BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (May 31-June1)

Finally, a day of rest as we arrived in the afternoon from Strasbourg without the worry of an evening service. We used the time to go downtown for dinner near "Le Grande Place," the medieval plaza of the city, which is over 1,000 years old. Below are some pictures with the 1,000-year old fecods of the square in the background. Yvette & Joseph Dimitrov (the academic dean at Continental Theological Seminary) and Matthieu & Rachel Lemaire (Cambrai) met Jennifer and me for dinner, and we had a great time reminscing some of the crazy happenings of our past trips (including the notorious trip down Eastern Europe to Greece & Turkey about 17 years ago, during which Joseph was our interpreter). Here we are on "restaurant row" near Le Grande Place.

Friday, June 1 (performance for a school and an evening service)

Today, we had two performances. First, a Christian school in the morning,

SWITZERLAND & THE ALPS (cont'd) TO BELGIUM

FRIBOURG, SWITZERLAND (Sunday night, May 27)

From the morning church service in Nyon, the team traveled a couple of hours away to Fribourg, which is near Gruyere Castle, the place from which the famous (and delicious) cheese is exported (a slice of which costs more than a steak in Texas!). We had a special performance for Youth, and stayed in various home ... Jen and I staying on a country farm with the same folks that Luke and I stayed with before. Last time, Luke and I got up at 5 AM to watch them milk their cows, but this time they had quit the MILK business for raising beef for food ... a lot less labor-intensive, they explained.

LUGANO, SWITZERLAND (May 28)

This morning we left Fribourg back south (through Lucern) to Lugano, which is a Swiss city just north of Milan, and just across the Italian border. Here we would be for performances for two days---Monday and Tuesday. I'll tell you about it later, since it is now 5 AM, and I need a couple hours sleep before driving to Paris. But, I will leave you with a few pictures of us in the snow (before a snowball fight) and our "fun in the Alps." The snow appeared and disappeared as we climbed, then descended from the higher altitudes.


The picture (below) of the Lake is the view from our hotel window, and ... we were only a lake away from Lake Como, infamous home of George Clooney (LOL).



As we drove back north through the Alps on our way to Brussels via Lucerne, then Strasbourg, France, the Lord provided beautiful driving weather so we could enjoy more of the beautiful mountain countryside. These shots below are just typical of what we saw all the way to France.





The long drive necessitated an overnight stop in Strasbourg, where we visited the town center with buildings and a cathedral dating to the early part of the second millenium (circa 1200-1400 AD). Here is a photo of the team in front of the cathedral.

Central France & Switzerland

VICHY & CLERMONT-FERRAND, FRANCE (May 22-24)

After leaving the French Riviera, we spent the night in Chateauneuf de pape, after visiting the ruins of the old castle ("Chateauneuf de Pape" means the 9th Chateau of the Pope), and having a late lunch there (after visiting a couple wineries, which they call "caves") and dinner in Orange. The Roman ruins are everywhere around here, for this Rhone River valley is some of the most fertile soil making the best wines (Cotes du Rhone) in the world, including Vacqueres, Gigondas, and, of course, Chateauneuf de Pape. (Pastor Jean-Francois Bussy in Nyon, Switz. suggested that we stop here). Quite an interesting excursion.

Cutting the distance to Vicy in half, we did not have to drive so far on Wednesday that we were worn out for the service. And what a service it was! Several came forward for salvation, and we prayed for many others. The auditorium was full, as have been every service/performance we've had.



Then we journeyed to Clermont-Ferrand, only about 50 miles away, for another wonderful service with a packed house. Pastor Jean Keuchkerian booked these last two services ... and, of course, arranged housing for everyone. Here are a few pictures of the services in these two churches.








