Cowboy Missionary Activities

Loved Of The LORD, as I go along I will drop in different activities that a Cowboy Missionary find themselves doing, this post being one. You might find this bizarre, yet it makes a general point to what follows.

While ministering in our own ‘Hood’ (Neighborhood back Home) some of the homeboys would tell me that they were going to a different town to get away from the influence of their peers and the supply of their addiction that was always stumbling them. Nevertheless, when I would see them months or years later, I would hear the same stories repeatedly. Finding themselves in a different place it was only hours, if not minutes that they would hook up with the same type of crowd.

This must be typical with almost any kind or type of crowd. Missionaries are not any different, especially when the turf is open, thirsty, and hungry. The former USSR having been closed to any Spiritual happening for, … (what was it, … 80 years?) was really open to any Preacher, Mystic or Charlatan that had a god type message. One could spot the SLC Boys, even without their bicycles. They were there on ‘Humanitarian Aid’ Visas.

The Saws being there less than a year had already made connections with several evangelical groups. When I arrived on the scene, they were in the process of setting up a conglomerate organization to pool information, mostly on how to thread the needle of Belarusian Bureaucracies and use the different resources that were available.

It was amazing to see how Baptists, Pentecostals, Word Of Faith, Salvation Army and several others including the “NonDenom-Denomination” that I wrote about earlier were coming together to Publish The Good News, of course in their own flavors. Hadley being somewhat affiliated with them, back home and Pat had hooked up with their Minsk Church and were all a part of it. It was working Great and The Ministries were contributing, mostly on how to go about registering with the (Government Agency) ‘Ministry Of Religious Affairs’. The SLC crowd had it figured out at the get go, as to skipping the Missions Registration and starting out with the Humanitarian Aid premise, and almost (If Not Outright) covertly introducing their Doctrine with their dispersing of aid. While discussing this during a meeting, it appeared as a possible way of skirting around the Biggest Hurdles and propagating The Gospel!

Soon there were containers coming in on a regular bases, and Pat somehow had us plugged in to the un-loading and stocking of clothes, foodstuffs and Medicine and in turn we partook of some of it to help in our Ministries. Everyone was generous and blessed to share!

Keep in mind that this was working great for the four months I was there. Yet for a closing note on this post; when my wife and I returned the following year, we found out that the ND-Denom had pulled out of the “Ministry Organization”, because Word Of Faith were a part of it! Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face, I was incredulous! The prejudice that was in The States finally made it self known in Belarus! How Sad!

OK Next week, some stories about the different ministries in action. i. e. Some Good News!

©2008

Missions: Hands On Training!

It must have been early evening when our train left Moscow, because I believe, it was early morning when we got to Minsk. Hadley and his crew were there to escort Ulia and to meet me, and Patrick and his family along with the gang that they had assembled to whisk me off to the Belarusian Daily happenings after I thanked Ulia for all the help..

The Saws had continued their domestic ministry of inviting people back in the States , mostly young men and women, around fifteen to twenty+ year olds, to their home even here in Minsk. After every Bible study there was always refreshments that ranged from different kinds of fruits to some times even big sausages that they would boil then serve hot later in the evening. You could watch them put on weight, especially the young men, as the economy was in hyper state of inflation and the Saws were partakers in ‘Seedtime and Harvest’ (Gen. 8:22) or sowing & reaping (2Cor. 9:6 & Gal. 6:7) depending on what Scripture you would explain their prosperity.

Their Children were impressed that they were living from the Giving that was generated from the limited deputation they generated. It was coming in regular intervals from diversified sources. Baptist Churches, Assembly Of God Congregations and different Friends, Relatives and Spiritual Associations involved in their support! Talk about The Body Of Christ being in one accord, and it was phenomenal in their situations.

So many times in The States, you would find the different factions warring with one another, because of Doctrine, Perspectives and Petty Dogmatic Beliefs.

Patrick was in charge of the design for the ministries per se. Buying Russian new testaments, tracts and what ever was needed. Jamie has told me that she kept track of monies, that were coming in and I know she was influential in the specifics of how it was being spent and getting done. She told me that they were functioning fully on about $500 USD a month, including, housing, food, Ministry and social travel and entertainment, that always included those who were being ministered to. All of that along with Visas and what ever it took to function in the bureaucracies of the strange laws and double standards of the former USSR. It does not take you long to learn to partake of the national economy and prices for the Locals when you are working on a limited income. There always seem to be enough!

