a salad, and pizza. Then we went to see the newest mall in Chernivtsi. It is “SOMETHING ELSE!” You should see it! I was surprised! It had a car dealership, many many restaurants which surrounded the ice-skating rink, a pool hall with approximately 60 billiards tables, a bowling alley – state of the art to boot, clothing stores, a household store with everything you would want, and a large grocery store and then to boot – that means “in addition” in case you are not up on the vernacular of today – a drive in theater. What else you ask? I do not know but I am sure I missed something. Oh yes! A music store full of instruments and it was operated by the husband of one of our former interpreters - Vovo (not Volvo!) The interpreter was Nadya Torubalko since you asked.
We made it home by 10:00 and now we are – well Marilyn is waiting for me to finish this so she – I can see if she has any emails from anyone. Therefore, I must stop and send this to be posted and check for incoming emails.
A SIDE NOTE: IF you send or respond to an email, please start a new email and avoid just hitting reply which will send our original back with your response. We do not have WiFI nor an email hook up and so I must use my Ukrainian phone and ISP which is slow, troublesome. But keep them “emails” coming!
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
Sunday, May 16, 2010
THE “TRIP” and THE “TRAIN” (Sunday, May 16th)
How can one adequately describe our 24 hour trip from Crimea to Chernivtsi??
Our trip to the Train Station was typical of a bad driver on curvy pot hole filled roads. I thought of Tammy and Peggy last year when they didn’t want to repeat one of our trips to a Village. He was going so fast around one curve, he careened into the shoulder. Thankfully, we made it with an hour and a half to spare and had to sit outside and wait on the train. We had outdoor facilities left over from the Soviet days.
There were eight of us - 3 men, 4 women and a child. We realized that we were in three different cars and 5 different “cabins” and ALL of us had upper berths. At one time, I might have been able to do the upper berth but I do have some limitations and knowing that it would be an up and down thing every time there was a need to go to the bathroom, I was a bit apprehensive.
There was a young lady and her daughter in Oksana’s and my cabin. She was not a bit friendly nor did she want to share any of the space under “her” beds. These cabins are not made for American travelers and at best, it is hard to get everything in. But when you don’t have the advantage of any under berth space it is impossible. We spent the time from when we got on until after the next stop trying to figure out what to do. The men were a little impatient with this young lady.
Finally Sveta came with news that she found a gentleman who would trade out his lower berth for my upper one in an entirely different car. We thought we had everything figured out but the women who is “stewardess” (more like a woman craving the position of authority) didn’t like it that we were changing things around although we though we had her convinced that everything was fine - when we got ready to go to bed, she insisted there had to be a child in our cabin. Everyone, shifted again and we were finally settled for bed.
They noticed the young lady who was in the cabin that I went to had a “God is Love” key chain. After a while they ask her about it. She goes to a Church that David has preached in numerous times and she had even read David’s book. She is 37 and had taken her 11 year old son, Igor, to a Sanatorium in Crimea as he has numerous health issues. (Please be praying for him.) Her son was worried about who might be in her cabin and he had prayed that there would not be a lot of men. She said, we were an answer to his prayers. Although she was quite shy, we had the opportunity to pray with her and she let all of us crowd into this cabin to eat our lunch and dinner which was a real blessing.
We arrived at eight this morning to pouring rain. I was the only one with an umbrella so the upper part of me stayed dry while all the rest were soaking wet as well as the suitcases. We had a nearly 3 hour drive to Chernivtsi with one stop for breakfast.
Although there is Church tonight and David is preaching, I am staying home as I got a cold on Friday and believe it is wise for me to rest tonight.
Continue to pray for our health and safety and for continued divine appointments - those we might have planned and those that the Holy Spirit orchestrates. This brings you up to date.
Marilyn
Our trip to the Train Station was typical of a bad driver on curvy pot hole filled roads. I thought of Tammy and Peggy last year when they didn’t want to repeat one of our trips to a Village. He was going so fast around one curve, he careened into the shoulder. Thankfully, we made it with an hour and a half to spare and had to sit outside and wait on the train. We had outdoor facilities left over from the Soviet days.
There were eight of us - 3 men, 4 women and a child. We realized that we were in three different cars and 5 different “cabins” and ALL of us had upper berths. At one time, I might have been able to do the upper berth but I do have some limitations and knowing that it would be an up and down thing every time there was a need to go to the bathroom, I was a bit apprehensive.
There was a young lady and her daughter in Oksana’s and my cabin. She was not a bit friendly nor did she want to share any of the space under “her” beds. These cabins are not made for American travelers and at best, it is hard to get everything in. But when you don’t have the advantage of any under berth space it is impossible. We spent the time from when we got on until after the next stop trying to figure out what to do. The men were a little impatient with this young lady.
Finally Sveta came with news that she found a gentleman who would trade out his lower berth for my upper one in an entirely different car. We thought we had everything figured out but the women who is “stewardess” (more like a woman craving the position of authority) didn’t like it that we were changing things around although we though we had her convinced that everything was fine - when we got ready to go to bed, she insisted there had to be a child in our cabin. Everyone, shifted again and we were finally settled for bed.
They noticed the young lady who was in the cabin that I went to had a “God is Love” key chain. After a while they ask her about it. She goes to a Church that David has preached in numerous times and she had even read David’s book. She is 37 and had taken her 11 year old son, Igor, to a Sanatorium in Crimea as he has numerous health issues. (Please be praying for him.) Her son was worried about who might be in her cabin and he had prayed that there would not be a lot of men. She said, we were an answer to his prayers. Although she was quite shy, we had the opportunity to pray with her and she let all of us crowd into this cabin to eat our lunch and dinner which was a real blessing.
