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Wherever the Father leads... This month a team of Community Companions is on the road throughout Europe. The plan is to send regular updates and reports, and prayer requests, which we will post here to keep up to date. Keep calling back to keep in touch with them! For ease we will be putting the latest news at the top of the page. This will make for a very long page as the trip develops.... |
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The team are now back on English soil! Roy emailed to say that the GPRS technology with which we had equipped him finally worked as planned - ten miles off the South Coast, on the way home. Ho hum. | ||
Late Breaking News! We have had some highly incriminating and irreverent video footage sent to us from the recent European tour. I am hopeful that by clicking this link you will be able to see the scenes for yourself. Remember - that man on the left is now the PRESIDENT of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and that the fellow in the centre, Ed Pillar, was formerly a respected Minister in a reputable church. All that now hangs in tatters.... In mitigation for the man on the right, Tom Duncanson - another man formally well respected in the Baptist Church - it is clear that he is doing his best to play no part in these distressing scenes, and has presumably been forced to take part. Steel yourself, it is a sad thing to see the mighty so ruining their own reputation. |
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Wednesday 20th April |
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This final message of the trip was sent through late last night from the ferry as the team travelled back to England: After a really wonderful time in Genoa we moved on to Lyon . On Tuesday morning we made our way through the Alps to France 's 2nd largest city. We met up with BMS's longest serving couple in France - John and Sue Wilson. |
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After such a good time in Genoa we found our early days in France quite difficult. Admittedly, France is a very different culture from Italy, but nonetheless, it was tough! France is what we would call a ‘secular society’. Although something like 70% of the population would say that they are Catholic, legally people are not allowed to bring religion into the public arena. There has been - since the Revolution - a complete separation of church and state. This means that churches have to work especially hard to win over a sceptical society. | ||
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Further than this, the Baptist church has only recently been acknowledged as something more than a sect. France - along with Belgium, are perhaps the most difficult places in Europe to both live as a follower of Jesus, but also to communicate the Good News of Jesus. |
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| We left Lyon on Thursday morning and travelled just a couple of hours to Taizé. Taizé is a Christian community that has proved massively attractive to spiritually-searching young people across France, most of Europe and beyond. The Brothers at Taizé welcome - get this - up to 6000 people a week, who come to spend a week, a month, a year, or their entire life seeking a deep relationship, firstly with God and then with each other as they share a discipline of giving space for silence, prayer, hospitality and reconcilaition. The simple pattern of work, prayer, and fellowship in an international community, offered a real place of haven, a thin place between earth and heaven. It felt a real honour to be there. I think if we’d been there any longer, the slow contemplative ambiance would have taken our speech patterns in to line with the brothers. The day is based around Prayers said Morning, Midday and Evening, interspersed by bible study and discussion groups. | |||
| Everyone is expected to pitch in and to help serve meals - a massive task in itself and to wash up and to do other menial tasks. The four of us had the privilege of serving the evening meal - pasta in tomato sauce, topped with cheese, and bread, biscuits and yoghurt. You get a plastic bowl for water to drink. While in Taizé we were allocated some rooms 10 minutes walk up the road in a beautiful setting. What a contrast to Lyons. We had 24 hours of peace and blessing. What a good place. |  |
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Then, onwards to Massy near Paris. We were welcomed by Phil and Rosemary Halliday - the BMS European Director. Ed was at College with Phil and it was good to be with them. Phil took us up into Paris to meet the Mission Director of the Baptist Union - David Razzano. David is a man with a passion for God and an imagination and vision to match. David described himself as a man who is a pessimist with hope - hope in the saving power of Jesus. He spends his time encouraging the Baptist churches in France to look outwards and to create imaginative opportunities to share the Good News about Jesus. | ||
| On Saturday morning we had breakfast (and lunch - as it turned out!) with the Director of the Language School based here in Massy. David Boydell has been in France for over 20 years teaching French. Missionaries who often move on to other french-speaking parts of the world come to Massy to up their language skills. It was a real blessing to be with David and Jessie, their son Alan and a friend from America, Christy who is working for Campus with North Africans in France. |  |
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| In the afternoon we went off to see some of the delights of Paris. Tom, Ed and Mel were taken around the sights of, Sacre Couer, Champes Elyssese, Place de Concord, along the banks of the Seine and ended up enjoying luscious crepes and a bottle of vintage red wine. Roy opted out of the sightseeing tour and spent an equally enjoyable afternoon pottering around the art galleries of the Latin Quarter and ended up reading, writing and taking in the ‘culture’ as he sat outside one of the many fabulous cafes, supping café and remembering the fabulous time he and Shirley had celebrating their silver wedding anniversary in the Paris Saint Germaine area back in 2001. |  |
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| Our reflections on France and the spiritual state of the nation...if we may be so bold or naïve to comment! We all feel that France particularly is a place where people need to see the Gospel working in people's lives before they hear it. Believers who come together to create welcoming communities imitating the life of Jesus - generous, loving, kind, merciful, forgiving, listening and humble - will prove attractive to a sceptical French mindset. Stories we heard from David Boydell only proved this point. Where the darkness is great - so much brighter will the light of the Good News about Jesus shine! | |||
| We pray for the church in France - that they might grow in their confidence in the power of the story of Jesus to save and transform people's lives. Tomorrow we will be involved in the church service at the church right next door to the language school, where Phil used to be Pastor. |
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It is not long now, and....we will be home. One of the great things about spending time with Philip and Rosemary, quite aside from their great hospitality, was the opportunity to discuss some of the issues facing Europe and how we relate to its changing cultures as a mission field, an often forgotten mission field. One of the issues is the sense of isolation as the Church of Britain tends to overlook it’s potential and challenges, and as a result focuses prayer and people resources on other continents that seem more exotic. |
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| This trip has certainly opened our eyes to the different challenges that our brothers and sisters face and the shared challenges and heart journeys that will inspire our prayer for them. | |||
