Clarion Call To Prayer

Most theologians, bible scholars and really any thinking Christian are convinced that we are living in the "final days". Deeply disturbing global trends would seem to portend the ultimate fulfillment of scripture. As a country we are waging a prolonged military conflict against terrorism in several theaters of war. As patriots we need to support such efforts every way possible. As Christians we must engage the enemy in battle with the spiritual weapons of war.
We must with courage prayerfully wield the sword of the Spirit. The truth from scripture is THE power to demolish spiritual strongholds. We know from biblical prophecy that the final phase of history will take place in the Middle East. So it is to that region that I draw your attention.
I would ask you to be in prayer this next week for a group of underground church planters. These anointed leaders will sojourn from their native home, the land of Cyrus, to gather in the land of fabled trees. While there they will no doubt be under constant surveillance from the secret police. Posing as tourists, their real agenda is to be trained and equipped as church planters. Thus strengthened, encouraged and empowered, these men will then return to their sovereign soil.
The church is God's chosen instrument to carry His gospel to the ends of the earth. Pray that as a result of this equipping of the saints, new churches will be birthed and many more will come to Christ in the world's next nuclear nation.

God's Provision in Transition

Our final moments in Iasi were filled with the requisite logistics and "to-do" lists of mustering out after an extended tour of duty. Happily the time was also punctuated by a visit from Russ Bylsma, President of Southern Hospitality Services. For several days, virtually until we left together for the airport, Russ dove into interaction with our entire management staff. Armed with their joint time together in Birmingham, Russ and Maria coordinated the effort to focus on our greatest need; marketing the Little Texas Hotel and Restaurant to the community.
To that end, Russ spent hours on end with our staff to cobble a working plan for taking what Little Texas offers to the business community in Iasi. Under Russ and Maria's tuteleage, Sorin M., Lucian, Ionela and Sorin B. (our floor managers) rose to the challenge. Their expertise in running Little Texas helped to quickly craft a strategy to do all we can to increase our business revenue.
As always, from the outset it was clear that this was to be yet another spiritual "battle royale". Russ' luggage did not arrive with his flight, he then became quite ill during the first night. We doctored him to the best of our ability, so that only a day and a half was lost in recovering enough to function. Clearly Satan was not pleased with our proposed progress. After all, the success of LT means continued funding for storming the gates of hell in some pretty hellish places.
At the end of Russ' time in Iasi, we had the basis for an ongoing marketing effort, spearheaded by my staff with input from Russ. We appreciate so much his willingness (and that of his wife Amy) to allow Russ to come so far to do so much to help us grow Little Texas.
Pray that our efforts will bear fruit in the days ahead.

Return To Romania

The dog days of summer in Iasi find us back at our post, preparing for the move back to California. Here is a bullet point update on the major fronts:

- Republic of Molodva: The newest election shows the Communist Party has garnered some 60% of the popular vote. This is disputable, while at the same time Pres. Voronin is contemplating his options. This includes fleeing the country with his plunder in tow. For our purposes, we still face the specter of a closed border to our Romanian missionaries that would otherwise be traveling in and out, taking the gospel forward.

- Little Texas: The month of May ushered in a welcome season of great weather and the usual tsunami of clients flocking to our garden terraces. Although hotel occupancy continues to lag past years, overall we are profitable and more liquid. Moreover, we have nearly resumed the earlier levels of support for all of our missionaries. Praise God.
Maria Moraru and our LT crew have labored non-stop to maintain standards and meet the daily demands of our guests. They have done a God-empowered, stellar job.

- We are committed to planting the other half (4.5 acres) of our apple orchard near the village of Plopi, in Moldova. Little Texas will provide the funds necessary for an early Fall planting. But we seem to be experiencing a harvest of sorts ahead of the seed sowing. Through Colia's witness there are two families from Plopi who have begun attending the church in Taul. We pray for a future church plant in Plopi aswell, since no Christian church exists there. Pray for the Harvest.

