It's the End of the Conference as We Know It (and I feel weepy)

Greg leading worship music, after talking about stuff.

We're back in Mukachevo. Yesterday morning Greg presented on various musical topics ("stuff," as you'll remember). I presented on being a pastoral worship leader - not a pastor, but pastoral. Then we closed with a worship service - a service which was a real gift from God.

A few of the conference participants, under Greg's leadership, led us musically and truly helped us worship God.

At the end of worship, as I was about to give the blessing, I became quite emotional - having to say good-bye to these new Ukrainian and Russian friends in Christ whom I may never see again. I hadn't expected to feel that way. No doubt I was tired : ) , but definitely also God had drawn us together in rich fellowship.

Me preaching with George interpreting.

Saying farewell was also touching. One participant grabbed a translator and came up to me afterward and made a point of saying that he's aware that in their culture their faces are often quite stern looking, but he assured me that's just their culture and that Greg and I should know that they appreciated our presentations very much. Indeed, most of the men gave us embraces before they left!

Pastor Robert, Lian, me, Greg, and Valya braving our way home.

Today was another wild ride on the roads of Ukraine back to Mukachevo (Pastor George sure knows how to strengthen a person's faith life!), where Abigail, Matthew, and Elizabeth de Vuyst greeted us with what we're learning is they're customary enthusiasm and volume. Four-year old Elizabeth, it seems, was upset earlier in the day because she's so small. Her point was proved later when she ran to her mom with a bruise on her head and when Sarah asked her what had happened, Elizabeth said, "I bumped into the floor." (Apparently another time, when the sun was shining in her eyes, Elizabeth was heard to say, "The sun is in my way." I do not want to mess with that child.)

Tomorrow we worship our God with the Mukachevo church one more time, and then off to Budapest, Hungary (not Romania, Carrie!) to enjoy that city for a day.

Peace,

Dave