| St Malo was our final stop before we headed home after our four thousand mile adventure. And it has been an adventure; a journey through many different cultures and situations, different terrains, and an adventure in community, as we four have travelled together over the last three weeks. Now as we spend our last few days in the marvellous company of Ruth and Mark Warner benefiting greatly from their impeccable hospitality, and being ‘entertained’ by their very verbal and demanding cat Juniper. |  |
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| Our time here with them has been very relaxed as they have shared their love of this area with us as they have taken us around the beautiful walled city and shared the story of their call here with its difficulties and encouragements. We took great amusement in hearing about their early errors in language as he translated illustrations, unfortunately these fauxpas cannot be spoken in polite company so you’ll have to ask us when you see us. Over good food and wine we had much opportunity to talk and again we got the overall impression that this was a difficult country to be a Christian in and more specifically challenging to be in Christian leadership in. |  |
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You sense that French society is very negative and holds a disregard for leadership and this attitude seems to permeate sectors of the church culture. So a challenge here is for the Church to accept kingdom culture based on relationship and mutual accountability and be counter to the culture of individualism inherent within French culture. A challenge for a missionary leader is that in introducing concepts of hospitality and vulnerability, in stark contrast to what some of the people are used to, that they understand them as biblical principles as opposed to simply being a difference in our countries cultures. | ||
| On Monday evening we enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the Church over aperitifs and had a great time despite the language difficulties. The encouragement was that there were some people who were not believers but who were on the edge of the church community who came along. Again dance gave the opportunity for us to share our mutual vulnerability as we all danced a blessing together in various fashions in the Warner’s living room. | |||
| On Tuesday morning after a leisurely start we travelled with Mark over to the house, barn and land which has been bought by Andrew and Jane Perkins. In need of a total renovation it was intriguing to walk the land and pray with their vision letter and a copy of the architect’s plans in our hands. Named ‘L’Abri’ it will be great to see the vision of a Community linked house of prayer and hospitality established in Normandy in the coming years. |  |
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Whilst very glad to be on our way home, as we said our ‘au revoirs’ there was much kissing and smiles and hearts met. It is far too early to give anything like an appropriate response to what our wanderings throughout Europe means to us, to the Community or to the Baptist Union or the BMS as Roy takes up his role as President on Saturday. It has however been an extraordinary time and one that has had quite a profound impact upon us individually and as a team. Here are some of our early responses though: |
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Good Things – We have learnt much about God, ourselves, one another and the varying cultures of a changing Europe. We have met some amazing people, heard some incredible stories, witnessed the good, the bad and snippets of the ugly, had our hearts and minds open to people and situations that were either unknown or scantily read about. Complex and interesting, challenging and stimulating, awakening awareness and developing understandings – it has been at times quite awesome. It has certainly been an amazing privilege and opportunity; hard work and very tiring at times, hilarious and pleasurable often, stretching of self, exposing of our weaknesses and strengths, testing of our availability and vulnerability, deepening of relationships and understanding. |
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| History has been put into context, the events and happenings of the world and how they have shaped and informed peoples lives and faith has been so illuminating. Our linguistic skills have improved from .5 to 2 on the scale of 10 but it has been incredible to witness how the ‘language of the heart’ communicates in every culture. Likewise, connecting with people and cultures through the ethos and spirituality of the Community has been remarkable, especially so in Eastern Europe, where the concepts, commitment and experience to finding a Way for Living that is communitarian is evident. |  |
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It was great to be with people whom we have prayed for from a distance e.g. Keith and Denise at IBTS in Prague. It has been amazing to see how the community’s blessings, which were offered in every place and some of the simple dance movements have opened people up to God and one another. |
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It has been enlightening and challenging to hear how others see us. I have always had a loathing of the Daily Mail and this trip has confirmed my lifelong pledge to never read it. The people we met were horrified, shocked and saddened by the portrayal by some of the British [well Australian influence actually!!!] media aspects of European life. Learning from how others see us is of great value and requires humility and the courage to accept and change where necessary in response to such observations. | ||
| Exciting, stimulating, informative, challenging, deep, searching, connecting, moving, feels more like the beginning of new things rather than the end of something, sense of continuing, | |||
Hard things – Lyons, Mel, Tom, Ed, Roy – each in turn and sometimes together but overall excellent relationally, being away from family, journeying through the Alps particularly, toll expenses, goodbyes, Hungarian folk music, some American attitudes that were so insensitive to the culture, (we did meet some fantastic Americans who similarly were embarrassed and ashamed of some of their country’s power dominated controlling missionary methods), weight gain, late afternoon meetings, experiencing European culture not as a tourist but a pilgrim, extremes of coffee, 129 steps up to a hostel we didn’t stay at, having your underwear washed by other peoples wives, not having your underwear ironed by said wives, having to separate whites from colours for Tom’s sake, late nights, early mornings, some French public toilets, living out of suitcases… |
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| Fun things - Mel, Tom, Ed and Roy… “Compline moments” that disintegrated into inextinguishable laughter… whoever wrote “sin nor sin’s shadow” has a lot to answer for. They clearly hadn’t travelled miles before they did Compline, getting kissed by members of our own sex, attempting to communicate with people, seeing how Mel turned from a younger sister to becoming our ‘mother’, men behaving badly, singing Laudate Dominum in Korean choir robes, Eduardo suddenly proclaiming ‘tres bien’ in the middle of his presentation in Italy, disrupting Philip’s carefully made plans, driving in Genoa, driving the fast Audi… | |||
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‘Other’ - experiencing Hungarian, Italian, Croatian and French kissing!, being on the top floor nearly everywhere we stayed, automated toilets with revolving seat cleaning mechanisms in Germany, eating horse meat, 90% absinth, Shereen from Iran [French kissing!!!]… So here we are, crossing the Channel on the ferry, tired and ready for home. The sight of the South coast beckons. |