Speaking about their economy, Inflation was so bad that they had added invisible Zeros to the only currency that was printed. It changed at least 3 times during those four months I was there. The 100-ruble bill was 1,000 rubles and before I left, I think it was a hundred thousand rubles, even tho it had only two zeros printed on it. The locals changed what money, oh yea some of my Russian is coming back. They exchanged their not needed ‘Dingy’ into $USD so it hung onto is value. I was still able to go to the Opera, Ballet, Circus and other forms of entertainment for the equivalent of an American dime. Jamie always seem to have some project lined up for the “Youth Ministry” and since I was a part of the Ministry, I also got an adequate education in ‘Culture” that I would not ever had at home. The following year my wife and I had to pay $1USD for the same thing, they had printed bigger denomination bills, and the invisible Zeros had disappeared. She was so pleased to having seen so many Operas and Ballets by the best professionals of those countries. Jamie was still at work educating the poor and providing some interesting outings!

BTW! Their bills look like Monopoly money and when I commented about it, I was told that a toy manufacturer had printed it for them. The following year it did look a little more sophisticated though.

Another step of Faith, the Saws were walking in, was they believed GOD to be their ‘Great Physician’, as not having any kind of medical plan, even if you had it, trusting their medical facilities in the former USSR, would have been a quantum Leap of Faith in itself. I was told that years ago their youngest daughter fell out of a hi-Chair and her shoulder was thrown out of joint. It was terribly painful and it took a hospital visit to get it back in shape. While playing in one of the many parks and thru a little horse play, her shoulder jumped out of place again. They knew what it was from their previous experience. Even with the grotesque look of the situation, she did not seem to be in much pain and this former Baptist, Now Bapticostal man laid hands on his daughter with the rest of the family in agreement and watched GOD restore it to its proper place.

Having a part in his Mentoring, the only thing better for me than hearing about it, would have been watching them do it!

A quick note on their Medical field: Their hospitals were like walking into the 1940’s in The States. One of the head Pediatricians who was also a Professor at one of the medical universities became a very good and dear friend of ours. She was a part of those who we were ministering to. My wife & I loved her and her dedication to the children of need in her country very much. A year or two after we came back home she was chosen to visit some of our hospitals here in the US and we were told that she cried when she seen what was available & used to help our disabled children here!

By the time I arrived in Belarus the Saws had close to a year under their belt and I will have to come back later to fill in how Jamie came across a job opening teaching young children of bureaucrats that were from many different countries. They were assigned to their Country’s Embassies &/or working for companies that were under contract to the Belarusian Government to help them get their post Soviet Bureaucracies and Banking Systems up to speed. Now they were ministering, as Tentmakers in the true sense of the term. (Now even with the Title &/or Office!) With this background … track record … other doors were constantly being opened that has taken them to many places that HE has brought them to. This also allowed Jamie to continue in her called ministry to Women in general and Children specifically. She was doing a phenomenal job at this during the day, now generating a steadier stream of Ministry Revenue. She was also a major player to “The Youth Ministry” in the evening!

My assignment was to go with the Saw kids, as they did some of the shopping & delivering messages and ministries that made each one an important part of what was going on. I was told I had two weeks to learn my way around and where different people lived, as the 3 girls needed to be back in their own room, that they had given up for me, instead of camping out in the main room of their 3 room flat. The youngest, being a boy had his cot in the entry hall with the shoes, wraps and umbrellas. Them chillens, sure impressed me, jumping on a motorboose, Tramvia or disappearing below the snow on a meetro (Underground Train) like gophers and having us pop up somewhere else on the other side of town. Keep in mind this was a city of about 2 million people and a great accomplishment for kids from about 14 to even the boy of eight who also had directions dialed in.

I had a need to learn as fast as I could and they all turned out to be great teachers, as they would show me milestones and monuments to tie it all together. I do not think I ever really got lost, tho they might differ with me.

