SWAT REPORT # 29
07-16-05 (see pictures below)
PLEASE
READ ALL OF THIS REPORT
IT GETS MORE EXCITING THE FURTHER YOU GO
THE BIG MEETING
They came
they
came
they actually came
they listened
really listened
they got saved
they
really got saved
After much
intense prayer, fasting, labour, and advertising for this big meeting in the Dramatic
Theatre in downtown Brasov
they really did come. The first night they stood in
the rain for an hour before we opened the doors
about 450 of them filed into the hall
that seats 800. The singing and preaching was great and more than 31 people were
saved. At least that many put something definite on the back side of their
information card to the affect that they were saved. More were dealt with personally
and did not get a chance to fill out the card concerning salvation. The second night
over 500 came and only about 75 of those were returns from the first night. There
were many more that got saved on the second night but the total is not in yet. I
personally dealt with 11 people and prayed with them on their knees about their salvation.
I did not get any good photos of this event
they all just looked like a bunch of folk
walking into a building
or standing outside
the hall had spot lights so my
camera was not equipped for that kind of photography. They all received Bibles
in return for their information cards which will take a long time to follow up on all of
these. Many indicated a further interest beyond salvation and so tomorrow we will
see if that will translate into church attendance. Thanks to all who prayed and
fasted for this meeting
it was a huge success. Eternity will have to measure
this one.
MORE
EXCITING THAN BEALE ST !!!!!
(Acts 17:6
KJV) And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the
rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come
hither also;
What
could be more exciting than Beale St.? Well
turning Racos upside down
could. You may find this story hard to believe but I am still digesting it as I sit
and write it. We have a team of 20 Americans that came over from Bro. Logans
church to help with the BIG meeting and to experience the ministry
well
they
experienced it today. We send Dan to Racos village on Friday to spread the word that
we were going to have a combined church service in the public school. The mayor of
Racos had given his permission for us to use the school. The whole group of us
(about 30) went to Racos today and began by just strolling through part of the village
playing the accordion. We gathered many folk and had a Bible story service for the
kids and let the people know that we would be holding the meeting at 3:30 PM
as we
approached the school we saw scores of people walking toward the school
then we saw
hundreds of people waiting at the gates of the school but the gates were locked. Dan
went to get the mayor to open the gates but then the Orthodox priests came and confronted
us.
THE
FIGHT IS ON
Seems
that the word had spread to them. They openly confronted and opposed us and demanded
to see papers giving us permission to hold this meeting. The mayor had given us a
verbal promise and no papers had been given us by the mayor; not that we would have showed
them to the priests anyway.
(Eccl
10:4 KJV) If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for
yielding pacifieth great offences.
Bro.
Logan very masterfully handled the confrontation which now included a local policeman
filling
out some sort of information and demanding IDs and paperwork for the vehicles in an
authoritative attempt to scare us away. Phone calls were being made by all involved
all the while word was being spread in the town and people by the hundreds began to gather
well
that calls for a street meeting RIGHT!
so while Bro. Logan was handling all the
confrontational politics we held a street meeting singing and preaching to well over three
hundred in the middle of the street blocking everything in the middle of the town. (see
photo 4776 but understand that you cannot easily take a photo of 300 people who are all
around you) The people were very happy about us coming and were anxious to have a meeting
and hear about the Lord
so when Bro. Logan came and stood in the midst of all of this
he
announced that the priests would not allow us to hold this meeting
that we intended
to give Bibles away and a special treat for the kids but these priests would not
allow it
that the mayor had backed out of the deal
well
the people got very
upset
and started chanting, Bad Priests Bad Priests
and to us Dont
leave
Dont leave.
HELP
FROM Mr. C
I must interject here that while I was preaching to this crowd the man came up to
me whom I mentioned in my last report
who had come and kneeled down at my feet as I
preached
Mr. C
he had been saved but was addicted to the bottle and
wanted victory so very badly so I prayed with him and his wife and promised that I would
visit their home if he remained sober through this whole week. This man came up to
me while I am preaching to this huge crowd and we hug
he is sober as a judge and he
takes over the preaching
he tells the people of his village that he was a sinner and
that he got saved
didnt they want to be saved
by now things are really
heating up
we had a riot
almost literally
The priests are demanding equal
time to explain things to the crowd and the crowd is shouting them down.
LOYALTY
FROM OUR GYPSIES
The
gypsies whom we have led to the Lord and who attend our church in Brasov on Sunday are now
involved in this battle/riot
Mehai (you have seen his photo several times
he was
baptized last week) confronts the priest and demands to know why they wont let us
have the meeting
somebody pushed somebody and Mehai said, If I was not on
probation for beating someone, I would take care of you quickly. There is more
emotion in the crowd
more shoving
Mr. C was leading the people
toward the gate of the school with full intent on forcing it open
it was getting too
hot
we headed for the cars
Bro. Logan and Scott Suttle the pastor of Brent Logans
church in VA. got on top of my car (see photo entitled Racos) and started
throwing packets of goodies to the children and we started moving slowly through the crowd
I
dont know how many people had gathered by now but we needed to go
Believe me,
this is not the end of this story
this is the beginning
the dust may never
settle on this battle
if your ministry is boring
you need to transfer to the
eastern front.
Notice photo
#4657 just to show you the contrast of a modern electric power pole against the backdrop
of the primitive farming in Racos. I am fast getting used to these peculiar
contrasts.
Enjoying the
fight on the eastern front.
Gerald Sutek and the SWAT TEAM
for Christ
2
Tim. 1:8, Amos 5:10 |