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| Thank you so much for sharing the journey with us, for praying, holding us, the people and places in your hearts and prayers. We have felt supported and we would ask you to continue to pray for us particularly over the next few weeks as we return to our homes and families, to our friends and the responsibilities of everyday life and work. Please do not forget the people and places we have met and visited. We have created a Prayer Pot, collecting the names of people whom we have met or been asked to pray for which Roy will carry with him and use throughout his Presidential year. |  |
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These are very critical and significant times for Europe, of which we in Britain are a part. In the next few weeks we will hope to put together a fuller report and make available some copies of our tour which has been recorded on video and still photography. Keep an eye on the website for details. Bless you and take care Roy, Tom, Ed and Mel. |
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Thursday 14th April This message was dictated by Roy to Jean, in a phone conversation just a few minutes ago! |
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Please, thank everyone for their prayers. It's been an interesting time in
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Do pray for John and Sue Wilson and the church at L Mel and Tom had a wonderful unexpected conversation with the lady receptionist at the hotel where we’d been accommodated and we were able to leave her with a blessing and receive from her a very warm embrace and 'Bon Voyage'. |
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In need of some space and solitude to reflect on the experience thus far, we’ve discovered that the Taize Community is en route to Paris, so we have spent the morning with the Community and because of the hospitality and solitude experienced here we’ve decided to stay on tonight which will mean us leaving early in the morning to travel up to Massy. Gathering with young people from every nation for prayer in the church at Taize was a profoundly moving experience – a real foretaste of heaven and a sign to |
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| In fact Tom, Ed and I feel distinctly elderly and whilst our pride has been wounded we are not complaining that instead of being in a dormitory we are being put in the Community’s Cherry Trees House in the local village. There are some advantages to age! Do please pray on! |  |
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An over 30's in DEEP contemplation. | ||
Wednesday 13th April Left the deights of Genoa and the company of Mark and Claire and ventured through the Alps, with attendant hill climbs, tunnels, snowcapped mountains, loads of tolls and many miles. I am sure that when everything is covered in snow it would look wonderful, but for me it was disappointing - give me the gentle and rolling hills of northumberland. The prospect of just looking out at the same side of a barrenmountainside day in day out was quite depressing. It was with some relief that we dropped down into France and saw something growing - grass, trees, flowers - and saw livestock in the fields. |
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| We got to Lyon in the late afternoon and met up with John and Sue Wilson and their family of four. Our accommodation had been arranged in a local hotel and we were able to grab a couple of hours rest before returning to the Wilsons for a meal at night. |  |
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| I don't know why, but in every place that we have stayed we have been put on the top floor! In Genoa there were wonderful views over the city and here on the eighth floor we look out over Lyon . |  |
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| We have been exploring the city with John today, and are meeting with the leaders of the church for a meal tonight. Don't know what to make of the place; France feels so different spiritually. We visited the church buildings this morning, which are undergoing a major overhaul and development. It is a shame that we wont have the opportunity to be with the congregation on Sunday, as it sounds exciting and good. |  |
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| Like the church in Genoa it is made up of people from many nations which is, in my opinion a sign of the kingdom and an example of what could be so good about Europe ........valuing diversity and celebrating unity. John and Sue were the first BMS missionaries into Europe and have spent the last eighteen years living, pastoring and bringing their children up in France. |  |
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What has struck us in several places has been the real sense of people responding to God's call on their lives... answering in the affirmative... "Here I am Lord, is it I Lord..... I will go Lord, if you lead me... " these are people who are not tourists but committed long term missionaries, identifying with the people and places for the long haul - fantastic and challenging. We are feeling the need of space and refelction before the demands and busyness of Paris and St. Malo, so are taking a few hours out at Taize. We are all welll. keep praying! Roy, Tom, Mel and Ed |
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Monday 11th April A long instalment arrived from Roy late last night - copied in here in its entireity, as it's too good to edit! We also have in excess of 70 photos from the last few days, which will take us some time to sort out I'm afraid. We'll try to get to it, and give you some visuals asap. Meantime, here's the story: We are in Italy in Genoa - or Genova - as they say here. We are staying with Mark and Claire Ord. A very nice couple who have two daughters - Beth who is 11 and Naomi who is 8. After a long drive yesterday which included a brief stop off in Venice (which seems to be falling to pieces)we got here to Genoa. Venice was great, beautiful and not too crowded. We caught a boat across the lagoon and then walked to St. Mark's square. We intended to retrace our steps, have a coffee, buy some food and return across the lagoon to the car. However, we got lost. Aaaargh! We were following Roy's "I've got my bearings", but I had to ask for numerous peeps before we finally found somewhere we recognised and sat with a latte. Then we went into a patisserie and I bought a mega slice of tiramisu - what else - and two small pizzas. |
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| We made it to Genoa across very very winding roads (very James Bond like) but couldn't find Mark or Claire. Eventually we made contact and Mark took us to the Hostel (up 129 steps with suitcases!!!!) where we were to stay. The road to the hostel was amazing. I rode with Mark. The twists and turns were fantastic. Mark drives like an Italian and Roy followed up the winding streets at the pace of a Ferrari ! Excellent. However, the hostel was very crowded and we were going to have to share a room with loads of other people and their were security issues. |  |
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So...instead we ended up sleeping in M&C's lounge ' a large room with 3 IKEA bed settee things. Mel has a room for herself. It is a very pleasant top floor apartment with a balcony that over looks the city. The lift up to the 6th floor (127 stairs) is great. It reminds me of lots of French-Italian films that I think I've seen. When we arrived Claire et al were in the middle of a joint house warming party - they've only been here a week - and a birthday party for a church member. There was loads of food, loads of wine (!!!) and we had a very good time - although we were all very tired. This morning Roy spoke at the service. The singing was excellent - a mix of Italian, South American and Koreans. About 100 people in all. We sang 'may the road rise to meet you' and danced 'Christ as a light' with the children. All very good. Then we had lunch at the church but some of us couldn’t quite bring ourselves to eat the horse although Ed managed fine.
