This post has been updated with a picture of Mircea here.
NOTE: Lou Wildman received the following in an email from Alin Apostol. Mircea is the youngest singer and is a member of the Orthodox church, as is his family. He is a fine young man and this will be interesting to the guys.
Alin wrote:
Lots of stories are unfolding as we move on. I will take time to share them with you so your men and their families and the whole OAMC family will glorify God, for He deserves it greatly.
I was talking to Mircea and his mom the other day. He said the whole tour was awesome! He is speechless. He was very much moved by the fact that you guys acted like we were one big family. He wishes it was not over. During the whole tour he felt like he was part of the family. He did not want to feel like he was from a different church, but that he belongs here.
He shared with his teachers where he had been and what he did – because he had to miss school for an entire week. His French teacher asked for a CD. I gave Mircea two, one for his mom and one for his French professor. I am curious to see what her reactions are.
Mircea is a great kid. He told me whenever we have a rehearsal or something like that, I know what to do: “Just call me and I will show up.”
God is good; He answers prayers! For years Mircea’s grandmother prayed that her grandchildren and her daughter would come to church. She had the high privilege to see Mircea’s brother and girlfriend for the first time attending a program of the SDA church at our concert in Botosani. She had the great honor to see Mircea sing in the big choir, right on the front row. Cristina, Mircea’s mom, also came; and not only that, she followed us on the Internet on our whole tour.
You probably know that Mircea’s father died five years ago of a sudden death. Nobody knew he was sick. It was at his father’s funerals that I first met Mircea and the whole family. Ever since we are close friends.
God works in ways we cannot imagine. It was approximately four weeks before the beginning of our tour that I asked Mircea to join us, and he did not refuse. From then on, he is part of the large OAMC family. Prayers are being answered in unknown ways!! God is good!!
More stories are unfolding...
Thank you for everything!!
Alin and the Romanian family of OAMC
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Security check at Parliament building
By Rick Pummel
Just a little thing that happened to me on the last Friday (April 25) of the trip . . .
We got to visit the Romanian Parliament building Friday morning. Of course, first we all had to go through security, just like at the airport. I was one of the last to go through.
After my small camera bag passed through the x-ray machine, the officer got a serious look on her face and asked me to open my camera bag. She then pointed to something on her monitor and asked me what it was. I couldn't see it, so I shrugged and said I didn't know. She then came over and very seriously watched as I opened the bag. She pointed to an outer pocket. I unzipped it and carefully removed my pitch pipe. She eyed it suspiciously, so I blew a couple notes. She took a closer look . . . and then let me pass.
I'll never use my pitch pipe again without having a little chuckle!
Just a little thing that happened to me on the last Friday (April 25) of the trip . . .
We got to visit the Romanian Parliament building Friday morning. Of course, first we all had to go through security, just like at the airport. I was one of the last to go through.
After my small camera bag passed through the x-ray machine, the officer got a serious look on her face and asked me to open my camera bag. She then pointed to something on her monitor and asked me what it was. I couldn't see it, so I shrugged and said I didn't know. She then came over and very seriously watched as I opened the bag. She pointed to an outer pocket. I unzipped it and carefully removed my pitch pipe. She eyed it suspiciously, so I blew a couple notes. She took a closer look . . . and then let me pass.
I'll never use my pitch pipe again without having a little chuckle!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Young singer ponders significance of Romania Mission
By Zach Parks, 16-year-old singer
April 26, 2009
I am sitting on the bus at 3:10 in the morning. Something is terribly wrong with this picture. I contemplate the trip. What have I accomplished while I have been here? What have we done as a chorus? Was this worth it?
My mind goes over our travel through the wonderfully windy roads of Romania as we stop at first one and then another little church or place to sing. In one of the churches the husband of one of the cooks had just died and she was in tears as we sang for them. We then took up an offering for their little church and raised a fair amount of money for them.
As we traveled from concert to concert, what did we accomplish? What did we do? Was what we did worth it? We have sung with some of the best brass and orchestras, and in some of the best halls of Romania, but what did we accomplish?
Well, for one thing, it has helped to unify the Romanian men’s chorus. For another, I think that it brought some of us closer together. Some of us were able to have conversations that were of huge benefit to ourselves and the people with which we were talking. But aside from that do we have any clue as to what we have done here in Romania?
In Hebrews 11, when talking about all the people of faith, it says that all these died not having received the reward promised because God had something better in mind; that only together with us would they be made perfect and understand what they had done in full.
So perhaps we touched somebody. Perhaps it was just being positive when many of the members were being negative. Maybe it was the singing, or the talking, or just the way we were walking. We could guess all day, but in heaven, we will then know what God did with what we threw at Him. Maybe we weren’t the “grand finale” or the end of this journey, but just another piece. Because you know, we weren’t here for the glory, so if we didn’t do the biggest or the best work, then so be it. God knows what we gave, and he is in control, and you know what? I think I will trust Him with the results, because…. He is God.
And to cap it all off? I would say we had fun, and sang our voices out. The devil was desperately trying to destroy our last concert by sickness, tired voices, tired people, and any other method he could come up with. Despite all of that, in my opinion, our last two concerts were two of the best. Praise God for his intervention and what He is going to do with what we gave.