The City had certain street crossings under the street and they would have shops &/or temporary Kiosks where you would be able to buy some of the things that only came available at different times. Since you had to walk about 20 feet down and then back up that 20 feet on the other side of the street. When I had enough Toilet Paper or some other necessities, I gave thought to watch for the cars and when clear jot across the street without all the Up & Down. The first time I did it, I did not pay attention to a Guyee (Police on foot) that had a car pulled over and was doing his thing. I just stepped on the opposite curb, when I heard this loud and persistent whistle being blown. I had a hunch that it was being blown at me and I tried to ignore it and picked up the pace when I then heard this angry yelling still coming in my direction. I incredulously look back over my shoulder and saw him yank his arm motioning me to come to him. He was yelling at me and pointing to the street corner that I had just crossed and I shrugged my shoulders and used two of the Russian words I had learned. Nyet Parooskie, I said over & over again. (No Russian) and he finally slapped his left wrist with his right hand cupped like a bracelet, yanking his left arm like he was going to drag it down the sidewalk and I said, “OH!” He responded with a Sarcastic Ponimyish? (Understand? That I learned later!) & a final “Nyet Parooskie” almost spitting and waved me on down the sidewalk knowing he had adequately warned me. Nevertheless, to say, I very seldom jay walked above ground unless in a “BIG” hurry after looking way up & down both streets.

Next week we will look at some of the Ministry that was going on, including Bible Studies and also praying for the sick and disabled. Oh Yes my newly made friend and roomy for my first move.

©2008

Getting Out of Dodge! I mean Moscow!

Loved of The LORD, Happy New Year! I will preface this next section with looking back that I was walking in The Faith that I knew about for 17 years and in turn had taught it to others for many of those years as grew in it myself. It seemed like I was in a dream and having my own working capital and Several Thousand for the Saws on me I was very uncomfortable. I was always coming to that place of deciding to Trust HIM again! And Again! AND AGAIN!

If there was ever one … This Is ... “The Secret!”

I am glad that I am writing all this down now, as trying to remember what happened, names and places are not jumping out at me yet! Thank you Becky for encouraging me to do this. Yes and Jamie too, for so many of the particulars!

After we got all my gear up the 3 flights of stairs, Ulia introduced me to her parents and I walked in & over to them to shake hands. I am not sure how I became aware that I was doing something wrong, nevertheless, all three seemed to be looking at my brand new Sorel Snow Boots and then I noticed that they were not wearing any shoes of any kind. I looked back at the entry passage & saw all their shoes there. Thus, my first lesson in Russian Culture. It is easier to stay up with “Outside Dirt” kept in that one spot!

I need to place a side note here about my Sorel Snow Boots. Knowing that I was to be in weather that I was not used to, I researched the weather in the north and knew if I kept my feet warm & dry, that I would be able to make it. Where was Google when I needed it. Well I used what was a search engine back then as Google did not come on the scene for about four years later. I found several weather boot manufacturers and read the specs and knew I wanted a pair of Sorel Caribous and was really proud that I had found them. Yes, my brothers & sisters, I was thanking GOD to have found them and the peace that these were the ones! I remember several Belarusian women laughing at me because I held comfort, i.e. keeping warm & dry, ahead of being fashionable.

Ulia's, Parents were Jewish, tho I did not find out if they were practicing or not. Ulia became what was called a ‘Completed Jew’ and was going with an American who headed up a fellowship made up of mostly Jewish people who knew Yeshuah, as their Savior. The Saws were hooked up with him and of course the scenario to send Ulia back to Moscow and help me get to Minsk developed from there. More about him later.

A hot meal of borch, which is a kind of Russian soup with water, meat, potatoes, cabbage, carrot, tomatoes and beetroot, was served with sour cream. The Saws had fixed a dinner before they left, so it was the second time I ate it. With 3 foot of snow outside and the end of February, it hit the spot!

Ulia’s Father & I conversed with hand signs and grunts and by the time Ulia and I left for Minsk, he had me counting to five in Russian. Ulia explained that she was sleeping in her parent’s bed with her mom and her dad would sleep on the couch. Her room (The 2^nd room of the 2 room flat.) had a single bed and on top of the closet was stacks to the ceiling wrapped with cloth to keep their identity unknown. It was plain what was off limits for me and I soon was nestled in.

The next morning was Sunday and after a hot cereal of some kind of grain and my counting lessons, Ulia and I headed to one of the 3 local assemblies of the “Non-Denominational” Denomination that I mentioned that we were a part of years before.

See: Sunday, October 14, 2007 Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? VI

Even in 1994 there were already three of them in Moscow! The Pastor was an American and he taught in English with a Russian Interpreter. I was welcomed with open arms and know I could have functioned there if there were not all ready plans in motion to keep me busy for what wound up to be 4 months away from home.