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In the afternoon we did their Leadership Bible reading school. We all did bits. Ed did a version of what he had done in Evesham on Easter Sunday morning using memory objects to add meaning and recall the story of John 20, 21 . It went down very well. Tom did a meditation based on how Thomas may have felt - then we got people into groups to think about the characters and to report back about their own meditations. Then Mel got them to act out in simple movements as if they were a character approaching Jesus on Easter Sunday. they responded very well to all this. Roy talked very briefly about text-telling and Ed then had 3 minutes to wrap things up because as the Chinese church, who were waiting to use the premises, who were threatening to start screaming at us! We retired to Mark and Claire's place where Ed got on with some e-mailing, Mel slept and Roy and Tom dozed in. the Ords may also be sleeping!! We are very tired. Lots of very early starts and late finishes. |
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| Back a few days. We were in Croatia . We travelled to Croatia on Thursday. we met the BU president - Toma (great guy with a wonderful, very dry sense of humour) - just over the border where we went to his house which is part of a massive church building project. When I asked him about the project all he could talk about was suffering for the gospel and purgatory. Hmm - methinks it has been tough. He took us out to lunch with his wife Ksenia. She is studying for a PhD in theology. Then we travelled for a couple of hours up into the mountains to Fuzine where we met up with Reuben Martin the BMS missionary here at the BU minister's conference. Roy had to do 4 sessions!! We all gave our testimonies at various times. The structure of Ed’s was - family, friends and Feology. Tom was Tom, just really nice and pastoral and can cope with loads of people. We tried to hide the fact that Mel was both a woman, which was bad enough, and what was far worse – a dancer. She managed to share her testimony without ever using the D word but on the last day it slipped out and contrary to the expected revolution and uprising leading to our early deportation they were fascinated and by the end of our time we were able to dance to them. |  |
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It triggered one of the pastors who is a poet and artist to get his guitar out and share with us some music… There are what can only be described as different cultural tastes that no end of prayer ministry, counselling or deliverance could ever redeem what we sat and listened to. It was interesting and part of the rich cultural diversity…. |
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However, it was excellent having conversations with people. In Ed’s case they were either about his interest in the Emerging Church and the theology of the Emerging church and the impact of postmodernism on traditional theological frameworks or about the Northumbria Community. All in all - it appears that people were very moved by the stories of spiritual journeying, the desire to know more of God and the key question that came through Roy’s teaching – Jesus’ question to Peter - 'Do you love me?' as in most of the other Eastern European countries it was noticeable how highly educated people were, including some real heroes among the women whose contributions to the life and the ministry of the church often goes unspoken of. It was good to spend time with Rueben. He is a really great guy and so appreciated by the other ministers in Croatia . A gentle giant he has all the right attributes and character of a good ambassador for Christ and we sense that we will continue to keep in touch with him. Do pray for him and his wife Katie who are coming back to England on Home Assignment in the summer and are expecting their third child whilst in Britain . His works in Dubrovnik which was 10 hours away, but is apparently the most beautiful city in the world (?) He really is a very nice man, a very very nice man. He is by God's grace leading a church of 20 people in a very difficult place. He has been there for 6 years with his wife, two kids and another couple leading the church. We are here in Genoa until Tuesday when we travel to Lyons . It is quite an amazing looking place. People we have met along the way: This is by no means an exhaustive list but for those who are praying for us please commit these people and others to the Lord in your intercessions HOLLAND GERMANY |
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IN PRAGUE HUNGARY CROATIA |
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ITALY It continues to be an amazing experience of wandering, discovering more about God, ourselves, different people and their cultures. It is such a privilege to see how the Lord is opening up so many conversations with people… We feel very honoured to meet some amazing people who have gone through all kinds of experiences ; good bad and ugly… I heard about someone who I knew from Bible College days, who like so many we met in Croatia had been involved in the very troubled conflict in Serbia and Bosnia. |
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We are well and so enjoying the opportunity to relax and be with Mark and Claire and their two girls, Beth and Naomi here in Genoa . We have no more official commitments until Tuesday and will have some needed space to process and reflect on the experience of journeying through Eastern Europe . Interestingly the Genoese people have a saying the, “ the narrow space is the place of the soul”. To be in this amazingly busy, cramped and energetic city with parking resembling a piece of post-modern art. Every conceivable place is filed with a car pared at varying angles to the kerb, street, apartment, whatever!!! It does feel very different now in Italy , vibrant, noisy, mad driving, affluence and poverty hand in hand. Do keep praying – we both need it and appreciate you standing with us on our travels. Give thanks and pray for travelling safety – the car has been superb.. Tom and Roy have sinned greatly whilst driving; in Wesley’s words, have “knowingly transgressed the law in every single country except the UK” but have thoroughly enjoyed the experience…. For God to continue to keep us well in body, mind and spirit. That we might be kept free from germs as we share the one plastic spoon in the car which has been washed for the first time in 5 days… |
