Polish ASI and Rosario Beach, WA.

Polish ASI

It isn’t hard to grasp the potential for the advancement of the gospel and for the support of the Seventh-day Adventist Church inherent in ASI. Recently, I was party to something truly impressive. I traveled to Poland in December (not recommended.) It was predictably humid, cold, snowy and gloomy grey. Be that as it may, I did have a wonderful opportunity to speak five times at the Polish ASI Convention.

(Ten times at Springs of Life.)

The convention was remarkable. ASI Poland has only sixteen members, yet they attracted 220 people to the meetings. They managed to host the people on a shoestring by using a church and a school for the venue and church member’s homes for accommodation. The food was excellent, even if we did have to sit on top of each other. The music was uplifting and best of all more than half of the congregation was young people. It seemed at times to be a combination of ASI and GYC. The bulk of the reports were from activity generated by young people, sponsored by ASI. Besides that, this small group raised more than 170,000 ZT (over $40,000) and you can’t help but see the power built into this organization, both for evangelizing the country and for the training of young witnesses.

Poland’s little ASI is so successful that the SDA Union in Ukraine sent a delegation to the convention to learn how they might establish an ASI organization in their country. Where the church allows ASI to harness the power of the business and lay people, wonderful things happen.

Rosario Beach, WA

It's Christmas!!! Well, it's actually Boxing Day. Fortunately, not one of the fourteen people here doesn't like his or her gift. We kind of set that up on Christmas Eve. We told stories of people in our past who were not happy with the gifts they were given. Everyone thought the stories funny and vowed to like whatever came their way. So they did and we had a wonderful time. 

We are spending Christmas at a place called Rosario Beach on the Pacific coast. Wonderful. Wet, yes, but wonderful anyhow. (The Rosario Beach Camp is owned by Walla Walla University.) In Cashmere we had snow to our eyebrows. Well, very low eyebrows. The kids spent every minute available to them sliding down off the mountain. They were soaked all the time, but apparently had great fun.  

Our next adventure will be at GYC in Seattle. The whole gang is going except Steve and the twins. Christina did her best to sign up people for GYC. Apparently, if you sign up so many people you get free registrations. So she signed up a bunch and would give the free registrations to those who couldn't afford to go. In the end, she managed to bring more than sixty people to GYC. 

The girls, Vanessa, Brianna, Christina, Elie, Natalie, and Dakota are singing at GYC. They do a fantastic job of it. (Check out Angie's blog for pictures of our Rosario experience.) 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Poland

I am in Poland. It's been five days already and I have preached seven times so far. Two more times to go before I preach five times at the Polish ASI Convention. The experience is more than pleasant. I have very good friends here and I am treated like a king. Who can ask for more. Allow me to share some few experiences with you:

1. I didn't sleep on the flight over. I read and read and read in the biography of Dwitght Eisenhower--Soldier, President. Great book. I am living with Robert and Annia Kuczek. Their little girls, Ola and Lilly, are dolls.

2. I preached on the very day I arrived. I was in better shape than I expected. The meetings are very well attended. I often wonder if there is a lack of good speakers in Poland, or if there are few sermons here that deal with real issues. In any case I appreciate being appreciated.

3. I slept until  fourteen hours the first night. The people must have thought I died. They came to check up on me after noon. The second night I slept till 11:30 PM  and then from 3 o'clock to 8. I guess I'm doing well under the grey Polish sky.  I know most of the people.

         4.  Last night, I spoke on Mary and Martha. All the Mary's among us are delighted. They think
              they don't have to work hard, only pray. The Marthas are dejected because they have enough trouble getting the Marys to work. They are begging for longer meetings. I preach for one hour every day, now they want an hour and a half per meeting.

5. I went swimming on day four in a geo-thermal pool . . . hot springs. I'm always cold in Poland, and even the hot springs are not hot enough to keep me happy, but it was relaxing nevertheless.

6. I also saw a dentist. This lady dentist was appalled that my dentist in Loveland wanted to remove two teeth. She says the roots are strong and we ought to build on them. She would take two weeks to do the job and I figure at one third the price. She glued my teeth back in with no guarantee that they will stay put. She used what she called super glue. I'm sure it is dental glue, the best available to her. She charged $20. I gave her $40 just because I like dentists.

7. Today, I toured the building Dr. Grazyna uses for lifestyle sessions. It's a palace. Amazing really. It cost $3.5 million to build and it may be for sale. I wouldn't buy it, but if they can continue to rent it. It wows the guests for sure.

8. I have two more sermons to preach here.  I didn't think I would be asked to speak so much. I brought just enough sermons, but I am now searching my computer for something more relevant. A wealthy man came with his wife last night to the meetings. He, with the rest, was quite delighted with what he heard. I'm trying to encourage him to come to the ASI meetings. So far, he is not coming. I spent some time with the ASI president. Nice fellow. Can't speak English, but he assures me that anything I preach will be wonderful. Well, I don't know about wonderful, but I am not too worried about the situation.

9. Leo Schreven: I knew Leo fairly well. I sincerely feel bad. I surely didn't agree with all of Leo's style and theology, but I liked the man and wouldn't wish him any kind of hurt. I am sorry to hear of his death.  

10. I can't wait to go home. Not that I am unhappy in Poland. I guess there is no place like home, even if things are pretty lonely there as well.  

11. Jed Franklin sent a donation of $20,000 to be split up between India (Bill Dull), David Gates, Janet and Jason. Some friends sent $2500 for my wife's project, as well.  

         12. Walter Veigh is charged in Germany with sedition and anti-semitism. Not good news.
     
         Blessings to all.