Monday, August 30, 2010

My Missions Trip to Europe....July 18-Aug 9, 2010

My Missions trip began in Rome, Italy where I attended a conference called Transform 2010. I can't begin to explain how it affected me! I sat everyday listening to the experiences of people who have given their lives to bringing people of various religions or no religions at all to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

After my first week in Rome which included an outreach ministry day in the city at the Coliseum. The Conference attendees all dispersed to various parts of the Mediterranean to begin our missions ministry. 12 of us left for Bosnia. Bihac to be exact. It was more than beautiful...the sky even looks more majestic than here in the states.

The first week, I did my concert in the town Center and it was absolutely a hug from heaven to the listeners. God just blessed it! At the end, the babies came on stage and danced to "stomp" I could see some mothers putting their babies on the stage and I would stoop down to them and sing....God really blessed the concert so that I could use the children's coming without fear on stage to God wanting them to come to Him without fear and how He would accept them with His love....Thank you Lord!

The American Night we had was a smashing success! Shirley made passports and we had dishes from every region of the US. I made my famous peach cobbler!

Well, The Lord wasn't done with us...cause in the park every day we did programs and made one on one contacts that lasted to date! God saved someone and He is drawing others even now!

It's amazing how I saw hardly any African Americans in Rome at the Conference! It is so important to reach out beyond our own existence and feel the needs of the world, to pray for people who need God and countries with needs that only prayer will provide.

My goal is to speak to churches about missions....especially African American churches....We have to open up our hearts beyond what we can see....we just have to!

Contentment where ever I am....Please help me Lord!

Well, it's August 30th and I returned from my missions trip on August 9th and I find myself getting restless for travel, for missions, for working for the Lord...but I return to my 9-5 job letting my light shine and trying to stay above the mountain of paperwork that is required of me.

But I know that this experience has made God so much more real to me. He answered prayers and He challenged us to prove Him to stand by His Word and He came through!

So much to tell and show much to share

The Irv Grip!