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For continued good relationships as a team and with those whom we met and serve… Tolerance of Ed’s addiction to U2 and general ability share endless bits of absolutely useless information and repeat it after every Border crossing… We had a wonderful encouragement last night when we encountered our first sense of unease. The planned linking up with Mark and our accommodation at a hostel didn’t work out as planned and it was getting late and difficult. As we got back into our car and ventured down into the city to Marks house we got a text from Gordon and Margaret just to assure us that they were praying for us.. Timing to perfection we were encouraged and felt reassured that the Lord had our concerns at heart. Within half and hour, meeting new friends, eating together and drinking good Italian wine all was well… Let nothing disturb Thee… Thank you. Good day with the church in Genoa . They were so encouraged by our coming. Its the little things, the unplanned and spontaneous, serendipity moments that make it so exciting , special and precious. Our hearts and awareness of Europe grow… |
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Guess Who and What? Who analyses peoples’ lips for attraction and life long compatibility? - Mel Who is up first in the mornings? - Tom or Roy Who thinks that Birmingham is more beautiful than Venice? - Ed – he thought it was crumbling dump. Who insisted that you had to separate whites from coloureds in the wash? - Tom Who has just been elected Pope by his congregation? - Tom Who knows about U2’s video shoot on the back of a lorry trailer in New York? - The whole team now that Ed has told us the story in every country at every opportunity…… Who will be thrown off the accredited list of ministers if the Korean choir gowns are mistaken for Cardinal albs? - Tom Roy & Ed… Who can’t help talking to themselves in mirrors and window reflections? - Mel Who got kissed by a bloke after the workshop? - Roy Who refused to eat off the communal plastic spoon? - Tom Who manages to look more interested and awake when the conversation is boring and all you want to do is sleep? - Tom Who looked like they were about to be shot by a firing squad at the introduction of yet another presentation? - The whole team What does Bog mean in Croatian? - God Who said ‘très bien’ in the middle of their presentation in Italy ? - Ed |
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Friday 8th April This one written by Mel: Our day in Budapest was jam-packed. We started our day meeting with Margaret, who shared her story of offering her services in teaching English after retiring from social work. She intends this to be her last appointment, but she has said this before and God has had other plans so we’ll see what happens in May for her. We went on to meet the President and the Head of Mission for the Baptist union here in Budapest . This meeting began in a very formal and reserved way, and to begin with I felt particularly conspicuous as a woman. This was exacerbated when I was introduced as a dancer! This is not something the church here are very comfortable with, to say the least. However the atmosphere changed hugely when we started to share story. A turning point in our time with them was when the president shared the effect of his wife’s recent death on his life and ministry. We began to share our common humanity, our stories of faith, spiritual searching and community and there was a connection of heart and journey between us. When we left them handshakes moved to warm embraces and friendship. |
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After an interesting and very Hungarian meal we went to meet the founder of the Hungarian Baptist Aid, a remarkable man called Sandor Szenczy. He shared an extraordinary testimony. Nine years ago he was watching TV and saw a reports about children in North Korea who were suffering due to extreme poverty. He was so moved that he determined to do something to help. But the only problem was that he didn’t really know what to do. He felt in his spirit that he should act by faith. He read the words of Mark’s Gospel which speak about Peter stepping out of the boat with his eyes fixed on Jesus. Sandor went down to the North Korean embassy in Budapest and knocked on the door. For the next few minutes he stumbled through an explanation of who he was to the official on the other side of the door. The door didn’t open. Eventually, Sandor ‘stepped out of his boat.’ He said, ‘I have a million dollars that I want to take to North Korea to help the starving children!’ The door opened. He was ushered in and met the ambassador, the ambassador’s wife, the ambassador’s secretary, the doorman, the driver, the cleaner, the cook, the dog, the cat and three blind mice. They looked at Sandor. Sandor looked back. There was an embarrassing silence. Then the ambassador spoke, ‘you have one million dollars you wish to give to North Korea ?’ ‘Er, no.’ said Sandor. ‘You have equipment…food…blankets…etc etc.’ ‘Er, no.’ ‘Then what do you have?’ demanded the ambassador. ‘I have faith,’ said Sandor ‘I would like to pray for you.’ He raised his hands in the air and prayed for fifteen minutes. When he opened his eyes only the driver remained standing there. Sandor was thrown out of the building, but outside he danced in the street and sang and shouted praise to God, because, for the first time he had acted by faith in the living God. Sandor went home to his wife and said that he was going to take one million dollars to North Korea . ‘Fantastic,’ said his wife, ‘Praise God. Where is the money?’ Sandor told his church the same. They praised God and the treasurer said, ‘but where is the money?’ One month later Sandor delivered one million dollars worth of aid to North Korea . Today, his organisation – Hungarian Baptist Aid works in many needy countries across the world. They are often the first to send rescue teams into areas suffering from natural disasters. Their budget is runs into many millions of dollars every year. They employ 20 full time staff. They are working against child trafficking and have organized world conferences on this and many other issues. Sandor is a lovely and remarkable man. He is considered a celebrity in Hungary and often appears on TV. But he has discovered – much to his own amazement – that people respond when he speaks about the Lordship of Jesus. Hundreds respond to simple appeals to repent and submit their life to Jesus. The Baptist Church in Hungary is growing in influence because of the work of this mercy-led organization. We did have another meeting that involved listening to a church planter, a youth worker and a gypsy worker - this was very interesting, but our heads were very much ready to explode by 6pm ! Our evening was spent purchasing a new camera, since the first one gave up on us (in my opinion as a direct result of Ed’s dodgy photography skills). We then took Margaret to a bar and she certainly got an insight into our humanity as our weariness caught up on us and ended in silliness. Then to bed. |