We arrived at eight this morning to pouring rain. I was the only one with an umbrella so the upper part of me stayed dry while all the rest were soaking wet as well as the suitcases. We had a nearly 3 hour drive to Chernivtsi with one stop for breakfast.
Although there is Church tonight and David is preaching, I am staying home as I got a cold on Friday and believe it is wise for me to rest tonight.
Continue to pray for our health and safety and for continued divine appointments - those we might have planned and those that the Holy Spirit orchestrates. This brings you up to date.
Marilyn
Friday, May 14, 2010
A DAY OF GOOD REST (Friday, May 14)
Today was our last day to have a little rest and to get our laundry done. No dryer to dry our clothes so we borrowed a fold out drying rack and put it on our balcony. Started with the jeans wrong side out, turned them over, turned them right side out, turned them over – you get the picture, there is a little work involved. But all of our clothes are clean – woo hoo!! It’s the little things that count in life.
Ate typical Ukranian food today. Actually, at lunch it was something I enjoy. Veraniky - potato stuffed dumplings.
After supper our host took us up the coast and the view of the Black Sea was awesome and changing. It isn’t far but there are NO sandy beaches but cliffs. It is very beautiful. We all had jackets on and by the time we left, I was getting cold. But, brave soul that our host was, he stripped down to his underwear and jumped in. I cannot imagine how cold the water was and no sun to help warm him up and dry him off. Yesterday, with the sun out, only a couple of our friends braved the cold water. It was a delightful trip to view the beautiful Black Sea with vibrant blue and green water.
On the way back someone wanted to sing and everyone, men, women and children, joined in. It was beautiful. I only knew one of the songs but voices raised in praise to our God is a delightful way to wrap up the evening.
Tomorrow we catch the train for a 20 hour train ride and then a 2 ½ hour ride to our destination. Not looking forward to this trip as they couldn’t buy the beds for the entire compartment and we will be sharing with some unknown passenger. They do it here all the time but this is the first time I have had this “pleasure.”
You won’t be hearing anything from us until Sunday night.
Marilyn
Ate typical Ukranian food today. Actually, at lunch it was something I enjoy. Veraniky - potato stuffed dumplings.
After supper our host took us up the coast and the view of the Black Sea was awesome and changing. It isn’t far but there are NO sandy beaches but cliffs. It is very beautiful. We all had jackets on and by the time we left, I was getting cold. But, brave soul that our host was, he stripped down to his underwear and jumped in. I cannot imagine how cold the water was and no sun to help warm him up and dry him off. Yesterday, with the sun out, only a couple of our friends braved the cold water. It was a delightful trip to view the beautiful Black Sea with vibrant blue and green water.
On the way back someone wanted to sing and everyone, men, women and children, joined in. It was beautiful. I only knew one of the songs but voices raised in praise to our God is a delightful way to wrap up the evening.
Tomorrow we catch the train for a 20 hour train ride and then a 2 ½ hour ride to our destination. Not looking forward to this trip as they couldn’t buy the beds for the entire compartment and we will be sharing with some unknown passenger. They do it here all the time but this is the first time I have had this “pleasure.”
You won’t be hearing anything from us until Sunday night.
Marilyn
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Day After (Thursday, May 13)
This morning was a morning for “good byes.” There was so much appreciation expressed and the words, “this was just what I needed.” Truly, for many, the opportunity to sleep late and relax was very valuable to them - as well as the times we shared the Word and fellowship.
I had one Pastor’s wife ask to speak with me this morning. She is 40 years old, her oldest son is getting married next summer and while she was here and not feeling well she found out she is pregnant. Quite a surprise for them. They have four children and the youngest is eight. She is very actively involved in their ministry and preaches in their services when her husband visits one of their seven daughter churches. She realizes her life is going to make a big change. Oksana and I rejoiced with her and prayed for her.
Another couple ask to speak with us and the Pastor had told Oksana he had a “strange” request. During the time he was expressing his appreciation he told us that several times he had a “strange” request before he finally telling us what it was. He asked David to hug him as a father. It is impossible to predict what the needs of people might be and the close fellowship we shared during this time gave him the security to make this request.
Yesterday’s meeting with the ladies was a great time of sharing. I shared three things - 1. that often times God wants our obedience without us knowing what the finished “product” might look like. 2. That comparisons are deadly and keep us from realizes our “God potential.” 3. The power of our words - but more importantly our thought life because that is where the spoken word originates. Those thoughts opened up a stream of communication that took us several unrelated but valuable directions. Ladies everywhere LOVE to communicate. I had brought them each a gift and that was very meaningful to them.
Today was a day of relaxation. This morning we met with a Pastor and wife who have a large Church here in Ukraine but have also started a Church among Russian speaking people in Korea. They have affiliated with Dr. Cho’s church and he laid hands on them for this ministry. Korea is an extremely evangelized and moral nation. In the City of Seoul there is no alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or open pornography. They are very health conscious and live long lives as 100+ years. They NEVER expose themselves to the sun and eat very healthy.
Dr. Cho’s Church and daughter Churches number 300,000. From this congregation came the Korean lady astronaut who went into space with the Americans. They have 20 people who are members of parliament. The president of the Country is a Baptist and the Baptist are as strong as the Full Gospel Church. He showed us pictures from the 50th anniversary of Dr. Cho’s Church. It was ALL very interesting.
This afternoon we walked down to the Black Sea. It is so beautiful. We sat in the Sun for maybe a half hour and left our friends to come back to our room. We had seen the Black Sea in another area of Crimea and it is entirely different. This place has a sandy beach - the other place, the beach is rocky and it is in a mountainous region.
We had a little time to get the sand off of us before supper. Ah yes, supper. Ukranian food is as I remembered it although this time we have been served something we have never had before. Oatmeal as a side dish for dinner with veggies and creamy sauce over it. INTERESTING!!! Although it might be interesting to try different food - all these special dishes make us long for something, anything, from home. Oh yes, our friends from Korea gave us four packages of seaweed. And, yes, we’re going to use it (at least once).