As America flocked on opening day to watch the boys of summer do their thing,
The Republic of Moldova held presidential elections. In typical fashion the incumbent thug body politic proclaimed a landslide victory for President Voronin, with 61% of the popular vote. Not so fast, was the shrill response from vox populi. It seems that the still Commmunist regime had in fact garnered a mere 31% of the vote. In the aftermath of this most recent electoral sham, droves of people took to the streets of Chisiniev, that hapless country's now beleaguered capitol. Once there they began a vociferous protest of the election results. The Presidential building was assaulted and besieged. Police were called in from the entire country to quell the uprising. The city of Chisiniev was sealed off. Internet, cell phone and regular phone service was interrupted. State television, for its part, continued to run pure entertainment shows rather than cover the real news. Hey, Moldova is still a Communist bastion with a controlled media.
President Voronin (pictured) vehemently accused Romania's government with fomenting the unrest when bus loads of demonstrators in Romania made their way to Chisiniev to join in the now violent demonstrations. Several protesters were injured and it was reported that two police and a young woman have died in the melee. In the rest of the country, our missionaries report that things are pacific, in contrast to the state of things in the capitol.
Those in the streets seek, at least in part, a political solution to the country's ills. We, on the other hand, have sent and support a small band of protestant believers, with the only real solution, Jesus Christ. The current regime will either fall or endure, for a time. Regardless of the outcome it is worth noting that we have never seen such an openness to the gospel than in this past year, nor have so many come to Christ in all the years of ministering in Moldova.
In chaos there is kingdom opportunity.

Business As Missions Conference

This is an unretouched photo, Actually this is Colin Crawley's idea of British humor, dreadlocks and all. No, not a BAM Rockstar as billed, more of a humble motel man trying to make payroll this month.
I was however invited to the conference where some fifty people attended the three day conference in Birmingham, Alabama. I was asked to share from our Romania experience and shed light on the nuances of running a business under a mission agenices umbrella. I believe many present were suprised to hear how swimmingly our collaboration has gone these sixteen years, due in great measure to hitching our wagon to CRM a terrific mission agency that "gets" what business as mission is all about.

Cross-country book tour Part 2

After only two days back in Orange, I flew to Birmingham and spoke at a couple of churches where "Merchant" was promoted. I was able to connect with Milla Sachs in Guntersville and arranged to meet her for dinner at the home of Rocky and Pamela Frazier. Rocky and Pamela came to our aid when I was in a deep hole after building Little Texas. Their generosity restored our finances. Milla is the widow of Tom Sachs, who was for years a huge source of encouragement to our ministry. Tom is the general contractor with whom I met when Little Texas was just a vision. Over chicken fingers at Reid's Diner on Lake Guntersville in the Fall of 1995, Tom drew out a sketch of my idea on the back of a paper napkin. That sketch became Little Texas.
I arrived in Guntersville at Rocky and Pamela's home ready to reunite with these old friends whom I had not seen since before Tom passed away from cancer more than three years ago. What I was not prepared for was the magnificence of their lakeside residence. I have been around, but have never seen a home done with such style, warmth, rustic elegance and comfort. The "sunroom" is a two-story loft with floor to ceiling fireplace flanked on either side with solid cedar logs. The coup-de-grace is the vintage 1945 Harley-Davidson motorcycle hanging over the upstairs railing, a gift to Rocky from Pamela.
It was an evening filled with remembrance and revelation. We shared many memories of days gone by over dinner. Rocky told of his new found passion. He has immersed himself in typical fashion in a ministry to street people, biker groups and cowboy church plants. Sporting a full beard and black leather vest, Rocky now even looks the part.
Howard Green, Milla's cousin was also with us and he shot the photos. It turns out that he if quite a photo afficionado. Rocky and Pamela urged me to stay the night with them as the hour was late. It was tempting to spend more time with these dear friends, but I needed to press on towards Memphis. For my next visit, Rocky promised to show me his latest project, an eighteen wheeler that is home to a classic motorcycle museum. Rocky is parlaying his passion into leading to the Lord many who would by others be considerd "fringe folks". I drove away praising God for these friends and what I had seen in Rocky's renaissance.

Mile High Moment

Next stop on our American sojourn was Denver, Colorado. We dined at the home of Nate and Natalie Lundstrom and their 13 month old son Michael. Michael is quite fond of lima beans. There is hope for the next generation. Nate and Natalie have an interest in missions but were sure that there was no way to combine business with mission. So we told them a story with a Romanian accent...
From the Mile High city we made our way to Ridgeway, Colorado (8,000 feet elevation). We spent the weekend with Eric and Janet Lederer, our long time friends formerly from Orange County. On Saturday Eric arranged a foursome of golf at his club in Montrose. Joining us were Dr. Tim Sullinger and Eric's Pastor, Jim Welch. I had not hit into a sand trap or water hazard in some fifteen years. Fear not, I made up for lost time, drowning many a ball and filling my shoes with sand.
It was an absolutely stunning day on the course. Do you know how far a golf ball travels off the tee at 8,000 feet? The thin air notwithstanding, I usually had to settle for playing the divot. Great fun and fellowship. Sunday had us at Pastor Welch's church, Victory Baptist. We were warmly welcomed and given the opportunity to speak in the Sunday evening service. We left on a Rocky Mountain High making our way back to California and a warmer clime.