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Answers to 'Match the people to the possessions / experiences': Who has brought a hairdryer with them? - Tom Who moaned around Prague until we stopped for a coffee? - Ed Who bought some clothes from Marks and Spencer in Wenceslas Square? - Roy Who mended the toilet and light in the hotel bathroom? - Tom Who constantly drinks Lemon and Ginger tea? - Ed Whose phone rings during formal meetings? - Ed Who watched pole dancers whilst they were eating? - We all did but unintentionally! Who keeps looking at the Czech glass in the shops? - Tom |
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Thursday 8th April |
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We have received the photo below courtesy of János Papp who sent us his blessing on behalf of the Hungarian Baptists. He has sent the photo because of the continuing communications difficulties... Hi everyone from the Croatian Hungarian Border in wonderful hot sun, blue skies etc. We are all well and are having a fairly amazing time meeting some incredible people and hearing their stories. Many of the believers we have met have lived with oppression or persecution and the tenacity and depth of their faith is both a challenge and encouragement. We had a very hectic 36 hrs in Budapest meeting lots of people, including The President of the Baptist Union, the Mission Director, Hungarian Baptist Aid leaders who are doing such an amazing work in many of the world as troubled spots eg. Iraq and disaster areas. They are often first on the scene with their search and rescue teams. It was sickenning to hear the plight of hundreds of children who have been taken and are being abused in the child sex trade that is rife across Eastern and Western Europe. Children are taken from the streets and orphanages and sold into a terrible abusive world - money paid by the West to satisfy depraved minds and evil deeds. |
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It was great to meet Margaret Pitt who is working with the BMS as a teacher of English as a foreign language. We met with Church pastors, church plants and a facinating pastor who had been wondergfully converted as a gypsy and now is being used of God to plant churches amongst the thousands of gyspsy' who live in Hungary, Romania and Transalvania. |
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| We are all well as a team and enjoying the experience of being on the road and sharing with many people. We are just about to cross the border into Croatia where I am speaking four times in 2 days!!! and then on to Italy for a busy weekend of meeting people, lecturing, leading workshops etc. We will then have a few dayss to reflect and rest in France. | |||
| Monday 4th Afternoon... | |||
Sunday morning saw us leading the service for the Sarka Valley Community
Church here in Prague. An English speaking service helped matters
considerably as we based the liturgy around our Morning Office.
It was such a privilege to be with people from many nations and over an
Agape meal at lunch time to listen and learn of the experiences of these
brothers and sisters in Christ. Lina and Linas from Lithuania who having
been trained at IBTS are now splitting their time here teaching and
overseeing the Baptist Union in their homeland. Lina came from four
generations of Baptists and her ancestors, who embraced the faith under
Communist rule, were sent to Siberia. The tales of oppression, persecution
and suffering for the gospel are both terrifying and thrilling. |
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Parush from Bulgaria is on the staff of IBTS. He was a brilliant scientist, and a member of the Communist party who came to faith through the witness of the Catholic and Baptist communities that he came across in his travels. A key figure in his journey to faith was the Cardinal Karol Wojkyla in Poland. It was with sadness yet thankfulness that Parush mourned the death of the Pope John Paul II last night. It will be an interesting experience being in Italy next weekend as Catholics and others the world over grieve the loss of their Pontiff. We are out tomorrow night in the city with Parush. | ||
| Match the people to the possessions / experiences:
Who has brought a hairdryer with them? |
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| Issues / Experiences to Ponder: Asking the children of missionaries where they lived and they didn't seem to have any place that they called home... the good and the bad influences of Western Culture on emerging and developing Eastern European nations... meeting people who have lived under very oppressive Communist regimes... hearing from people with amazing testimonies and meeting some who have really known persecution an suffering for the sake of the gospel.... Why the Brits can't hold their drink.... Such amazingly good transport systems... the spiritual heritage of Europe but where is their evidence, particularly in the Western Europe of spiritual life and health today? |
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The similarities between the 'community' here at IBTS and our own Community - dispersed but banded together. The relationship between Baptists and Catholics where there is much spiritual and missiological resonance which is very unexpected but fascinating. How dance is being accepted, welcomed and being used to engage with people, build relationships and give freedom to people. Amazing transport systems - on time, clean and people getting up to offer their seats to older people... before you think - no, we had to remain standing!!! | ||
Sunday 3rd. Greetings from Prague in the Czech Republic on what is a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the temperature is a warm 20oC and we have enjoyed a relaxed day walking around this amazing city. |
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After a good night’s sleep we enjoyed breakfast and spent an hour chatting with Keith Jones who is the Rector here at the International Baptists Theological Seminary. What an amazing place with a fascinating history. The buildings have been used for various noble and ignoble purposes and its story is one of contrasts: during the Nazi Occupation it was used by the SS; Jewish children, whose parents had been rounded up and killed or sent off to concentration camps, were housed here by the Germans before being separated and sent either to German adoptive parents if the child had blue eyes and looked Arian, otherwise they taken off to the concentration camps and a premature death. |