After supper we spent several hour talking to the owners, the Pastor and his wife from Chernivtsi and Oksana and her husband. Spent time talking about the highlights of these few days and what we might have done to make the interchange of ideas come easier. We all agreed that if people return another time it would be different as they would already know some of the people and feel more comfortable.
We are spending another day here before heading to Chernivtsi. Thank you all for praying.
Marilyn
I had one Pastor’s wife ask to speak with me this morning. She is 40 years old, her oldest son is getting married next summer and while she was here and not feeling well she found out she is pregnant. Quite a surprise for them. They have four children and the youngest is eight. She is very actively involved in their ministry and preaches in their services when her husband visits one of their seven daughter churches. She realizes her life is going to make a big change. Oksana and I rejoiced with her and prayed for her.
Another couple ask to speak with us and the Pastor had told Oksana he had a “strange” request. During the time he was expressing his appreciation he told us that several times he had a “strange” request before he finally telling us what it was. He asked David to hug him as a father. It is impossible to predict what the needs of people might be and the close fellowship we shared during this time gave him the security to make this request.
Yesterday’s meeting with the ladies was a great time of sharing. I shared three things - 1. that often times God wants our obedience without us knowing what the finished “product” might look like. 2. That comparisons are deadly and keep us from realizes our “God potential.” 3. The power of our words - but more importantly our thought life because that is where the spoken word originates. Those thoughts opened up a stream of communication that took us several unrelated but valuable directions. Ladies everywhere LOVE to communicate. I had brought them each a gift and that was very meaningful to them.
Today was a day of relaxation. This morning we met with a Pastor and wife who have a large Church here in Ukraine but have also started a Church among Russian speaking people in Korea. They have affiliated with Dr. Cho’s church and he laid hands on them for this ministry. Korea is an extremely evangelized and moral nation. In the City of Seoul there is no alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or open pornography. They are very health conscious and live long lives as 100+ years. They NEVER expose themselves to the sun and eat very healthy.
Dr. Cho’s Church and daughter Churches number 300,000. From this congregation came the Korean lady astronaut who went into space with the Americans. They have 20 people who are members of parliament. The president of the Country is a Baptist and the Baptist are as strong as the Full Gospel Church. He showed us pictures from the 50th anniversary of Dr. Cho’s Church. It was ALL very interesting.
This afternoon we walked down to the Black Sea. It is so beautiful. We sat in the Sun for maybe a half hour and left our friends to come back to our room. We had seen the Black Sea in another area of Crimea and it is entirely different. This place has a sandy beach - the other place, the beach is rocky and it is in a mountainous region.
We had a little time to get the sand off of us before supper. Ah yes, supper. Ukranian food is as I remembered it although this time we have been served something we have never had before. Oatmeal as a side dish for dinner with veggies and creamy sauce over it. INTERESTING!!! Although it might be interesting to try different food - all these special dishes make us long for something, anything, from home. Oh yes, our friends from Korea gave us four packages of seaweed. And, yes, we’re going to use it (at least once).
After supper we spent several hour talking to the owners, the Pastor and his wife from Chernivtsi and Oksana and her husband. Spent time talking about the highlights of these few days and what we might have done to make the interchange of ideas come easier. We all agreed that if people return another time it would be different as they would already know some of the people and feel more comfortable.
We are spending another day here before heading to Chernivtsi. Thank you all for praying.
Marilyn
The First Idea Exchange Comes To A Close (Wednesday, May 12)
It was a “new concept” to the Ukrainian Pastors. I had spoken to several over the past two years and asked them what they thought about having an “Idea Exchange.” I tried to tell them what it was all about. I told them it was not geared around sessions that would give them new programs, nor around preaching sessions, but around the pastor himself/herself.
Yet it was a struggle to get through this first Ukrainian Idea Exchange. Was it a success? Yes! Allow me to bring you up-to-date on the events. I said very little in blog #2 about what was happening.
Pastors are often closed and protective and isolationists. They have met so much opposition and struggles with their people and often from other pastors that they approach many things with fear and self-protective measures in place. They often wear “masks” to cover up what is really going on. They have had to walk before their people and present a “front” that is almost “false” because it is “expected” of them.” They must be “perfect!” They “represent” God and therefore they must be as God – without faults, and without change.
The truth of the matter is far from that perspective and it is a “killer” in the lives of pastors. Add to that pastors who are almost the front line – first generation – in a country without many “spiritual fathers.” This dynamic along with the cultural, religious and political pressures creates men who love God but walk alone, afraid to relationships.
This was the goal of this Idea Exchange – to break down the walls and introduce those who attended to the concept of relationships. We approached it by presenting the prayer of Jesus in John 17:20-26 – in which Jesus prayed for His people to walk in unity as “one” for their maturity.
The closest and most necessary relationship is of course with God. So we asked them in the first morning session this question: “What is God saying to you? To your Church? To the Church of Ukraine? And to your nation?
It was like pulling teeth to get responses and then to keep them on track. The tendency was to get onto their “work,” their “ministry” rather than to what they were hearing God speak to them personally. By the end of the session I was able to point out to them the theme of the morning – from their words to the rest – all focused around their personal relationship with God.
Tuesday evening, we gave them opportunity to share and then addressed them with a devotional: The Pastor/Preacher as Counselor who gives people a reason to live. As we walked to our room Marilyn and I wondered if anything was happening. We had also opened our afternoon for personal counseling, questions and whatever – but we had no takers. It was hard to read them, though our interpreter, Oksana tried to convince us that she knew everything was making an impact and their response was typically Ukrainian.
