Who said it was going to be easy?

Dear Friends,

It has been 10 days since we wrote and gave you an update on the going on’s. Well, we have been busy and our last services in Germany were fantastic. We had a great evening at the church in Langwasser, Nurnberg and another great brunch with Ride On at a restaurant Sunday morning, May 5th. To me it means much when a man from a non christian motorcycle club comes up to me and thanks us for what we do in their country in the name of God. Our last meeting was together with our friends Jens and Sonja in Sechshelden outside the city of Wetzlar. We had a wonderful evening in the presence of Jesus!

From Sechshelden we drove through Germany and entered Poland. We stayed one night in Wroclaw and on Tuesday evening our new brother Marke had organised an evening at a pub in the city of Zambrow, near to Belarus border. We were welcomed and taken good care of. We had a night that went into the history books of our ministry. People were so open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we got to pray and talk with many after we were done playing some rock and roll, preaching and reaching. Thank you Marek for having courage to host us. We hope to be back in Poland again.

From Zambrow, Poland we drove to Marijampole, Lithuania and entered another country we never visited before. We were welcomed by Pastor Viorelas and Brother Vaidas who have been working hard with getting all these days together. They have not had an easy work as if you work with someone who looks like me you get in trouble. Especially amongst the religious people.

Our first service was in their church in the heart of Marijampole. It was a good night with Jesus in the center. The message that Friday night was the same as usual but also a message to all people that they should not let any pastors, priests or other hierarchy leaders look down at them or push them down. Our identity is not in our outlook. Our identity is in Christ.

Saturday we were playing and blessing the bikers in the city of Vilkaviskis on their biker opening season. We had some bikers come up and listen and some even got into the music. Some even listened very carefully when I shared about what we believe in and about what Jesus has done in my life. Bikers took off on their first ride for the year and we had lunch together with the team.

Saturday evening we were having an outdoor concert/outreach at the main square in Marijampole. People walked by, people stopped and listened. People prayed and people danced. It was an evening of joy and this whole day had been forecasted with rain. We had the sun and Son shining upon us the whole time.

Sunday we returned to Pastor Viorelas church where I shared a message that God laid on my heart. To skip all the nonsense and really look at who Jesus came for. Jesus came for the sick and the people in need but looking at many western world churches today it looks more like a ”perfect peoples social club”. The message was well received and many came forward to receive God’s blessings.

From Marijampole we drove to the city of Kaunas where we had one more church service. It was held at a hotel conference room and the room was packed. I shared what the Lord had on my heart. Some religious people decided to leave in the middle of the meeting but the rest who stayed got blessed. I believe there is such power in telling a true story about what Jesus has done in the time we live in today. So many can relate to the issues behind addiction, depression and all other things. No one can relate to preachers who boast and lift up themselves and talk about their adventures between the Himalayan mountain tops. Nobody believes in fake stories but when you share about what Jesus has done the Holy Spirit is present and this we could see this evening.

A new week started today and nobody never told me this was going to be easy. We have not had a big success with our fundraiser. We have our few loyal supporters, thats it. Also the team here have had problems raising funds so yesterday I was thinking about leaving and just go back home to my family. I had a meeting this morning with Pastor Viorelas and we decided to finish what we started as there will be a next time. We both have learned lots from this first time and I think we don’t have to do the same mistakes again. It is always like this going into a new country with a totally different culture and history.

Today we visited a high security prison in Kybartai just less than a mile from the Russian border. It was everything else than the prisons we are used to visit in Finland, Sweden and the USA. Still we had a small crowd and I am so thankful that we did not drive home. We got to pray with some young men who really wanted to have a life change. One young man is still strong on my heart and I know that God has a plan for his life. He has a plan for all people with an open and willing heart. God is raising up those who were nothing in the eyes of this world so that the high flying evangelists, prosperity preachers and pastors shall stand there with shame. I have seen the shame with my own eyes and it is sad to hear my old pastor that once meant much to me drive around spreading lies about me, claiming that I wanted to become better than him. Well, I have absolutely nothing to hide and I want my life to be an open book. This is why I share everything. People will let you down and people fail. The main thing is that we are assured of that Jesus never fails or never let you down. Believe in Him, He believes in you!

We have two days left here in Lithuania. Tomorrow we are going to do outreach in the city of Vilnius and on Wednesday we return to the city of Vilkaviskis for another outdoor concert with focus on reaching people. Nobody ever told me this was going to be easy but we do what we do for our Lord.