Bryllup, hjelpesending og mere....

Lørdag ettermiddag kl.18.00 hadde vi historiens første evangeliske bryllups-seremoni i Durdenovac. Det flotte paret, Zoran og Martina gav hverandre sitt JA i nærvær av familie og venner i en fullsatt sal. Vår pastor i Orahovica, Slobodan Stojkovic, stod for selve det formelle ved vielsen, mens jeg hadde gleden av å tale til brudeparet og gjestene.
Etterpå kjørte vi i kortesje til Park Hotel i Nasice for å feire. Det ble en fantastisk kveld. Søndag kveld kom de til møte i Durdenovac, og Zoran hadde med seg den flotte bibelen jeg overrakte dem som gave fra menigheten. Vi ønsker dem Guds velsignelse på veien videre.

Traileren med nødhjelp fra Norge laster opp i morgen kl. 12.00 og kl. 21.00 seiler de ut fra Stavanger til Hanstholm. Vi venter dem ned her lørdag kveld. Mandag blir de så fortolling i Vokuvar og lossing. Be for en trygg tur nedover, og at fortollingen vil gå uten problemer.

I slutten av neste uke får vi spesielt besøk. Vi har kalt et ungt ektepar fra Makedonia/Slovakia til å tjenestegjøre som evangelister i menigheten. Han kommer nå for å være her i 3 uker for å bli kjent med den nye, unge menigheten, og så ber vi om Guds ledelse for dem. Han gjorde ferdig sitt 4 årige studie i teologi ved fakultetet i Osijek nå i vår, Samtidig er han en fin lovsangsleder, og hun er utdannet pianolærer og er utrolig dyktig ved pianoet. Jeg vil senere komme tilbake med navn og bilder. Be om Guds ledelse for dem, og at vi vil klare å reise de midler som treengs for å underholde dem.

Vi takker alle dere som trofast står med oss i arbeidet. Gud velsigne dere rikelig!

Her følger min bryllupstale til brudeparet ( den skriftlige versjonen):

Dear Zoran and Martina, family and friends.
A few days ago I met Zoran and Martina as they came to talk with us concerning the
wedding. Zoran was wearing a special T-shirt with an illustration of a bride and a groom.
The bride had a big smile on her face, but the groom looked rather sad, -and the text on the shirt said: “GAME OVER.” But I can assure you, Zoran, - and all of you, that game is not over. It is now it starts for real.
I like to read a short text to you from Rom. 12; 9-10. "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourself," (NIV translation)
Life as a married couple is like a life-long journey together. Often into places we have been before, - and I could say a lot about that, but then we will not reach the restaurant in time for dinner.
But life also takes us into places where we have never been before, -and that journey starts for the two of you today.
When you come to places you have never been before, it would be wise to at least have a map, - or listen to people who have been there before, for advice.
20 years ago Edith and I were pastors for a church in Spain. One day we took the ferry across from Gibraltar to Marocco together with two friends. And we had never been there before.
As we entered the dock in Marocco lots of official guides flocked around us asking if we needed a guide. But politely, we refused them all.
Then one young gentleman, -he also a guide-, came over and asked if we needed a map. Oh, yes, we said. He gave sign that we should follow him, and we thought he would take us to a kiosk where we could buy a city-map. So after walking for a while, we stopped and asked him: Where is the map?
With a big smile he turned to us, pointed at himself and said: "I am the map"! There were nothing else for us to do, but to laugh.
And this living map, -if I should call him-, took us into small alleys and shops we would never been able to find without that living map. We for sure had a nice day and enjoyed the whole day together with him.
For our lives journey, God has provided us a living map. Zoran and Martina, - that also includes you as you are starting your journey together today. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” Meaning, -No one finds his way without that living map.
Edith and I have had the joy of following that living map together for more than 47 years. So I can for sure say that I speak with some experience, - and even authority here today.
First of all, - for the life long journey-, you will need a source of energy. Like a car would need petrol or diesel , so do you need a source of energy to keep you going, and to fill,- and even refill again and again when needed. That source is called LOVE. In the Greek language in the New Testament there are 2 words for love: AGAPE and PHILOS. And the AGAPE-love, the God given love-, is the source for the ongoing journey through all circumstances. And it is even the AGAPE-love that is the source for our philos-love.
As you will travel through new and different scenery and landscape, places you have never been before, -sometimes rough and difficult, and you might not know how to handle the situation, then remember: The source of LOVE will always be there for you. The name of that source is Jesus Christ. And at any point you can stop and refill. He said: Call upon me on the day of trouble, and I will deliver you.
As we are passing through changing and challenging landscape, you will discover that even you are changing. Your way of expressing your love towards one another will change as you travel together. It starts like a wild little waterfall in a creek, - but after some years it turns into a deep river. But the source, God, is the same, and the element, the love, is the same.
Sometimes in our lives journey we also experience like being sailing across an open and cold ocean. There are dangers in the water that you can barely see. The big mistake of the captain on Titanic was that he ignored the dangers of the icebergs floating in the cold water he was passing through.
There are timers in our lives, - and those days will come to you as well-, when there are icebergs in the water where the two of you are sailing. Don´t ignore them.
Why?
What you can see above the water is only a small part. The part down in the cold water is 9 times bigger than the visible part. And it was the part under the water that ripped Titanic apart.
In a way I can say it was not the iceberg alone that sank Titanic, but the ignorance and pride of the captain.
So, in times like that, sailing through cold water, be sure to turn to the pilot in charge, Jesus Christ, and ask Him to help you through, and He will!
Let us now look at some wise words from some kids 7 – 9 years old, and here what they think about love.
The first question they were asked was: “Why do people fall in love”?
One 8 year old boy named Manuel answered like this: “ I think you are supposed to get shot with an arrow, but the rest of it is not isn´t supposed to be so painful.”
On the question,- “What falling in love is like”, 9 years old Bark answered: “It´s like an avalanche where you have to run for your life”.
Well, Zoran and Martina, It´s too late to run now. Pastor Slobodan is soon ready to announce you husband and wife.
Then the most important question was this: “How do we make love endure?”
7 years old Dick answered like this: “Spend most time loving instead of going to work.” And Dave, 8 years old said: “Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash.”
If you would ask a 67 years old husband with more than 47 years experience the same question, he would say: “Yes, spend a lot of time loving one another, but don´t forget work. And Zoran, don´t forget to take out the trash.
Then finally, - never forget the source of love!
God is love, and He will fill you with His agape and enrich your philos, -the love you can share with one another through all life.
Zoran and Martina, have a wonderful and loving journey together-. What ever comes in your way, let love be the answer to it all.