Them comes today! We separated the women and men so we could address issues specific to each. By the time I finished at 11:30 I could tell an impact was moving and their defenses were beginning to fall. Immediately upon finishing, the interpreter, a pastor, along with another pastor who did not speak English approached me and requested a meeting immediately in a secure place where no others would be around.
As we walked to the room, I went over what God had directed me to talk about after we spent more time requesting those who had not shared what God was saying to them. I challenged them to guard them selves against the three major pitfalls for pastors: Improper use of their time; greed (money); and women - sexual issues. So I knew I was in for a heavy session as we continued our way to his room.
He needed to someone with whom he could “confess a moral, spiritual failure” as the Word declares, “confess you faults to one-another that ye may be healed.” He had already been confronted by God and had repented but needed to share it so he could be held accountable and also by that confession be “healed” and set free. Needless to say, he did, we prayed and God did!
I’ll let Marilyn share about her experience with the ladies but we – in case you forget – we is “two” – met with a couple who had been presented with a request to pastor a Church and they needed advice on how to approach it and how to determine the will of God and also what they needed to do to come to a “unified response.”
The final session, began with prayer and then spontaneous worship, then a word of knowledge regarding a child of one who was critical at this moment. Sure enough one pastor had just received a phone all and was told his daughter had a very high temperature and the wife/mother did not know what was wrong with her. That was just the beginning and ministry flowed for the next hour.
I concluded the evening with a shortened message to challenge the pastors to be a “confronter” of sin in a generation when it isn’t popular to be a “confronter.” As the evening concluded and they began to move to other areas for fellowship, drink, etc. one pastor whom I had never met but was invited by a friend I do know said to me, “Thanks for the time here. I needed the fellowship. I have never been to a meeting where this kind of fellowship was available.”
Another pastor, a close friend, but one whom I wondered what his thoughts were came up to me. I had not been able to read him and he even missed the morning session. His words were, “This is what we Ukranian pastors need. When are you going to hold another one of these meetings?”
And so we wrapped up the evening watching fellowship take place, relationships being built, personal information being exchanged, hugs of appreciation being given to one-another. I left Marilyn sitting with a large table surrounded by ladies and passing the Sauna and the Billiards room I discovered both were being occupied by the men and relationships growing.
I sit here at the computer and without any personal “back-slapping” but with brokenness of spirit I can hardly keep from weeping. Thank you Father for Jesus and His prayer for us. It is happening! Pastors can become supporters of one-another across union/denominational barriers, even though they are miles apart.
Yes! It is worth it!
Thanks, Life Church – you invested in untold thousands of life as Jesus tarries.
Thank you owners of Equator – may God return your investment into the pastors of your country multiple times over and over!
With love and appreciation,
Dr D and Marilyn
Yet it was a struggle to get through this first Ukrainian Idea Exchange. Was it a success? Yes! Allow me to bring you up-to-date on the events. I said very little in blog #2 about what was happening.
Pastors are often closed and protective and isolationists. They have met so much opposition and struggles with their people and often from other pastors that they approach many things with fear and self-protective measures in place. They often wear “masks” to cover up what is really going on. They have had to walk before their people and present a “front” that is almost “false” because it is “expected” of them.” They must be “perfect!” They “represent” God and therefore they must be as God – without faults, and without change.
The truth of the matter is far from that perspective and it is a “killer” in the lives of pastors. Add to that pastors who are almost the front line – first generation – in a country without many “spiritual fathers.” This dynamic along with the cultural, religious and political pressures creates men who love God but walk alone, afraid to relationships.
This was the goal of this Idea Exchange – to break down the walls and introduce those who attended to the concept of relationships. We approached it by presenting the prayer of Jesus in John 17:20-26 – in which Jesus prayed for His people to walk in unity as “one” for their maturity.
The closest and most necessary relationship is of course with God. So we asked them in the first morning session this question: “What is God saying to you? To your Church? To the Church of Ukraine? And to your nation?
It was like pulling teeth to get responses and then to keep them on track. The tendency was to get onto their “work,” their “ministry” rather than to what they were hearing God speak to them personally. By the end of the session I was able to point out to them the theme of the morning – from their words to the rest – all focused around their personal relationship with God.
Tuesday evening, we gave them opportunity to share and then addressed them with a devotional: The Pastor/Preacher as Counselor who gives people a reason to live. As we walked to our room Marilyn and I wondered if anything was happening. We had also opened our afternoon for personal counseling, questions and whatever – but we had no takers. It was hard to read them, though our interpreter, Oksana tried to convince us that she knew everything was making an impact and their response was typically Ukrainian.
Them comes today! We separated the women and men so we could address issues specific to each. By the time I finished at 11:30 I could tell an impact was moving and their defenses were beginning to fall. Immediately upon finishing, the interpreter, a pastor, along with another pastor who did not speak English approached me and requested a meeting immediately in a secure place where no others would be around.
As we walked to the room, I went over what God had directed me to talk about after we spent more time requesting those who had not shared what God was saying to them. I challenged them to guard them selves against the three major pitfalls for pastors: Improper use of their time; greed (money); and women - sexual issues. So I knew I was in for a heavy session as we continued our way to his room.
He needed to someone with whom he could “confess a moral, spiritual failure” as the Word declares, “confess you faults to one-another that ye may be healed.” He had already been confronted by God and had repented but needed to share it so he could be held accountable and also by that confession be “healed” and set free. Needless to say, he did, we prayed and God did!
I’ll let Marilyn share about her experience with the ladies but we – in case you forget – we is “two” – met with a couple who had been presented with a request to pastor a Church and they needed advice on how to approach it and how to determine the will of God and also what they needed to do to come to a “unified response.”
The final session, began with prayer and then spontaneous worship, then a word of knowledge regarding a child of one who was critical at this moment. Sure enough one pastor had just received a phone all and was told his daughter had a very high temperature and the wife/mother did not know what was wrong with her. That was just the beginning and ministry flowed for the next hour.