April 26, 2009
I am sitting on the bus at 3:10 in the morning. Something is terribly wrong with this picture. I contemplate the trip. What have I accomplished while I have been here? What have we done as a chorus? Was this worth it?
My mind goes over our travel through the wonderfully windy roads of Romania as we stop at first one and then another little church or place to sing. In one of the churches the husband of one of the cooks had just died and she was in tears as we sang for them. We then took up an offering for their little church and raised a fair amount of money for them.
As we traveled from concert to concert, what did we accomplish? What did we do? Was what we did worth it? We have sung with some of the best brass and orchestras, and in some of the best halls of Romania, but what did we accomplish?
Well, for one thing, it has helped to unify the Romanian men’s chorus. For another, I think that it brought some of us closer together. Some of us were able to have conversations that were of huge benefit to ourselves and the people with which we were talking. But aside from that do we have any clue as to what we have done here in Romania?
In Hebrews 11, when talking about all the people of faith, it says that all these died not having received the reward promised because God had something better in mind; that only together with us would they be made perfect and understand what they had done in full.
So perhaps we touched somebody. Perhaps it was just being positive when many of the members were being negative. Maybe it was the singing, or the talking, or just the way we were walking. We could guess all day, but in heaven, we will then know what God did with what we threw at Him. Maybe we weren’t the “grand finale” or the end of this journey, but just another piece. Because you know, we weren’t here for the glory, so if we didn’t do the biggest or the best work, then so be it. God knows what we gave, and he is in control, and you know what? I think I will trust Him with the results, because…. He is God.
And to cap it all off? I would say we had fun, and sang our voices out. The devil was desperately trying to destroy our last concert by sickness, tired voices, tired people, and any other method he could come up with. Despite all of that, in my opinion, our last two concerts were two of the best. Praise God for his intervention and what He is going to do with what we gave.
Romanian Majesty TV lauds Bucharest concert
From Edi Ciobanu, a Romanian, a pastor in Oregon, and OAMC singer
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. Pacific
Under the heading "OAMC - A dream come true for Romania," Majesty.tv ran a very nice story in Romanian about our tour and concert in Bucharest.
It emphasizes and praises the highlights of the concert; the sing around; it tells how the earthquake went unnoticed as we sang “Nearer, Still Nearer” and “Holy, Holy, Holy”; it cites Alin's comment that we serve a God of the impossible; it says that it was a cross-cultural faith reaffirming experience for the participants and that it ends with "Saturday night they sang about hope, about an all powerful God, full of love, who promised He'll come back again and who will keep His promise. Who could ask for more?"
The entire article can be found here.
The translated text of the article follows:
OAMC - A Dream Come True for Romania
By Alexa Plescan, Majesty - concert review
Translation by Eddie Ciobanu
Source: majesty.tv
A packed concert hall and a packed stage with over 200 men in black suits; this is what Sala Radio looked liked Saturday, April 25. No, this was not some mystical meeting; it was the concert of the Oregon Adventist Men’s Chorus (OAMC) with Maestro Lou Wildman conducting.
And because when you bring praises to the Creator there are no limits when it comes to nationality, Romania Adventist Men’s Chorus (RAMC) with Alin Apostol conducting united in one voice with those from across the Ocean to create an atmosphere that made people present forget for approximately two hours about earthly things.
In a sober note, the concert started with Schubert's "Sanctus," deep, impacting men's voices, to reach the apex than with "Psalm 150" – "Praise ye the Lord with the sound of the trumpet, praise ye Him with the timbrel, the loud cymbals and the stringed instruments!" One of the most impressing moments was the hymn sing around when the members of the immense chorus mingled with the people in the audience, us, the listeners and invited us to sing with them. We felt God to be "Nearer, Still Nearer" and the earthquake passed unnoticed as we sang with all the power of the ephemeral being "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty."
For two weeks the united men's chorus had concerts in various places throughout the country, offering an experience that will not easily be forgotten. This dream came true because of the enthusiasm of a dedicated young man, who loves music and loves God, who wanted OAMC to come to Romania.
This is how Maestro Lou Wildman described Alin Apostol, who for five years had sung with OAMC while studying in the U.S., to only disappear all of a sudden afterwards. For a long time this wish ate at him, Alin says, having such a chorus in his native country. "Our God is a God of the impossible," he adds. Why "of the impossible?" Because that wish became reality in a way that surpasses any expectation. The Romanian Adventist Men's Chorus is not a dream anymore.
I talked to some of the members of the RAMC. Beyond the musical experience they had offered to the thousands of listeners that enjoyed a sacred, unaltered music, they had lived something unique. They had reaffirmed their faith through singing together with other people, from a different culture, speaking a different language, but worshipping the same God.
The ending was climactic. The entire audience together with the beautiful chorus and the orchestra sang "We Have This Hope." The hope of all? Jesus is coming soon!
They sang about hope Saturday night, about an Almighty God full of love, a God who promised that He'll come back and a God who will keep His promise. Who could ask for more?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friendly faces welcome OAMC home
A few pictures are posted of the early-morning departure and "welcome home" of familiar faces at PDX.