ORBE, SWITZERLAND (May 25)

We re-entered Switzerland on Friday for 6 more services from Friday to Tuesday, driving around Lake Geneva to a village just outside Lausanne (on the northside). A beautiful little medieval town, the old buildings protude stoically from the mountain side, and little restaurants cater to those who want to have a snack and coffee outside on the sidewalk. The performance was arranged by Pascal Donzé, the head of the Salvation Army branch there, and held in the town hall. There was another packed house, with standing room only, and this performance was intented for an evangelistic outreach ... for those who rarely darken the door of a church. In a little town like this, any published event brings nearly the whole community together, and we saw our posters everywhere ... making us feel like celebrities (LOL).

Everyone stayed at a large multi-story farm house, which normally served as a "bed and breakfast" (cutely decorated. It was up in the mountains, and the view (pictured here) was awesome. Ah-h-h! That clean mountain air and pure water, which you can drink directly from the tap! Why don't we have this in Texas?

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (May 26)

On Saturday, after waking up in the fresh mountain air of the Alps, we went into Lausanne only 20 miles away to have lunch and look around before setting up for our evening service in an Afro-Swiss church, pastored by Jean Zida. A predominantly black church, they responded enthusastically to both our message and the rythm of our music, including the hip-hop (rap).

NYON, SWTIZERLAND (Sunday morning, May 27)

It was so good to be back with our close friend, Pastor Jean-Francois Bussy at his church, "Le Cedre" in Nyon. Jean-Francois is the one responsible for making contacts for us and securing our engagements in Switzerland, and some in France as well.

The service was so anointed, and the recording-quality sound system was an ease and added blessing to enhance the effectivenss of our program.

Afterwards, we were treated to another one of Jean-Francois and his wife Claudine's famous meals at their house. Included here are a few shots of our time of fellowship and R&R at his house.




















(NOTE: I'm trying to finish this before we return home, including pictures of the last two weeks. I'm sorry, BUT I really have hardly been able to get online long enough to even check my mail, much less to upload anything. In fact, I have been able to "receive" mail but not "send" it ... and just discovered a way---through AOL! Ye-a-a!)

Southern France (French Riviera)

May 17-20 (Services Thursday through Sunday)
Thursday and Saturday nights we had evangelistic, outdoor presentations to non-church-goers with Alan Gage, who pastors a small Vineyard Fellowship in Nice, France. They were both held up in the hills (different locations), next to "perched villages," as they call them, and had nice turnouts at both locations. You could hear the sound echo through the hills, and neighbors even stopped in to see what was going on (Vineyard's intent). The people were blessed, and young people inspired to commit their lives to the purposes of the Kingdom---several even desiring to come to our center in Hungerford for training. (Pictures will follow soon).

May 18 & 20 in Toulon
On Friday night and Sunday morning we had services with Pastor Yannick and Christine Hellec in Toulon. What a church! Every time we go there we are so blessed, and blown away by the enthusiasm of the congregation. The church building is strategically located near the city center, and, aside from a parking problem, is an "oasis" in the midst of an unchurched society, presenting an effective evangelical, charismatic gospel message.

They always feed us after the services in a downstairs dining area, celebrating an apparent commitment to one another through fellowshipping by singing fun songs, telling stories, joking around and "passing the cup." Both services were a packed house, and they really relate to our music and testimonies. They just plain love StraightWay (flaws and all), and want to have us back every year. (Pictures coming)

May 19 in St. Tropez
If you haven't heard of St. Tropez, you must take the time to do a search for pictures, or, better yet, visit there some time. This little harbor town on the coast of the Riviera is a tourist favorite, where the rich and famous bring their multi-million dollar yachts into harbor for shopping. (Michael Jordan used to come here every year.) Only about an hour's drive from Cannes, this part of the coast line of the Riviera is absolutely breath-taking. The girls got to shop, eat and layout on the beach (not topless, though 1/2 of the women there did!), and watch the boats come in. Then we left for our evening service in the hills an hour away. (Pictures coming)

May 20 at "Cornerstone Christian Fellowship" (Sophia-Antipolis)
Sunday evening was a great rally of youth (almost exclusively) at James Mills' church, near Cannes. They had published leaflets of our posters, and about 200 people packed into their recently renovated facilities. The youth were genuinely touched, as Luke continued to lead the anointed team ... giving an "altar call" and praying for those in attendance. (Pictures coming)

Florence, Italy to an Incident in Nice, France

May 15-16
Leaving Milan, we drove to the French Riviera via Florence and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where we toured, shopped, and continued to maximzie our remaining hours in Italy by consuming as many different kinds of pasta as we could find (ha).

