A Suzuki Samurai and the Mission to Romania

Suzuki Samurai 'hopped up' for the trails

What does a Suzuki Samurai 4-wheeler have to do with OAMC and the Mission to Romania?

Just ask Leland Wilson. “There will be other Samurais, but there’s only one Romanian Mission,” he said, as he sold his Suzuki Samurai he had ‘hopped up’ for fun on the trails.

Taking 100 singers, family members and musicians on such a trip as this is quite an undertaking, as you can imagine, not just in planning and logistics, but in finding the funding to make it all happen. Members were told to plan on a cost of about $3,000 each for airfare and costs while in Romania.

Of course, not everyone has that kind of money just lying around waiting for a Mission to Romania. From a human perspective the task to raise that kind of money was daunting if not overwhelming for many.

But then, as believers we have the opportunity to invite God into the Mission. After all, it’s for His glory, not ours, that we undertake such a task.

Members were charged with raising as much of their own support as possible. They got busy, and they got creative. And the Lord blessed.

Ron Tilley and Leland Wilson acquired the nickname “Johnny Appleseeds” when they led in selling over 30,000 pounds of apples to raise money for the Romania Mission. (And there’s talk of apple sales becoming a regular fall activity to support the ministry of OAMC.)

Dana Lester sold his “prized” motorcycle to help fund his participation in the Romania Mission.

“I sent more than 60 letters to friends and family members. I was overwhelmed by their generous response. I was able to help three other singers participate in the Romania Mission. God made it happen.” – Richard Martin

Ian Edgerton, a 20-something singing with OAMC for the first time this year, became really excited about the Mission, wrote numerous letters, and he, too, was able to help two to three other singers as well from the responses he received.

Rick & Estee Pummel with Ron and Rhonda Tilley held a sacred music concert in College Place featuring Rick, a familiar face and singer for Blue Mountain Television in the Walla Walla Valley.

Other organized efforts supported by fundraising professionals John Korb and Sam Vigil Jr. raised thousands of dollars from a few key supporters. Each time John and Sam met to make plans, and when they met with a small committee, they opened with prayer, seeking God’s guidance, and that doors would be opened.

OAMC has stepped out on faith from the very beginning. With that faith has come a lot of hard work by many, both here in and in Romania.

While the dates we set for this Mission to take place is now upon us, we still have expenses that need to be met.

In addition to members finding support for their participation, we have the expenses of renting performance halls and hiring Romanian professional musicians.

We invite you to partner with us in this Mission to Romania. You can join us through prayer as well as financial support.

For more information, please view this PDF of a presentation we showed at our concert on April 4.

In addition, please visit our website at www.oamc.org/support.asp