Today I have something really special to share with you all. Last week was completely different than other weeks and I thank GOD for everything HE has done and is doing right now. I am even more thankful than before for every single day in my life and today I know more about from where I come and lots of the questions I have carried inside of me for years are answered. So many things took place last week that it would be impossible to share them all with you and all of the things is not good to publish here. Anyway I want you all to know that I am happy and thankful, like never before.
Record distribution
Tuesday I left home and drove down to Hämeenlinna where I stayed over night. In the morning I hooked up with my publisher and distributor Päivä Oy and together we made future plans for the upcoming "Thankful" album. Funny that lots of things is about being "Thankful" today. This is one reason I believe that GOD is behind and in everything right now.
We shook hands and said Amen and Halleluja! They decided to distribute the album and the release date is june 4th 2011. There will also be a release party during the Ambassadors For Jesus Christ Biker Weekend at Orisberg in Isokyrö, Finland the same evening at 7PM.
A day in prison
From Hämeenlinna I drove to Joensuu, not far away from the Russian border and checked in at a hotel quite late at night. I slept good and I had such peace this night and in the morning I visited an old time friend, Rane Riikonen from The Slidemobile Band. We did some tours and gigs together back in 2005 if I remember right. It was nice to meet him again and also nice to see he took good care of one of my old favorite guitars, the white FGW Explorer Snaker. Miss that guitar.
From there I went to visit my biological sister who I have been writing about earlier. This was the very first time ever we met. We sat down for about two hours and talked about life and lots of other things. I really enjoyed meeting her and it felt like we known each other forever. We both had lots of things to say and the time went short as I had a scheduled meeting for a group of male prisoners in the prison in Hammaslahti outside Joensuu. My sister provided me with a list of all the names of my four brothers I never met before.
Normally they don't have many of the male prisoners attend the Christian meetings but this thursday I had the honor to share my life and speak about Jesus with 15 prisoners. First it felt weird for me to be alone with them in a small room but it did not take long before GOD kicked in and we had an awesome hour and a half together. It is so awesome to see GOD touch people in HIS own way. We can never do anything like that in our own strenght. From there I drove happy and thankful to a hotel in Kuopio.
First meeting with one of my four brothers
When I arrived at the hotel in Kuopio I immediately grabbed that list with the names of my brothers and started to investigate them. I found three of them on Facebook but I was not sure if they were my brothers. They could have been others with same names. Anyway I was excited when I went to bed and I had another good night sleep.
In the morning when I woke up I saw that one of my brothers had accepted my friend request. I had to open the chat that I have off line most of the time to check if he was on-line. Yes, he was on-line and one of the greatest chats in a long time took place. As my sister told me that he lived in Kuopio I started with asking if he lives in Kuopio:
ME: - Do you live in Kuopio?
BROTHER: - Yes, I do!
ME: - Do you know a lady named Virpi?
BROTHER: - Yes, I do! She is my mother!
ME: - She is my mother too!
BROTHER: - What??? Are you that brother???
ME: - Yes, and I am in town.
BROTHER: - No way!
It did not take long and I met him on the parking lot outside the hotel and our first meeting ever started with a hug, exactly as my first meeting with my mother, grandmother and sister started. We sat down and had some coffee and talked about our lives and our families. My brother Marko is also a guitar player and I told him that as I now have a brother I won't release the new album without having him play a solo on it. He is not only a guitarist, he is also a tattoo artist :) We could have met longer but I had to leave for Pielavesi, where I picked up my mother.
TV shootings in Jyväskylä
Me and my mother drove from Pielavesi to Jyväskylä to my grand mothers place and the team from Finnish TV2 (YLE) were there. They were there to follow up on our relation since it was through their program, "Suhdekorjaamo" we finally established a relationship. We all had lots to tell and I am thankful for all this being broadcasted on TV this fall. It will be an awesome testimony about how GOD is healing relations and connecting broken families.
After the TV team left I stayed for some time together with my mother and grandmother. My grandmother made food and it was the first time we had dinner together. I am sure it wasn't the last time. I immediately found my own seat around her kitchen table and the weird thing was that something inside of me felt that I was at home.
