Tales From Wales
Clean Slate's 1999 European Tour
Part IV of IV.
Hi again! Here's the last installment detailing our trip to Wales, followed by some
observations.
Click here to return to Part III.
Day 6: Thursday, 14 Oct 1999
Wow! Our last full "work" day in South Wales came all too sudden. We
woke to realize that nobody'd believe we actually spent an entire week overseas if we
didn't have any souvenirs to show for it! Today was the day to remedy that problem. 
Actually, from
Monday night's concert at the Pentecostal Church in Hirwaun, we had been invited to a
church in Ebbw Vale [EB-ba-Vale] (a few valleys to the east). We piled in the van to go
see the church (which had a radio station on-site that usually aired their Sunday services
live) and participate in a quick radio interview taping. We don't really know what that
was for or where it may lead, but the folks there were kind enough to provide us with a
little 'seed money' for working on our first recording.
From there, we headed to Brecon, a village situated near the Brecon Beacons National Park.
This is the highest mountain range in South (all of?) Wales, and was quite a scenic drive.
We found a tourist shop in Brecon to stock up on gifts for folks back home, and then
returned to Pentrebach for the afternoon.
Keith, Marge and Rich had the opportunity that afternoon to go to a public high school
religion class. 
The teacher began the class by saying: "We're
learning about Christianity, can you tell us why you are Christians?" After we gave
testimonies we had about an hour of questions and answers. Many kids participated with
thoughtful questions. It was amazing enough to have that kind of in depth conversation
with teenagers, but more shocking that it was in a public high school.
That evening would be our last concert for the trip, 
and we spent the time
quietly setting up the equipment and reflecting on what a terrific week it had been. The
concert tonight contained a number of Praise and Worship songs which we normally do in
church on Sundays, and it was a wonderful time of singing and sharing with the folks who
had become solid friends and brothers/sisters in the Lord during our brief but intense
stay there. At the end of the concert, we asked one of our sponsors, a surprised David
Balsom, to help lead us in singing "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah...", which he
did wonderfully.
------
Prior to the trip, we had been told that the average Christian is
approached seven times by someone or some event bringing to him or her the Gospel message
before they accept Christ into their life in a real and meaningful way. Bob shot back
(just like him, eh?) that since we had 8 people in the band, we'd be guaranteed to at
least affect one person significantly during the trip!!!
Well, we did indeed have one person who was with us the entire
week, who heard our songs and testimony and literally couldn't escape the message we
carried to Wales. That person was Johnny, the sound technician we had hired to handle all
the sound equipment for us during the week. I believe the Lord had selected Johnny
especially for this experience, just as he had selected each of us who traveled on this
trip without our even knowing it. You see, Johnny's a busy guy (he works sound as a
full-time job). But it just 'happened' that the period from Sunday to Thursday night
during the week we were in Wales was wide open (on short notice) in his schedule. He was
able to commit to us for the entire time, and was with us every step of the way. We
invited him to lunch, to the pubs, and even into our pre-concert prayers during the week.
He mentioned several times that he had not ever experienced anything quite like this
group, and was genuinely affected by the ministry he received during the week. He offered
me a ride home as I completed teardown of the drum equipment this last night, and we spent
about an hour together discussing topics all over the map. On the way home, in the easiest
conversation I've ever had with someone regarding their belief in God, I asked (on behalf
of the group, really, because I knew that if I didn't get to 'brass tacks' on this one
that the band wouldn't let me come home with them!) if Johnny had a personal relationship
with the Lord. He said he felt he had at one time, but that he felt distanced now. I asked
why he felt that way, and he indicated that he didn't think his prayer life was what it
should be. We sat, blocking traffic in Aberfon, as I prayed with Johnny that he would
discover a renewed prayer life. And as I 'finished' my little prayer, Johnny joined in
with a very moving and powerful prayer of his own.
Words can't really describe the feeling we shared at that moment, but I am certain that we
each left that evening as changed individuals. Johnny with a sincere desire to lead a more
prayerful life, and with renewed interest in establishing a relationship with Christ; and
I with an incredible awe of the power of God in answering prayers, providing opportunities
to witness, and an incredible feeling of closeness with each person who shared this
mission trip.
How do you measure 'success' in this kind of trip? We
thought at the outset that our success would be in simply going and fulfilling a mandate
to witness and share the love of Christ with others "to the ends of the Earth."
Well, in a way, this is perfectly correct. The only 'failure' one could experience would
be in having such an opportunity and choosing not to go.
However, I can tell you first hand that this trip was successful beyond any of our wildest
imaginations. It was an eye-opening experience to see the way in which evil works in
different parts of the world. But the Lord is present there as well, and is ever more
powerful than any evil can ever be. Though we felt uneasy at times, we never felt
abandoned, or disconnected, or lonely, or homesick. We felt right at home, and even
enjoyed the slight mis-communications that came from the differences in our respective
cultures and languages. But we felt a very strong presence of the Lord in these valleys;
more so really than we've come to expect here at home. And this has taught us to be more
aware of what's going on around us, including right here in Vermont. We've been given
skills and experiences on this trip which I hope will live on in our ministry locally
(music or otherwise), and wherever God leads us next.
It's been an overwhelmingly humbling experience, to think that God would bless our small
band of individuals with such an overwhelming mission, and then stand right with us
throughout the entire journey, guiding, directing, and helping our every action. And, as a
group, we have come to grow so close to one another that, once again, words really don't
do the experience justice. At this point, I feel that just a quick glance with one of my
fellow teammates communicates such a range of knowledge and understanding and shared
experience that I can't express it except to say that it seems to be just a hint of how
our new lives in Heaven will be!
What a joy this trip was! Thanks to those who made it possible, and know that if you
simply ask, the Lord can provide you with such an experience as well!
Pray, read the Bible, go to Church, sing, encourage one another. It really is just that
simple! Wonderful things will follow!
Pob Bendith (Every Blessing),