I concluded the evening with a shortened message to challenge the pastors to be a “confronter” of sin in a generation when it isn’t popular to be a “confronter.” As the evening concluded and they began to move to other areas for fellowship, drink, etc. one pastor whom I had never met but was invited by a friend I do know said to me, “Thanks for the time here. I needed the fellowship. I have never been to a meeting where this kind of fellowship was available.”
Another pastor, a close friend, but one whom I wondered what his thoughts were came up to me. I had not been able to read him and he even missed the morning session. His words were, “This is what we Ukranian pastors need. When are you going to hold another one of these meetings?”
And so we wrapped up the evening watching fellowship take place, relationships being built, personal information being exchanged, hugs of appreciation being given to one-another. I left Marilyn sitting with a large table surrounded by ladies and passing the Sauna and the Billiards room I discovered both were being occupied by the men and relationships growing.
I sit here at the computer and without any personal “back-slapping” but with brokenness of spirit I can hardly keep from weeping. Thank you Father for Jesus and His prayer for us. It is happening! Pastors can become supporters of one-another across union/denominational barriers, even though they are miles apart.
Yes! It is worth it!
Thanks, Life Church – you invested in untold thousands of life as Jesus tarries.
Thank you owners of Equator – may God return your investment into the pastors of your country multiple times over and over!
With love and appreciation,
Dr D and Marilyn
DAY ONE OF THE IDEA EXCHANGE (Monday, May 10th)
Our home for the next five days is on the western coast of Crimea as we host the Ukraine Idea Exchange. I am not sure of the total attendance as the figures have not reached me yet and some came that we didn't expect and some we expected have not been able to come and some arrived after the first session tonight. But it is safe to say we have crossed over the 30 mark and are headed for 40.
We are pleased with the attendance and I can say with the reception displayed during and after the session this evening. I just do not know what to say to express what I sense and I am not sure I know what to expect. All I know is when I was here last year the wife of one of the owners began to tell me about a dream she had of pastors in a meeting here being led by Marilyn and I. So I stopped her before she could complete her dream and completed it for her. The bottom line is: The owners wanted to sow into the lives of the pastors of Ukraine and invited us to host the Idea Exchange here at no room cost to the pastors. Their only expense was to get here and then to pay for the actual cost of purchasing the food for their meals. There was no additional cost placed on the preparation, serving or clean-up. So for 50 Hryvana -- about $6.50 per person per day for their food. That is what I call SOWING! And there are pastors from Kiev in the north, Lugansk in the east, Chernivtsi in the west and Alusta in the south.
We arrived here about 11:30 this morning from Simferopol. Sadly the wife of our host in Simferopol, Lena Barilo suddenly and without any warning had what seems to be a kidney stone attack and had to return immediately to Simferopol - a two-and-one-half hour drive to be attended to. And the interpreter I was counting on to interpret for me, Vadim Urumyagov missed his plane in Kiev. I need Oksana to interpret for Marilyn. But we have to make some minor changes and thank God another pastor arrived who can interpret for me when we have split sessions. Just some minor shifts!
That is the way it is. The unexpected seems to always show up in some way. Thank God for having it all worked out before it became a reality for us on this one!
Tomorrow our schedule begins at 8:30, the first session from 10-11, the second from 11:30-12:30, then lunch at 1:30 with the afternoon for those attending except for those who would like to have a private session with Marilyn or me. Then it is dinner at 6:00 and the evening session from 7-9 or 9:30. Wednesday it is repeated and we wrap it up Wednesday evening with those attending headed home on Thursday morning.
So now it is time to see what direction we go tomorrow. This isn't a typical seminar. It is a time for the pastors to share what God is saying to them; what He is saying to the Church and the Nation of Ukraine. We will also be open to discuss any issues confronting the pastors. The bottom line is: This is for pastors with pastors as the key people focusing on the establishment of relationships.
The prayer of Jesus for the Church found in John 17:20-26 is the focal point of the entire Idea Exchange. It is not a "do it this way" gathering.
Anyway, that should give you an Idea of the Idea Exchange!
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
We are pleased with the attendance and I can say with the reception displayed during and after the session this evening. I just do not know what to say to express what I sense and I am not sure I know what to expect. All I know is when I was here last year the wife of one of the owners began to tell me about a dream she had of pastors in a meeting here being led by Marilyn and I. So I stopped her before she could complete her dream and completed it for her. The bottom line is: The owners wanted to sow into the lives of the pastors of Ukraine and invited us to host the Idea Exchange here at no room cost to the pastors. Their only expense was to get here and then to pay for the actual cost of purchasing the food for their meals. There was no additional cost placed on the preparation, serving or clean-up. So for 50 Hryvana -- about $6.50 per person per day for their food. That is what I call SOWING! And there are pastors from Kiev in the north, Lugansk in the east, Chernivtsi in the west and Alusta in the south.
We arrived here about 11:30 this morning from Simferopol. Sadly the wife of our host in Simferopol, Lena Barilo suddenly and without any warning had what seems to be a kidney stone attack and had to return immediately to Simferopol - a two-and-one-half hour drive to be attended to. And the interpreter I was counting on to interpret for me, Vadim Urumyagov missed his plane in Kiev. I need Oksana to interpret for Marilyn. But we have to make some minor changes and thank God another pastor arrived who can interpret for me when we have split sessions. Just some minor shifts!
That is the way it is. The unexpected seems to always show up in some way. Thank God for having it all worked out before it became a reality for us on this one!