A side Note: The Pastor was going with a national and they were planning on getting married later on that year. A couple months later, I found out that the… Let me just all him “The Overseer” of the Eastern European Assemblies of the Local churches of that “Non-Denominational” Denomination told the Pastor that he could not marry this woman, because of the complications that it would cause.

Nevertheless, they got married and the Pastor was removed from that Church by the N-D Denom. When they tried to place another Pastor in that spot, the congregation refused, because they wanted their original Pastor and the Church was pulled from the rolls. Several years later, being privy to the N-D’s Pastor’s Conference from friends who were still involved, I found out that the original Pastor had been restored into their ranks and was even addressing the conference about what was happening in Russia.

After Church we all headed to a restaurant and fellowshipped a couple hours. Ulia took me around to some of the sites and we made a quick pass of “Red Square” and headed back to visit with her parents.

After dinner, I excused myself and read Scripture for a while. I started to read 3 Chapters every day and 5 chapters on Sunday in the late 70’s that put me thru the Bible in a year. I doubled up 2 or 3 years so it would tally up to thru it once for every year of commitment. As I write this now I am in the last few chapters of Revelation, now for the 30^th time. Every time it has open up even more to my understanding and enhanced my relationship with HIM.

The night before I spotted a chart on the door that had the Russian alphabet with Hebrew comparison and started giving it my attention. I had taken 1 year Hebrew several years ago, yet never took it any further. What happen was for those few evenings I had the groundwork of learning the Russian sounds, tho some had to come from Hades, as I never learned to pronounce them really right. Nevertheless, things looked like they were dropping into place.

The next morning, Monday we left after breakfast and my Russian lessons … well numbers anyhow and headed back up town to purchased our train tickets to Minsk. After several inquires, Ulia found out that the train ticket for me was going to cost about $150+ USD being a foreigner and after talking it over for awhile we decided to take a step of Faith and buy two national tickets for around $8 USD each and believe that we would not be checked crossing the border into Belarus.

As that took several hours standing in lines, (i.e. Ulia did) she showed me some other sites on the way back to her folk’s place. We also shopped for our meals for the 12 hours trip to Minsk.

Tuesday morning up early … Hot gruel … what ever it was, thanking her folks for the accommodations, saying our goodbyes, (They hated to see Ulia leave as she had only been there for 4 days.) we made our way to the train station.

I was not aware of the train situation & was surprised that the 2^nd class compartments had 4 bunks in them. My next surprise was when two young Belarusian ladies were our compartment mates. My 1^st thought was, What would my wife think? Just a short round of Q &A’s we settled in for our half a day trip. We bought hot chai (Tea) from the porter to go with our meal now enhanced with the other girl’s contributions and settled into conversation with Ulia translating as fast as she could.

Twelve Hours later … MINSK The Capitol of the Republic Of Belarus! And The Cowboy Missionary in Action!

©2007

The Tentmaker

Loved of The LORD! I wanted to start this post and address the term “Tentmaker”! When I wrote my deputation letter, I said, that I would work my way for my own support, while I was on Missions and was only looking for support for the home fires and making sure my wife was able to pay the bills, while I was gone. When this all ‘Came To Pass’ I was reminded of Acts 18:3 and Paul’s reference to sustaining him self Thru his trade.

Being a General Contractor by Profession and a Carpenter by Trade, I figured I could find something I could do to keep a couple beans on the table. Therefore, I coined the term ‘Tentmaker’ and used Acts 18:3 as the example. I had never heard it used that way in my 14 years of ministry. No doubt, others had used it before and since then I know it has been used that way.

In fact, when I got a hold of Jamie Saw last month, she was in another country with no Religious Freedom and was using it as “A Talk Around” in case we were monitored. She was meaning, “A Believer” who was earning a living and paying their way, while ministering. I thought that was interesting that it was now being used as common understanding. It did take a couple different terms before they stopped going over my head and then made sense to what she was saying!

Do not give up on me, as I will get back to Ulia & me getting out of Moscow, … yet I need to finish this post with the “Tentmaker”!

All the time I was there, I only came across one time that might have been an opportunity, yet as I started to go that way it was straight up hill all the way and besides I was eating well and the ‘Min Ops’ were coming out of our ears!