Now, to THE INCIDENT. Below you can see a picture of Daniel in a police car. No, he didn't get arrested, but was showing the French police to the street where we got robbed! While our cars sat next to an intersection, two young hoodlems opened the two doors on the passanger side of our big van grabbing both Ashley and Katie's purses, which they succeeded in taking.
Jen and I were in the van in front, and, upon hearing the screaming, Jen instructed Luke and Daniel to get out and chase them while praying in the Spirit that God would intervene. The girls were hysterical and crying after actual hand-to-hand combat, attempting to fight-off the robbers. Ashey sustained a cut in her hand from the struggle. The robbers ran into the alley and up into the upper floors of a tenament-housing project filled primarily by Muslims and immigrants from northern Africa. Luke and Daniel were told by people overlooking the balconies not to enter---that it was too dangerous (like a typical slum area).

Meanwhile Jennifer was calming the girls and said, "We need to pray that the Lord will confuse them, cause them to somehow be overcome with fear and just drop the purses with everything in them so Luke and Daniel can bring them back. One of the robbers had dropped a phone, and almost immediately called, at which time I commanded the robber, in the authority of Christ, the same thing the girls were praying. In a few minutes, Daniel and Luke came from the alley with the purses in hand with EVERYTHING in them---their passports, their credit cards, their money, even Katie's camera. The purses had been fetched from the 6th floor of the tenament building, where the robbers had "suddenly dropped them in fear." What a quick answer to prayer! Isn't it good to know that we have an "ever-present help in the time of need"? This was an event the kids will never forget, and, I'm sure they'll have more to tell you about it!

First Services in Milan, ITALY

May 12-13
After a beautiful drive through the Swiss Alps, our two vans arrived in the Milan area, where we all stayed at the villa-size house of international steel-transporting broker Aldo Egitto. Between their little village and their own kitchen, we were treated to some genuinely-delicious pasta!

The services were tremendously blessed, and several accepted Christ as the team ministered both in a morning service (packed out!) and an evening presentation in the church's restaurant/pub. The hosts commented on the anointing and meekness of Luke's leadership as an refreshing improvement over past years. Included below are a few pictures of our weekend in Milan:


While eating at a restaurant near Milan's Duomo Cathedral, Luke was able to play the piano and sing for the restaurant cliental and staff ... and got a standing ovation! Hopefully, some of those in attendance will check out our website and be exposed to the Gospel!

Arriving in Europe

May 9-10 - Arrive Geneva, Switzerland (Nyon)
Finally, after a 2-year rest break from the annual EuroTour, the StraightWay outreach team arrived in Europe after a rather comfortable flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Our faithful friend, Jean-Francois Bussy, who pastors in Nyon, was there at the Geneva airport to meet us, and we managed to fit all our luggage (barely!) into the 2 vans we leased for the month. Was everyone tired after our trip? Look at these pictures (LOL) -




Staying at his house for the rest of the day and the next (Thursday) allowed us some time to recuperate from jet lag before our rigorous tour, as well as visit the sites of Geneva for an afternoon---the Reformation Wall (commemorating John Calvin, Martin Luther and other Reformers, and the thousand year-old Cathedral (Saint Pierre), where John Calvin preached in the 1500's. As you see from the pictures (to be posted), everyone had a wonderful day, especially since the clouds and rain from the days from the days before disappeared to give us the "Texas sun"---a beautiful clear day!




Both evenings the team was treated by the notorious meals (and salads from his own garden) of Jean-Francois, including Switzerland's famous cheese fondue (with Gruyere cheese!).