Tomorrow our schedule begins at 8:30, the first session from 10-11, the second from 11:30-12:30, then lunch at 1:30 with the afternoon for those attending except for those who would like to have a private session with Marilyn or me. Then it is dinner at 6:00 and the evening session from 7-9 or 9:30. Wednesday it is repeated and we wrap it up Wednesday evening with those attending headed home on Thursday morning.
So now it is time to see what direction we go tomorrow. This isn't a typical seminar. It is a time for the pastors to share what God is saying to them; what He is saying to the Church and the Nation of Ukraine. We will also be open to discuss any issues confronting the pastors. The bottom line is: This is for pastors with pastors as the key people focusing on the establishment of relationships.
The prayer of Jesus for the Church found in John 17:20-26 is the focal point of the entire Idea Exchange. It is not a "do it this way" gathering.
Anyway, that should give you an Idea of the Idea Exchange!
Thanks for your prayers,
Dr D and Marilyn
Sunday, May 9, 2010
WE ARE NOW IN UKRAINE - SIMFEROPOL, CRIMEA THAT IS!
Saturday:
It was a long and hard trip. Maybe 10 minutes before we were going to take off the Captain came on and said they were having to reroute us because of the volcano. It would be 5 minutes to 2 hours before we left. It was an hour and a half. So, what was to be a 10 hour flight made us be on the plane for nearly 13 hours.
The flight wasn't bad although it is getting more and more difficult for me to "sleep" on the plane. We arrived 1 1/2 hours late and it took nearly an hour to get through customs. We had hoped to get a nice meal somewhere but there wasn't time. We went to McD's and I couldn't finish what I got. My stomach is still not back to normal.
We had a LOOOONG train ride. it was 17 hours. I slept - but fitfully. It was nice to be able to stretch out and not be cramped on a seat. BUT, these seats are like benches and you unroll a lumpy, old mattress to sleep on. (They do give you clean sheets.) This was the oldest and worst train I have ridden on. Probably from the 50's with the dirt accumulation to go along with it.
We were met at the train by our hosts. They have lived on this property for 3 years. They built the house with their own hands. It is five stories (including the cellar). They were city people but have learned to "farm" to be self-sustaining. They have milk cows which brought back memories of the farm. Milk with cream on it. They have pigs, geese, chickens - she makes cottage cheese, sour cream (which really is more like butter) and her own mayo. They have fruit trees and a "green" house and grow veggies. It is an interesting place and they have lots of interesting stories. We have known them for 6-7 years.
They have two children at home (late teens) who love and serve the Lord. As well - they help with ALL the household/farm chores. The daughter actually taught her mother how to milk a cow.
We slept most of the day. Unpacked and rearranged our suitcases. Slept until lunch. After lunch Dave showered and we both went to sleep and slept until dinner. Hopefully - we will sleep tonight. Have to leave for Church at 8:30 so have to be up and around.
Sunday:
We slept fitfully last night. I could not find a place to lay that I could get comfortable. Before five it was getting light so I got up, made myself some tea and oatmeal I had brought from home. The food, though not bad, just isn't appetizing and I don't think I am over whatever it is that I had in Peru. I dread meal time. :-) That isn't all bad except I need to eat what is prepared for me. We brought some nuts with us but unlike when we first came didn't bring a lot of things to snack on.
They had a big change in the government this past year similar to the change we had in ours. Four years ago they were encouraged by the change but people were disillusioned and decided their former form of government was better. The area we are in has always had a strong leaning to communism. Since the new president, the communists have connected with the "new party" and many of the old communistic practices have been reinstated. Obligatory participation by workers at parades of the old style and the such. They are re-erecting statues of Stalin. It is a time of great concern. Undoubtedly this will have some kind of effect on the Church.
The preaching was good this morning but something just isn't right in this Church. The Pastor is losing his hearing (very severe problem) and we have noticed his inability to connect in a conversation. I know he didn't hear ANY of the preaching this morning - very difficult situation. This past year they had a member of long standing leave the Church and demanded his tithe and offerings be returned to him. For whatever reason, they made the decision to return a large portion of it. They were involved with Franklin Graham's Samaritan Purse and had a strong outreach to homeless children. They no longer have that, in part because our economy hinders them receiving funds but there were other reasons as well. They are being investigated by the government for mismanagement of the funds (taking money for themselves) – all because the person in charge did not fill out some documents correctly. Nothing has been solved or resolved but it is hanging over their heads. The trial of their faith.
On a lighter note - they have incubators and presently have geese and chicken eggs in them. The chicken eggs take 20 days and the geese eggs take a month. The eggs have to be turned morning and evening. Their teenage children are very involved with helping them and it is the young man's responsibility to turn the eggs. The children do the chores at night the parents in the morning. But this week, the parents will be gone so the children will do it all. They have quite a little compound here, probably less then a 1/2 acre. They have 4 pigs and 12-14 piglets, chickens, geese, ducks, two milk cows (that pasture during the day outside their property) and two baby calves.
Marilyn
It was a long and hard trip. Maybe 10 minutes before we were going to take off the Captain came on and said they were having to reroute us because of the volcano. It would be 5 minutes to 2 hours before we left. It was an hour and a half. So, what was to be a 10 hour flight made us be on the plane for nearly 13 hours.
The flight wasn't bad although it is getting more and more difficult for me to "sleep" on the plane. We arrived 1 1/2 hours late and it took nearly an hour to get through customs. We had hoped to get a nice meal somewhere but there wasn't time. We went to McD's and I couldn't finish what I got. My stomach is still not back to normal.
We had a LOOOONG train ride. it was 17 hours. I slept - but fitfully. It was nice to be able to stretch out and not be cramped on a seat. BUT, these seats are like benches and you unroll a lumpy, old mattress to sleep on. (They do give you clean sheets.) This was the oldest and worst train I have ridden on. Probably from the 50's with the dirt accumulation to go along with it.