Another brother and one uncle
On saturday I returned to my grandmothers home in the morning. My second brother Rami, one year younger than me were there together with his daughter my nephew Netta. It felt nice to meet him to and another surprise was that I also got to meet my uncle Kari. All this felt so strange and to hear them speak about that I look like other people in the family felt weird. I mean it does't really feel like "family" yet even if it IS my family. I was adopted at a very young age. I was around six months when I came to my new home in Vasa and my parents here ARE my parents. It feel difficult to establish all these relationships with my original family as I have my family with my mom and dad that I love here in Vasa. Anyway I feel it necessary and after all what I have heard I can do nothing else than praise the Lord for that I was given away when I was a baby. I do NOT think I would be alive if I had stayed there. Now it seems like people are doing well but I also feel there is a reason for me to enter into these relationships right now. GOD HAS A PLAN for everything.
Meeting in Varkaus
Saturday afternoon I headed east and to the town of Varkaus. I was invited to give my testimony and sing some of my songs at a revival meeting at the local school. This meeting was totally different than all other meetings I have held. It was an honor and a privilege to introduce my younger brother Marko to the people. Marko came with his family all the way from Kuopio to check out the meeting. We had a good talk after the meeting and we will definitely stay in touch. It feels more than great to have a brother. I always wanted to have a brother and now I have four of them :) God is good.
The meeting was good and at least two people gave their lives to Jesus. People received prayers and people got set free and delivered from different stuff. One young girl sent me a letter yesterday how she got free that night and letters like that just blows my mind away. They give me more power to continue to spread the gospel and pray for people. Thank you Jesus! After the meeting I drove back to my hotel room in Jyväskylä.
My Father is alive
Sunday morning I packed my bags and left the hotel. I stopped by my grandmothers place for a cup of coffee. We sat and spoke for a while with my grandmother and I started to drive north. During these days I had also tried to find my biological father but without success. Something inside of me told me to continue to search. I called someone with the same last name as my fathers name was not in the phonebook. I got his number and it felt so strange to dial his number. I was about 20 kilometers outside Jyväskylä when I stopped on a parking lot to give that phone number a try. A man answered the phone and for the first time in my life I spoke to my biological Father. I first asked if he is he and if he knows my mother and then I told him that I am his son. He remembered me and he even remembered more than I could have thought after what I have heard. I just felt that it is better to go with the truth than with what you hear. He was interested to meet so next time I travel to this area of the country I will meet him. This is so exciting. I still have two other brothers and 19 cousins to hook up with. I am praying for a great awakening and revival within the family. This is our heavenly Fathers will that ALL souls shall get saved.
Youth meeting in Oravais
On my way from Jyväskylä I stopped in Lapua to hook up with Ambassador brother Velu Koivisto. We had something to eat together and shared some experiences. One more meeting to go before I got to go home. It was a great honor to speak to the youth at Café Amigo in Oravais. I believe in the youth and I really feel that we all should pray for them. Our futures are in their hands and I know that some of the youth listening last night will be on fire disciples for Jesus! God told me so!
It was around 9PM in the evening when I turned in on my own drive way. Happy to be home, so much to tell and a bit tired after driving 2000 kilometers in five days. It feels great to be on the road and to travel but there is no place like home. What a great feeling it was to wake up in my own bed next to my wife this morning. The fact that it had snowed out there again during the night was not that fun but soon the summer is here.
The coming week
Today I am just memorizing last week, doing some writings and studying the word of God. Tomorrow tuesday March 15th I will visit the prison here in Vasa together with Ambassador brother and evangelist Jimmy Huhtala. We are continuing the work on the coming album and friday night I will speak and sing at a meeting in Vaasan Helluntaiseurakunta. I am excited about this as it is my first time I speak in this church and I am thankful for this invitation since some of their members came to pray for me four years ago when I was facing death at the hospital. On saturday we are going to play a benefit concert at the Sion Church in Vasa together with some other artists. I am looking forward to play with the band again. I love this line up with Martin Kantola on bass, Jouni Uusimaa on drums and Camilla Cederholm on piano.
Have a blessed week!
Love ya'll!
Pontus
