Alligators, horse riding and ordinations

Dear Friends,

Right now I am in our airport hotel room here in Frankfurt, Germany where we arrived yesterday around 1PM. We have left the US for this time and thinking back about the time spent over there just makes me thankful for so many things right now. Since I wrote last time lots of things have happened. Then I had the honor to announce that I was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame witch was something totally unexpected to me.

Music in the Park

Our "Music in the park" event in the heart of Okeechobee went well. We could see teamwork as its best and I am just so thankful for the brothers and sisters at Fountain Life Church who are serving with a servants heart. A true servant has no own agenda, not any greed or anything hidden that can not stand daylight. These people are true servants who does what they do because they are living in their calling. It is so important that we live in our calling that God has given us. Not in a calling where we have put ourselves or others has put us there. That will not bear good fruit as what we do we need to see through God's eyes first. This is what I have been wondering about within Christianity today how many leaders can see division, destruction, arrogance, competition, abuse of power, spiritual bullying etc... Can those things be seen through God's eyes? The answer is no. If we see what God, Himself has ordained us to do we will see good fruit and we also will see growing churches and people come to us. This is what I have learned and experienced and seen with my own eyes and therefore I am going to stick with what Jesus told me to do; tell all other people about Him and my life, tell the young people about the dangers and help those who have same problems as I have had.

Those who came from the outside to serve and perform in the park are sure living in their calling. I am such blessed to not only be connected to Fountain of Life Church but also to people like Mark Mason and his family, Skip & Nancy Frye and Scott Hazen. We have served together for some years now and I do not see an own agenda in any of these people, all I see is these people being true servants living in their right calling.

Ordination & Rockin' Sunday

Sunday after the event in the park we had "Rockin' Sunday" at Fountain of Life Church and due to different issues and cancellations we did not have a bassplayer in the park or during our Sunday service, so I played the bass and let me tell you one thing; it was great fun. I used to play bass for many years and I realized I miss playing bass. I hope to play bass with these guys again. The unexpected thing that took place during this service was that Pastor Dave Robertson stood up and on behalf of the presbyters, elders and the congregation he ordained me to an ordained minister at Fountain of Life Church. Kelly Mohr was also ordained the same day so it was a big day for many of us. I could not keep my tears away as only my support group at home in Finland sees me as a minister of the Gospel and I thank God for them. From now on my home church is Fountain of Life Church in Okeechobee, Florida and I am proud of being a member of this church. Rockin' Sunday ended with a potluck lunch and we had a great time together. It was like one big family where the love of Christ was in all ours DNA.

Helping people in desperate need

During my time in Okeechobee I was invited to Detox of South Florida, a detox clinic where people come to get detoxed from drugs and alcohol. I did one Tuesday afternoon and was invited to come again the following Tuesday. To me it does not matter if there are only four, five or eight people listening. These people are in a desperate need of help and I have been in that very same situation. I can identify the old me with them and they can identify themselves in my lifestory and as you all know I have been free from drugs and alcohol for over 8 years now. To hear someone talk about a way out gives hope and to hear the word of God combined with a personal redemption story can never fail as we all know that the word of God never returns void. Even if it was a non christian facility we got the honor to pray with and for the clients and I did visit them again the following Tuesday and the same things happened again. People received hope and were open to pray and receive Christ into their lives. This is what it is all about; to bring people to Jesus. In the future I have promised to be at the Detox clinic at least once a week when I am in Okeechobee on my missionary trips. I will also in the future offer free consultation and prayer time for those who want as I will be based out of Okeechobee in the future as well. I gladly spend my time off during the daytime talking to and helping people in Jesus name. I belive one to one conversations and consultation can bear good fruit. I am excited to hear what God has done in these precious peoples lives.

Fort Pierce and the East Coast

We left Okeechobee for some days and did one Wednesday youth night at Common Ground Church and a Friday Night recovery night. On Friday when I had lunch with the Pastors and Sebastian one of them told me that one boy had given his life to Jesus during the Wednesday youth night. Just that one precious soul made it worth all. One soul is worth more than all the money in the world. We might not be able to understand it but again when we look at people with God's eyes we will see it clearly.