We were met at the train by our hosts. They have lived on this property for 3 years. They built the house with their own hands. It is five stories (including the cellar). They were city people but have learned to "farm" to be self-sustaining. They have milk cows which brought back memories of the farm. Milk with cream on it. They have pigs, geese, chickens - she makes cottage cheese, sour cream (which really is more like butter) and her own mayo. They have fruit trees and a "green" house and grow veggies. It is an interesting place and they have lots of interesting stories. We have known them for 6-7 years.
They have two children at home (late teens) who love and serve the Lord. As well - they help with ALL the household/farm chores. The daughter actually taught her mother how to milk a cow.
We slept most of the day. Unpacked and rearranged our suitcases. Slept until lunch. After lunch Dave showered and we both went to sleep and slept until dinner. Hopefully - we will sleep tonight. Have to leave for Church at 8:30 so have to be up and around.
Sunday:
We slept fitfully last night. I could not find a place to lay that I could get comfortable. Before five it was getting light so I got up, made myself some tea and oatmeal I had brought from home. The food, though not bad, just isn't appetizing and I don't think I am over whatever it is that I had in Peru. I dread meal time. :-) That isn't all bad except I need to eat what is prepared for me. We brought some nuts with us but unlike when we first came didn't bring a lot of things to snack on.
They had a big change in the government this past year similar to the change we had in ours. Four years ago they were encouraged by the change but people were disillusioned and decided their former form of government was better. The area we are in has always had a strong leaning to communism. Since the new president, the communists have connected with the "new party" and many of the old communistic practices have been reinstated. Obligatory participation by workers at parades of the old style and the such. They are re-erecting statues of Stalin. It is a time of great concern. Undoubtedly this will have some kind of effect on the Church.
The preaching was good this morning but something just isn't right in this Church. The Pastor is losing his hearing (very severe problem) and we have noticed his inability to connect in a conversation. I know he didn't hear ANY of the preaching this morning - very difficult situation. This past year they had a member of long standing leave the Church and demanded his tithe and offerings be returned to him. For whatever reason, they made the decision to return a large portion of it. They were involved with Franklin Graham's Samaritan Purse and had a strong outreach to homeless children. They no longer have that, in part because our economy hinders them receiving funds but there were other reasons as well. They are being investigated by the government for mismanagement of the funds (taking money for themselves) – all because the person in charge did not fill out some documents correctly. Nothing has been solved or resolved but it is hanging over their heads. The trial of their faith.
On a lighter note - they have incubators and presently have geese and chicken eggs in them. The chicken eggs take 20 days and the geese eggs take a month. The eggs have to be turned morning and evening. Their teenage children are very involved with helping them and it is the young man's responsibility to turn the eggs. The children do the chores at night the parents in the morning. But this week, the parents will be gone so the children will do it all. They have quite a little compound here, probably less then a 1/2 acre. They have 4 pigs and 12-14 piglets, chickens, geese, ducks, two milk cows (that pasture during the day outside their property) and two baby calves.
Marilyn
Monday, May 3, 2010
Saturday May 1 & Sunday May 2
Saturday, May 1st:
Hi everyone! Well our day was very impacting to say the least. We went to the woman’s orphanage where the oldest was 18 and the youngest was 13. All these girls had a children and were getting the help of these nuns. We had some people from Marco’s church come with us so all together there was about 19 of us that went to go and share something with the girls. There were 2 icebreakers, a skit, Dylon shared his testimony, Katie shared an encouraging word and danced. Dylon finished it off with the salvation message that we all put together and we gave them all the bracelets. After all of that we presented them with a small gift for them and their children. They were a quiet group through the whole presentation but at the end the sister of the orphanage asked if anyone had something to share with us, something that God had put on their heart about our visit. One girl came up and shared with us how although what we had talked about was something that she already knew it was good to have that reminder. How there are many times when they feel lonely or as if there is no hope but having us there just gave them some kind of hope back. She was very touched by what we had all shared.
Hello blog followers, it’s Katie. I’m going to wrap up the end of the day with what Mrs. Marilyn says is my “two sense”. So the girl’s name that shared at the orphanage was Gladis, she was only 17, and had a daughter who was 2yrs old. After our program Rosita and I stayed after talking with her, tears began to roll down her face as she began to talk to us and pour her heart out. I can’t express in words all that she had to say, except that she was mature beyond her years and has experienced God yet struggles in her present circumstance( being a Christian and a 17yr old mother living in a Convent, with no family to support her and her daughter of only 2yrs old). I was so glad to be able to encourage her with the Word and love on her and tell her God still does have a purpose for her life no matter what she may be dealing with at such a young age. She expressed such appreciation to all we had to say, Rosita and I both feel as though she is our sister, and told her we will keep her in prayer. Around 6:30 we headed back to the house, Rosita, Johvanna and I took a taxi to go pick up Papa John’s pizza for everyone and around 8pm David Hodges took us to the water park. This place was amazing, definitely not your typical Floridian water park. Although it was cold outside we couldn’t help but get in the water. Beautiful dancing fountains everywhere, music and a laser show was all included for just 4 soles. David is so much fun to be around, he’s a big kid inside. Before we headed home we just had to make a stop at Starbux.
Sunday, May 2nd:
We woke up about 9am and left at about 10am. We headed to Pastor Gustavo’s church where Dr. D preached. We attended worship and after that we were dismissed to go with the youth. Once we were settled we began by singing a song with them that we have learned since we arrived to Peru which is Tu Eres Dios which was followed by our drum line and stomp. Katie then began to teach her lesson on living life poured out.
-Emily
The crowd was tough at this church. But the good thing is they really did understand what the point was that I was trying to bring home. Which was to not only soak up God’s Word but to pour it out as well.
Katie – she ran out of words! Can you believe that! Katie! Out of Words! No in reality she was so tired she could not think! So I dismissed her and sent her to bed.