Cutting to the Chase ...with the only time I actually tried to drive a nail. A couple months after getting to Minsk and moving twice (great stories too!), I found my self very adept at laundering my clothes. Keep in mine that I was constantly seeking whether I should be using any of the talents and skills that I had for anything and the answer always was “To Teach, Preach and Minister, as it was put in front of me.

I was in a four room flat (i.e. counting the kitchen.), which was Up Town” compared to the one & two room flats that was the norm. It had a main room, which Westerners would call the living room that was used as a meeting room. I would try to wash clothes when there were no meetings scheduled, because it was easy to rig temporary clotheslines in that room.

One day that Patrick & I had nothing planed, till later on in the afternoon, I needed to get some of my clothes washed. After getting them washed, (By Hand.) the phone rings and Patrick tells me that he has all the young men of this Ministry/Humanitarian Aid group coming over for an important meeting.

Knowing I could not hang the wet clothes in the usual place and manner, I tried to innovate some kind of solution in my sleeping room. There was a fixture on one side of the room, but nothing on the other side to tie my nylon line. After scouring the flat I found a couple bent nails in the bath room that were being used as hanging hooks. After about ten minutes, I finally straighten them out, using something that was some kind of a wall ordainment, as a hammer. When I tried to drive the nail into that opposite wall, it bent so bad that I could not straighten it. It had started a hole though, that I was able to get the other nail into the wall enough to tie my string.

All during this time, I was having an in depth conversation with the Lord and I finally resolved that I would not ask HIM Again about using my talents and skills while I was there. That was when the second nail finally took hold. My Nail driving days were over for the duration.

Next week, back up to Moscow and Ulia & I getting out of town. Cowboy Missonary and the Train Ride!

©2007

“Cowboy Missionaries On The Go!” - - - - - - Re: 'Cowboy Crane Operators'

I have a need to explain a little more about this term “Cowboy”! Back in the late fifties and early sixties I was working on Missile Silos at Vandenberg AFB, and these Silos are around 200 feet deep. After we dug them and ‘slip formed’ the poured in place concrete, Structural Iron Workers erected the Crib Iron in the Silo. Most Iron Workers are Cowboys themselves, ‘Daring’ just a part of their characters.
The crane operator was extremely good and would bring these men out of the hole in a ‘Man Cage’ and they would be egging him on, yelling and jumping, bouncing the cage. He got so that as soon as the cage cleared the hole, he would swing the boom quickly to half way between the hole & where the cage was supposed to be set down. As the cage was swinging really fast, he would agilely swing the boom over to where he would at the last minute gently placed the cage on the X that marked the landing spot. This operator was GOOD! And so, the Iron Workers called him a ‘Cowboy Operator’. Not to take anything away from “The Cowboy Ministries” that minister to Cowboys today. I thought this would be a good place to give some meaning to my use of the term. By The Way, The safety program at that time (OSHA?) eventually stopped the Cowboy Antics, as it was extremely dangerous.

Back to my story and our friends who were Cowboys!
They sold and gave away everything, which was not much, & off they went with Family & Friends wondering if they had lost their mind. You might say they did lose their mind, … after they found their heart!

Our friends and their four kids took off for Moldova via Moscow in 1994 with only what they had with them, about $1,500.00 in cash, in the middle of winter. On their way, on the plane was a Mission Group from a Korean Church here in So. Cal. On their way to St. Petersburg to minister for a week, the Plane change destinations in mid flight, which caused our friends to miss their connections in Moscow.

Another friend of ours, went with them, to help them get established and he returned to US two weeks later. He was sitting next to one of these people in the other group and was telling the woman who was sitting between him and her husband, about this family that heard the voice of GOD and sold (and gave away) everything, but the clothes on their back and was heading for Moldova, which is below the Ukraine. This woman started to weep and our friend asked her husband if he offended her and the Husband with a smile on his face, said no … that his wife had a dream that GOD told her that she was to give a family on this trip, $2,000.00 who were on their way to the Mission Field.

Needless to say, that everything was on schedule, regardless of what the circumstances were saying. To make a long story shorter, When in Moscow, they told a person that they were on their way to Moldova and the response was, “It is a long train ride to Moldova!”

I may eventually write more about their adventures and God meeting their needs, as I put this book together, yet I am in the process of contacting them, to see where they stand on this.

Next Week: More on Cowboy Missionaries! ©2007