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During the bleak and oppressive years under Communist rule, which ended with the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the buildings were used to develop weapons and technology for the military in the Cold War. At other times it was used as a place for interrogation. A truly awful and evil history but one that has now been cleansed and redeemed through prayer, presence and the living out of the faith that is rooted in the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. | ||
A very moving moment occurred as we were eating breakfast. Over the other side of the dining hall we noticed a group of students who are here at the Seminary studying and training for ministry and mission. On one table seven different Eastern European nations were represented. These included a former Serbian Army Officer who had witnessed in the ethnic cleansing associated with the bloody conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. Now a believer with a heart for God and for his country he was sharing with former Communists, people who were devout secularists who having coming to faith have not only experienced God’s changing their lives but who have a real heart for the transformation and healing of their people and lands. It really brought home to me how petty and trivial much of Western church life is like and how we spend so much time on the minor and peripheral matters of faith and practice when the big issues of ecclesiology and missiology e.g. what is the ‘church’ and how do we relate and engage with culture are neglected. Of course there are problems here that the church faces and talking with folks in Prague it is clear that so many of the churches in Europe, both East and West are simply not engaging at all with their cultures and seem locked into a way for living out the gospel that is either redundant or irrelevant. Walking around the streets of this breathtakingly beautiful city you cannot help but be fascinated by its history. People, events, revolutions, influences from within and without have shaped the Czech Republic . Its Austrian Hungarian legacy included less favourable aspects of bureaucracy that heightened under Communist rule. Some here would regard Brussels bureaucracy as welcoming compared to systems endemic here in the culture that has seen corruption rife and cancerous. It’s future is as part of the European Union and whilst we are using Crona as currency it is hoped that the nation will be able to adopt the Euro by 2007. Sitting drinking lovely coffee outside a café in the Old Town Square watching and listening to people you get a glimpse of how some of the values of European culture reflect Kingdom values; forgiveness and reconciliation for past wrongs, tolerance, respect, appreciation of art, architecture, education, place, people and hospitality. |
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| It was also very noticeable that on a very busy Saturday with the streets thronged with crowds of tourists that the place was quite by Western standards. There was no background noise other than that of conversation, live music and a few cars. The only exception to this was the sound of drunken Brits, several groups who were over for Stag or Hen party celebrations. Without exception where there was noise, loutish behaviour, aggro in the air, and Police in observational attendance was where there were Brits! Very sad.. Other nations drink, have all kinds of social problems but we are fast becoming the binge drinking nation of Europe . Why and what’s that all about? – Answers on a postcard!!! |  |
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It was fantastic to walk around the Jewish Sector and see the Synagogue. Hitler whose plan was to exterminate the Jews wanted to build a museum in Prague in memory to the nation that he had rid the world of. Thank God he failed. We have just arrived back at the Seminary for a couple of hour’s rest before we venture down into the centre again tonight to eat and experience the vibrancy of the city at night. Amazing architecture, live music everywhere, concerts, exhibitions and fine café’s restaurants are luring us back. |
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I will spend the rest of the day preparing for the Croatian Baptist assembly that I am speaking at later in the week. On Monday I am doing two lectures and the rest of the team will help in leading a workshop. We are also leading the two chapel service on Monday and Tuesday mornings, using our Daily Office which is used here on occasions at the Seminary – amazing stuff. We value your interest and continuing prayer support. A minor but important matter. The technology hoped for has failed for some unknown reason. Do pray that we can sort it out and be able to send and receive emails using my Mobile phone. Thanks and take care Roy |
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| Saturday 2nd April | |||
Landing in Holland the sun shone and the mist of England became a distant memory. We traveled onto De Spil at Giessenberg where we were warmly welcomed by Victor and Tonni. After a meal we ventured out on Victor’s boat and spent a wonderful hour on the river near their house, relaxing, talking and praying. We then spent a very special time in the very special chapel sharing in De Spil’s Evening Prayer. Over a glass of wine we put the world, the church and ourselves to right but somehow the next morning we, the church and the world didn’t seem to have significantly been transformed!!! |
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After a few hours [5] we were up early and away for the long drive [c. 600 miles] to Prague. Germany, to my mind is such a different culture. Its autobahn service areas are all wonderfully clean and efficient, its people whom we met very friendly in a kind of aggressive way, and their graciously helping us out given the poverty of our command of the3 German language. It’ just the feeling that there are rules and protocol that must be adhered to or else!! | ||
Calling at Koln and Nuremberg in Germany we arrived safe and well in Prague . Koln is big, industrial and busy with lots of wooded areas and several parks, huge zoo and the gigantic River Rhine running through its heartland. Nuremberg is beautiful in the centre and ugly at the edges, [I guess like most cities] The experience of being there was interesting because of its chequered history. A real serendipity moment was when we met a Ghanaian who had a stall selling wood products. We brought two wonderful symbols, both depicting Community and family – figures that though separated were joined – all made out of the one piece of wood. Of course this guy was Christian, we embraced and blessed one another and made an exhibition of ourselves by the enthusiasm with which he greeted us and we blessed him. This is one of those things that may have broken German protocol and which worried us a little until we were safely over the border and into the Czech Republic . A long day – a good day – car, drivers and passengers behaving impeccably so long as driving at high speeds is not a sin… That’s all for now folks…………… |
