Polish Tour 06

The three shows in Poland have come and gone already, the first in Warsaw, the second in Poznan, and the third in Wroclaw. This tour was very difficult for Jacek, our promoter in Poland, to get together because it seemed that all of the venues' "yes"es became "maybe"s and closer to the tour dates, "no"s. So we were only able to play in three places this year in Poland. In spite of what we thought were troubles, God has done unexpected things and great things.

At each show there were people that felt God's presence in a real and sincere way, not based on emotions, which left them excited and driven to find out how to live in a relationship with God. One of the guys from No Longer Music, Dave, said he was amazed how a girl at the show in Wroclaw "just got it", understanding God's heart for her, and was sincere and desperate to know how to live in a way that would make a difference. I was able to pray with a high-school aged girl named Marta at the same show who was there with her sister and friend, who are both Christians. She had decided during the show that what she was seeing was the truth, and that she wanted to follow God. I could tell that she had been very touched, and that her sister was very excited for her and glad to have her as a spiritual sister now.

At the first show in Warsaw, God used what we thought was a mistake as a way to show us to have flexible expectations and as a way to encourage David and the rest of us. The show had been promoted mainly in churches because of the lack of time, which is not the specific people group that the show was made for. Many people who had heard No Longer Music before, or who had become Christians at No Longer Music shows in years past came to this concert. In the end, those who responded were responding to a rededication of their lives to God. So instead of our idea that it would be a show that would reach people who would have never heard the gospel presented, it was a show that reaffirmed and encouraged Christians to live a life that is radical.

A large part of the reason we're on this short Polish tour, we've discovered, is to be with the band members of Huinca from Chile. Last fall we toured in Chile for the first time and Mauricio and Cocke, two members of Huinca, set up our tour there, though they weren't Christians. Cocke became a Christian during that time, and we saw God's heart and hopes for Mauricio, Flavio, and Miguel and invited them to tour with us in Poland. God has been getting closer and closer to their hearts in good and trying ways. So please keep them in your prayers as we spend the next seven days together at the SLOT festival before parting ways.

So in the next few weeks this is what will be happenning:

7.19-7.23 SLOT fest, a large Polish festival put on by Christian steiger people. Please be praying that every motion for people to know God will be fruitful.
7.24-7.28 Steiger gathering, where as many people in steiger get together to share and pray together.
7.29 another NLM concert in Poland
8.3-8.6 Freakstock Christian festival in Germany where NLM will play.
8.9-8.14 Tour in Turkey. Please be praying for our safety and for God to use us powerfully in a muslim country.

Thanks very much for reading, and I look forward to telling you about the things God does in these coming times.

Love,
Christa