Lorie Ramey and Eward Brown hoist the "Welcome Home OAMC" banner in PDX.
Click the photo to see more pictures.
God’s Challenge to Me
By John Korb
Vancouver, WA
April 28, 2009
I’m home now; it has been quite the experience. I’m not thinking only of the Romania Mission, but of how God has led me to this place, Romania.
About four years ago I was invited by Mick Turner to attend a concert of the His Praise Men’s Chorus at Sunnyside SDA Church. My wife Shari and I attended, mainly because we wanted to support Mick. He was the only one we knew in the chorus. We enjoyed the music, both the performance and messages. During one of the songs that I particularly enjoyed I thought, “Boy that sure looks like fun. I wish I could sing like that.” Later, as I was further moved by the music, I breathed a silent prayer that said, “Lord, I would be willing to sing in a group like that, but I would need to be invited.”
Following the concert we visited with a number of friends and expressed our appreciation to the singers for their wonderful music. We headed for the door and congratulated Charlie Drury and Rick Martin, chorus members who were standing at the door to the parking lot. We shared with them our appreciation for their music and they responded by saying, “Are you going to come sing with us?” I was immediately struck with the impression that this was an answer to my prayer. There could be no denying it.
But deny it I did. I made some miserable excuse that I didn’t know how to sing and I had never sung in a chorus. As we walked toward the car into the cool night air, I was sweating. I knew that God had challenged me to follow through with my commitment to sing if I was invited.
Once we arrived home, Shari and I were sitting in our family room and I told her, “I’ve got to tell you a story.” I shared with her my prayer and how God had created a situation for the invitation and yet I had not responded in a positive way.
Shari’s response was, “You have to do it!”
The following week I met with Mick to share my story. Much to my surprise he said we are having practice Monday and I should come. He said, “We are a ministry, not just a music group.”
It was Mick who also encouraged me to join OAMC. I agreed to try, knowing that I was not prepared, really didn’t know how to sing and scared to death of my own voice. At OAMC I also found that “It really was not about the music,” but fellowship and growing in our spiritual journey.
Fast forward four years. The amazing part of this experience is that by accepting God’s challenge, I have had the opportunity to sing in His Praise, sing with OAMC and to participate in this wonderful Romania mission.
Recently I read a quote that said something like, “God does not place a desire in your heart to do that which you have no ability to do.” I thank God for making the Romania Mission possible. I thank all those who answered the call and gave their time and made gifts to help fund the mission. Ask any of the OAMC members and they will tell you the investments made will have eternal results.
May God be blessed.
Vancouver, WA
April 28, 2009
I’m home now; it has been quite the experience. I’m not thinking only of the Romania Mission, but of how God has led me to this place, Romania.
About four years ago I was invited by Mick Turner to attend a concert of the His Praise Men’s Chorus at Sunnyside SDA Church. My wife Shari and I attended, mainly because we wanted to support Mick. He was the only one we knew in the chorus. We enjoyed the music, both the performance and messages. During one of the songs that I particularly enjoyed I thought, “Boy that sure looks like fun. I wish I could sing like that.” Later, as I was further moved by the music, I breathed a silent prayer that said, “Lord, I would be willing to sing in a group like that, but I would need to be invited.”
Following the concert we visited with a number of friends and expressed our appreciation to the singers for their wonderful music. We headed for the door and congratulated Charlie Drury and Rick Martin, chorus members who were standing at the door to the parking lot. We shared with them our appreciation for their music and they responded by saying, “Are you going to come sing with us?” I was immediately struck with the impression that this was an answer to my prayer. There could be no denying it.
But deny it I did. I made some miserable excuse that I didn’t know how to sing and I had never sung in a chorus. As we walked toward the car into the cool night air, I was sweating. I knew that God had challenged me to follow through with my commitment to sing if I was invited.
Once we arrived home, Shari and I were sitting in our family room and I told her, “I’ve got to tell you a story.” I shared with her my prayer and how God had created a situation for the invitation and yet I had not responded in a positive way.
Shari’s response was, “You have to do it!”
The following week I met with Mick to share my story. Much to my surprise he said we are having practice Monday and I should come. He said, “We are a ministry, not just a music group.”
It was Mick who also encouraged me to join OAMC. I agreed to try, knowing that I was not prepared, really didn’t know how to sing and scared to death of my own voice. At OAMC I also found that “It really was not about the music,” but fellowship and growing in our spiritual journey.
Fast forward four years. The amazing part of this experience is that by accepting God’s challenge, I have had the opportunity to sing in His Praise, sing with OAMC and to participate in this wonderful Romania mission.
Recently I read a quote that said something like, “God does not place a desire in your heart to do that which you have no ability to do.” I thank God for making the Romania Mission possible. I thank all those who answered the call and gave their time and made gifts to help fund the mission. Ask any of the OAMC members and they will tell you the investments made will have eternal results.
May God be blessed.
Final concert photos from Bucharest posted
A few photographs from the final concerts in Bucharest at the Radio Hall on Sabbath, April 25, have been posted.
Click the photo to see more pictures.
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