Dr D’s Comments:
It is always an interesting as you watch the youth make their way through the cultural ways and yet find a way with God’s help to make an impact on the lives of the people. This trip was no different. They got to see various sizes of Churches. Minister to various economic levels. See and experience the sights and sounds as well as the food – that is always exciting – just to watch their faces as they taste the food. This team was willing to try anything – well almost anything. They stopped when I did. So they were safe.
Will their lives be changed forever because of this experience. Yes! They came to recognize that though this is a different culture and their living is different from ours, the Churches still find a way to exuberantly express their worship and devotion to God. They are not lacking. In fact, they have many things they could teach the North Americans. They have learned their mission is not to tell the people here how to do it, but to do it with them – just to come along side and say, “Let us do it together.!”
So for now we sign off from this trip and head back to our homes. Marilyn and I will be back on the airplane in less than 48 hours after arriving home – Ukraine here we come! We are going to a beachside hotel on the northwest corner of Crimea. The owners are believers and friends. When I was there last year they offered to host – free housing – as many pastors and wives as would come to a three day retreat. The focus of this event will be housed in what I am calling an Idea Exchange. We will gather to share what God is saying, what is happening in our Church, cities and countries and to allow the Spirit of God to “cross-pollinate” our lives and ministries. As of today we have 33 registered pastors and wives.
So continue to follow what is happening. I will attempt to post as often as I have the ability to get on-line.
God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D, Marilyn, Katie, Emily and Dylon
Hi everyone! Well our day was very impacting to say the least. We went to the woman’s orphanage where the oldest was 18 and the youngest was 13. All these girls had a children and were getting the help of these nuns. We had some people from Marco’s church come with us so all together there was about 19 of us that went to go and share something with the girls. There were 2 icebreakers, a skit, Dylon shared his testimony, Katie shared an encouraging word and danced. Dylon finished it off with the salvation message that we all put together and we gave them all the bracelets. After all of that we presented them with a small gift for them and their children. They were a quiet group through the whole presentation but at the end the sister of the orphanage asked if anyone had something to share with us, something that God had put on their heart about our visit. One girl came up and shared with us how although what we had talked about was something that she already knew it was good to have that reminder. How there are many times when they feel lonely or as if there is no hope but having us there just gave them some kind of hope back. She was very touched by what we had all shared.
Hello blog followers, it’s Katie. I’m going to wrap up the end of the day with what Mrs. Marilyn says is my “two sense”. So the girl’s name that shared at the orphanage was Gladis, she was only 17, and had a daughter who was 2yrs old. After our program Rosita and I stayed after talking with her, tears began to roll down her face as she began to talk to us and pour her heart out. I can’t express in words all that she had to say, except that she was mature beyond her years and has experienced God yet struggles in her present circumstance( being a Christian and a 17yr old mother living in a Convent, with no family to support her and her daughter of only 2yrs old). I was so glad to be able to encourage her with the Word and love on her and tell her God still does have a purpose for her life no matter what she may be dealing with at such a young age. She expressed such appreciation to all we had to say, Rosita and I both feel as though she is our sister, and told her we will keep her in prayer. Around 6:30 we headed back to the house, Rosita, Johvanna and I took a taxi to go pick up Papa John’s pizza for everyone and around 8pm David Hodges took us to the water park. This place was amazing, definitely not your typical Floridian water park. Although it was cold outside we couldn’t help but get in the water. Beautiful dancing fountains everywhere, music and a laser show was all included for just 4 soles. David is so much fun to be around, he’s a big kid inside. Before we headed home we just had to make a stop at Starbux.
Sunday, May 2nd:
We woke up about 9am and left at about 10am. We headed to Pastor Gustavo’s church where Dr. D preached. We attended worship and after that we were dismissed to go with the youth. Once we were settled we began by singing a song with them that we have learned since we arrived to Peru which is Tu Eres Dios which was followed by our drum line and stomp. Katie then began to teach her lesson on living life poured out.
-Emily
The crowd was tough at this church. But the good thing is they really did understand what the point was that I was trying to bring home. Which was to not only soak up God’s Word but to pour it out as well.
Katie – she ran out of words! Can you believe that! Katie! Out of Words! No in reality she was so tired she could not think! So I dismissed her and sent her to bed.
Dr D’s Comments:
It is always an interesting as you watch the youth make their way through the cultural ways and yet find a way with God’s help to make an impact on the lives of the people. This trip was no different. They got to see various sizes of Churches. Minister to various economic levels. See and experience the sights and sounds as well as the food – that is always exciting – just to watch their faces as they taste the food. This team was willing to try anything – well almost anything. They stopped when I did. So they were safe.
Will their lives be changed forever because of this experience. Yes! They came to recognize that though this is a different culture and their living is different from ours, the Churches still find a way to exuberantly express their worship and devotion to God. They are not lacking. In fact, they have many things they could teach the North Americans. They have learned their mission is not to tell the people here how to do it, but to do it with them – just to come along side and say, “Let us do it together.!”
So for now we sign off from this trip and head back to our homes. Marilyn and I will be back on the airplane in less than 48 hours after arriving home – Ukraine here we come! We are going to a beachside hotel on the northwest corner of Crimea. The owners are believers and friends. When I was there last year they offered to host – free housing – as many pastors and wives as would come to a three day retreat. The focus of this event will be housed in what I am calling an Idea Exchange. We will gather to share what God is saying, what is happening in our Church, cities and countries and to allow the Spirit of God to “cross-pollinate” our lives and ministries. As of today we have 33 registered pastors and wives.
So continue to follow what is happening. I will attempt to post as often as I have the ability to get on-line.
God bless and thanks for your prayers,
Dr D, Marilyn, Katie, Emily and Dylon
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