Aligators & Horses

We also had time to do some "fun stuff" during our days in Okeechobee and one of the great adventures were the air boat ride with Captain Troy from Eagle Bay Air boar rides. I have done it one time before but wanted Sebastian to see the aligators and experience the adventure and we had a great time and YES we did see some aligators. It is such a beautiful place and I am absolutely sure I will do another trip again and again. The Florida nature does not stop to fascinate me. Another great adventure and experience was our horse ride. I love using cowboy hats and being in Okeechobee you see many real cowboys, cows and horses. I happened to get a picture in my head of myself on a horse with my cowboy hat and I posted of Facebook that I would like to experience that before Jesus returns. It did not take long and I got the news from church that it has been set up for us and this Monday I sat on a horse for the first time in my life. It was something else and we had such a fun and great time. I hope to be on a horse one day again and be able to ride it without assistance. I would just love riding on an open Florida field in the sunset or sunrise and enjoy Gods creation. We met some wonderful people and they took such good care of us. Again I am so thankful for this experience. It sure was a great adventure.

Okeechobee in my heart

I have to be honest and say that my emotions are mixed right now. I love my home, I love my family and I love Vasa, Finland but I do also have Okeechobee in my heart. I do not know why this place is so precious and special to me. People over there have asked me what I am doing in Okeechobee and I just answer them that I am enjoying life. They get surprised and ask: - in Okeechobee????

I guess it has to do with that I found a church where I can be myself. A church where the leadership has seen God's purpose for me and taken me on board as I am. Not only that I also believe that God has called me to this area of the world as a missionary as America really needs missionaries today. America is not what it used to be. America is one of the darkest places on earth and the country has gone away from it's foundation; the word of God and a nation under God. People think they do not need God anymore and some of the megachurches are preaching a false gospel without repentance. It is more about raising your hands in worship to loud music, flash mobs during worship and a show. What not only America need to day is a message of hope. A message of repentance and salvation. The time is short as if you take a look around you today you can tell that we are living in the end times without being a prophet.

I am looking forward to return to America and Okeechobee in November this year and I pray and hope that I will be able to bring my son Sebastian with me again as he has been a big blessing and a big help. Having him on board makes it so much easier and I do not get as homesick as I use to get. I pray, hope and wish I can bring my whole family with me one day and hopefully become a snow bird and stay there during the cold months in Finland. There is something in my heart that is beating for America and I guess it has to do with the people being open to listen to someone who comes from the other side of the world with a message of faith, hope and love. I have Okeechobee in my heart and I consider Okeechobee as my second home today and I have such a peace in my heart with it so I know that God will work everything out for the future.

Finland, UK & Germany coming up

In 7 hours we are boarding our flight from Frankfurt to Helsinki and later tonight we are back at home in Vasa, Finland. I wish I just could get there right away. These layovers and long flights are the hardest things of being a missionary. Next week we are doing to Kaarina in southern Finland. We have a school during the day, Thursday April 9th and the same night a concert with a message in the church of Kaarina.

19-22 April I will be traveling to London to record a couple of songs with my old friend John Coghlan who was in the original line up of the legendary UK rock and roll band Status Quo who are still rocking all over the world. I am looking forward to see him as last time I saw him or talked to him was when we toured together in 1997. Now 18 years later we are meeting again and it is a great honor to have him on two tracks of the upcoming cd. The upcoming cd is being financed by crowd funding and we have a crowd funding page on the internet where people can be part of the project. Sometimes it is very discouraging to have 5000 friends and over 1000 followers on Facebook as the difference of the numbers of likes when I post a picture of a sausage, me on a horse or a fundraiser is huge. You can read more about WHY we are doing this together and YOU can be part of the new record as the only reason that I am doing music is to use it as a tool to reach people for Jesus. Click HERE to come to the crowdfunding page.

Here is a comment from one of our partners who wanted to share his thoughts on Facebook:

"When I have had problems in my life, I have listened to the first two albulms on and on. I've got so much help through them. And it's not just the (top-class) music, but it is the authority that Jesus Himself have given to Pontus. These albums have brought Gospel to people, that could not receive it any other way. I strongly believe that the third album will save more people to Jesus. And I strongly ask you all to take part the fundraiser, including me. God bless you Pontus in your work!" Sami P

End of April we are flying back to Germany and we are going to minister amongst bikers and other people. Actually we have two more trips booked to Germany this year. The second one end of may that goes on to mid June and then a shorter trip in September. Now we are flying in for some days to do some Biker Clubs and Biker events as well as a couple of churches.

Partners needed

All what you have read above is done by faith. We do NOT charge for anything and we do not receive payments for our meetings at churches, events or detox clinics. What we do we do for Jesus and I strongly believe that we could do better and even more if we had more partners. The best way to parther is to remember us in your prayers. If God puts it on your heart to give a donation towards the missionary work we do in the different countries you are more than welcome to. Donation details found to the right on this page and for any further information contact pjb(at)netikka.fi for more information or sign up as a monthly partner. Together we can make a difference and remember that YOU can be part of what God are doing through our team around the world.

You can watch our trip day by day on our YouTube blog

by clicking HERE