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| DAY 1 and already plans are changing. |
Setting off | ||
Our venture which will take us as wanderers across Europe, began well as Richard Starkie, on holiday from Birmingham, came across to the chapel at Nether Springs for Morning Office and bade Mel and I farewell from Northumberland. It was wonderful to have shared with the Community at our annual Easter Workshop over the weekend and to have enjoyed the company of Joshua and his friends from Oxford on Monday at our home and it was great to see Ben and Judith, who arrived from Belfast the night before we left, and they, together with Shirley, Francesca and Joshua, waved us off and prayed that we might ‘return home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown us’. |
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| Mel and I popped in to see my parents briefly on Tyneside and met up for a sandwich and drink with Gayle-Anne in York before journeying down to meet Tom and Ed who were travelling by train to the ferry port. Plans changed with a phone call to the mobile from Stena who informed us that our ferry that night had been cancelled and we could either get the late night freight ferry, which involved an 8 hour crossing and with no beds, or the fast ferry the next morning, so we opted for that option. This resulted in a series of phone calls and diverting Tom and Ed and rerouting them to Norwich where we picked them up and then moved on to my cousins at Top Farm at Marsham in beautiful, rural Norfolk. We had a really pleasant evening enjoying the superb welcome and hospitality of Clive and Evelyn and were able to relax over a superb meal and several glasses of good wine before retiring to our beds for a good night’s sleep ready to leave this morning for Harwich and the catching of the Stena fast ferry across to the Hook of Holland and onto De Spil at Giessenburg in Holland where we will spend time with Victor, Tonny and others until we leave for our longest drive tomorrow to Prague in the Czech Republic. I’d felt in the early stages of preparing the trip that Top Farm might have been a good place to gather together prior to our journeying abroad but had ruled it out on the grounds of timings so it was ironic that we ended up in a place that has been very special to me over the years. Significant, not least, because my Uncle and Aunt who were my God-parents had a telling influence on my life prior to my coming to faith as I spent many a happy summer holiday down on the farm. They have since died and I’ve had the privilege of conducting both their funerals and its been a joy to get to know my cousin and her husband and in recent years to have spent some lovely holidays with Shirley and other members of our family back at Top Farm, which for the last two years and again this summer will see me spending a couple of days driving a tractor and cutting the ‘set-aside’. |
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Tom expressed in the car as we travelled down to Harwich this morning that he felt it had been just right to go to the farm and it was good to see how everyone else concurred the feeling. I had informed Clive that among our party we had a dancer and he needed no help in discerning who it was! Ed has informed us that he has worked on some of the music from the Office and other liturgies and that we all have to sing ‘May the Road Rise’ in falsetto - a task that can only be accomplished by wearing tight trousers! |
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Roy, Ed, Mel and Tom |
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We discussed what names people preferred to be known by as Tom informed us that Thomas is better in certain European countries than Tom, Ed would be Edward, it sounded nobler. I was happy with Roy because it means king in French and it could only be shortened to ‘oy’ anyway and Mel will need to be Melanie in order to alleviate any accommodation embarrassment, but you’ll appreciate that if peoples suspicions are aroused by her being a dancer they may be further confounded when people realise that her name Melanie comes from a root meaning Messenger of Darkness so we are working on another name for her and we’re trying to use the appalling photographs on our passports to help us in finding some possible new names! It’s been a good experience sharing the Office together on two occasions as we’ve been driving and we are grateful for the focus today on our wanderings. We’re really looking forward to being with the folks at De Spil and linking up with some of the group who journeyed over to our Easter Workshop at Nether Springs. Do pray for us that we get another good night’s rest and that we have a good albeit long drive, over 550 miles, to Prague tomorrow. Pray for Tom’s back, Ed’s sense of humour and Mel as she copes with being on the road with three middle-aged men. For protection on all our travels and that God will lead us and bring people across our paths as he directs and also that we settle into an appropriate rhythm of the day for our time of journeying and being together. |
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Our reading material varies and you can guess who is reading what - Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Jeff Lucas’ Grace Choices; Are You Dave Gorman? and a French Phrase Book; The Non-Violent Atonement (no guessing that’s Ed’s book!) and the Changing Landscape of Europe… We’ve just passed a marker buoy and the ferry is now gently swaying as we are now six miles out from the English coast. Visibility is poor but the sun is trying to break through and dispel its enveloping mist. The skipper (driver as one of our party ignorantly called him!) has just put the throttle down and we are like a huge speed boat now racing across to the Hook. We’ll be in touch technology and operators competency allowing in a few day’s!
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Christ of the heavens, King of the mysteries, angels will watch over me. Lord, I will trust You, Christ of the mysteries, can I trust You Extract from the Brendan liturgy |
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