Hello brothers and sisters!

February 8th, 2010

My son Zion and I threw on our coats, gloves and scarves…heading to Heidelberg. My bicycle has taken a bit of a beating this year, and so,  I was forced to ride ‘Mom’s’ bike. ( a hideously bright pink! ) Zion likes the color, and it afforded enormous entertainment all who saw us, ( deep sigh ) …laughter seemed to be in the air this morning. Thats all right,  laughter opens doors, eh?
There is a dirty blanket of melting snow spread across the flanks of Europe, like a tattered afghan, every rent, every tear, speaks to me of its wars, its wounds, and the burden it’s people have borne for so very long….sin’s heavy yoke. Weary and stumbling in its traces, this tired, broken nag of a continent cries out for rest, for succor, for release. ( As all creation cries out, yes? )  We Christians, chosen sons and daughters of the Most High…have a charge placed upon us, an obligation to be salt and light. We must respond to this! Not only for the kingdoms sake…but for OURS!! The precious chance to work directly with our Master! To garner these crowns, these treasures that Jesus urges us to win….to be used of Him who bought us…our spirits twined with His…our ear-lobes fixed to His doorpost!! it just doesn’t get any cooler than this!!!
Am I a little excited? OK…I’m a little excited. I look out over this exhausted land…this depleted world, so ready for His return…and I can’t help but grin at the possibilities! Pray! Send missionaries!! Come yourselves…the harvest is white!

for our God, and His glory!

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

February 4th, 2010

“And I will drive them out little by little, until you become
fruitful…and take possession of the land.”

Exodus 23:30

I find a great deal of comfort in this verse. This morning I clutched it to my bosom as the woman at the ticket counter flailed at me with speech vitrirolic! The crowd behind me was obviously torn between irritation with the delay…and amusement at the large fellow being flayed alive by the small, angry woman behind the counter.  As it was indeed, my error,  I endeavored to drink graciously from the bitter cup she proffered. This fateful blunder had cost me a verbal lashing, but when the dust had cleared…I discovered my paperwork approved, my eardrums relatively intact, and wonder of wonders…the  co-worker of the woman who had flogged me…standing next to me at the mail-box outside. We talked about Jesus.
The Lord will arrange our paths. Given free reign in our lives He will do miracles! He will drive out the enemy of our souls….and give us the promised land! “Little by little.” Soul by soul….

He is able

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS   Thank you again for your prayers! Adrian is a brave girl, and though she faces pain and sickness daily…the world watches her do so, holding tight to Jesus’ hand!!

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 28th, 2010
There ia a bridge across the Siegen valley, where we were attending the European CC Pastors conference. Keith and I stood at the base of one of its massive support posts, towering almost a 500 feet above us, its grainy cement flanks glittered with the morning’s frost. I couldn’t help but wonder, how many hours he had spent at the foot of this colossus….Keith threw back his head, his features taunt with concentration…and spoke. It is an uncanny aspect of this particular edifice ( Keith informed me solemnly ) that a word uttered at the feet of its massive pillars…is easily heard, echoed back from its lofty summit! Carefully, Keith had me repeat the effect, till he was assured that I had it ‘down’ properly. As I was made to practice this, others from the conference, passing by,  paused to listen…and were quickly initiated into the arcane rite. I expect it goes without saying…but our Keith…is an odd one. Keith Fortenberry, of the Orcas Island Fortenberrys, shepherd, saint, inveterate provocateur…husband of the impeccable ‘Beste’ Fortenberry ( recently of Istanbul ). Once instructor at the Calvary Chapel Siegen Bible College, Keith now has joined the staff here in Heidelberg…where he practices his craft; he is teacher, missionary, servant….friend. I am greatly honored to be yoked with him!
As entrancing as the bridge was…the things that God revealed at the pastors conference were better! I went there praying that the Lord would speak to me about the year to come, that He would arrange our schedule… lead us to the Tibetans He has so fixed our hearts upon….and as is common in our dealings with Jesus…He opened the flood-gates, and poured out more than I had ever hoped for! God not only gave clear vision as to the cities He would send us to…but showed me things about  myself that He wants to alter! The Lord provided His comfort and correction….all He required of me was compliance…I complied, and took away lessons that will bless my family, and those we serve.
These 80 men, who pastor the Calvary Chapels in Europe are astonishing. Weighed down by battle…yet standing tall by His hand, facing huge challenges…yet doing so in the power of God Almighty, they are carving out a foothold in a land that once claimed Christ…but now, is rife with secular humanism. They are firm on a Rock that will not fail them…but are in need of your prayers! Please intercede for them!!

Saturday, back in Heidelberg,  sitting at the station in Weststadt, tired, grouchy…hoping just to nod off in my seat…then the guy next to me asks for help with the train schedule. One thing leads to another. and soon he is telling me of his calling to be a Seele-sorger’, ( ’soul-care-giver’ ) a counselor. “How marvelous!” I say.”You get to offer refuge and solace to those so desperately in need of it!” He smiles shyly, speaks of his training, his plans. “I am also a counselor.” I tell him.
“Where?” he inquires.
Calvary Chapel of Heidelberg.”
“Oh my!” He said, “I was just thinking of visiting this church tomorrow.”
“Ja.” I said, “Funny things….coincidences.”
not by might….
Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

IMPORTANT NOTICE:   For those of you sending your support checks by   mail, there is a new address!
The NEW ADDRESS is:
Jo Delgado
107 hilltop
Caldwell, ID 83605
Please make checks payable to:  ”Becausejesuslovestibetans.com
or you can donate by ‘PayPal‘ at our website:
becausejesuslovestibetans.com

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 28th, 2010
Church today was a kick! Sunday is always a delight. Sure, its a battle. Our enemy is neither pleased, nor ignorant with what occurs when the body of Christ Gathers. The saints converge on the ‘place-of-meeting’, worship commences, we find the soil of our hearts ( hardened by the week’s
travail ) gently turned…and loosed from the worlds coils, the accumulated knots unravel from our tired skeins. We can suddenly breathe! The fresh breeze of the Spirit’s movement in our midst! We rub shoulders with rest of the flock, picking fleas from each others wool…our wounds are dressed, our sorrows bathed in love….cool stuff!

I made my way to the station this morning,  battling snow and ice every meter of the way ( not yard mind you…but meter, pretty European, eh? ), twenty-eight minutes on the train,  half a klick to the church…and there he was,  Walter, city employee, tossing handfuls of sand to the sidewalk…I rode past him towards the bike-racks…the Lord said: “Now turn around and go back Mike. ” As I drew near, Walter abandoned his efforts to make safe the streets of Heidelberg…and with wary eye, watched my approach. “Wohnen Sie heir in Heidelberg?” ( do you live here in Heidelberg? ) I asked. “Ja.” He answered. I handed him a card, pointed to the church sign behind me, and invited him to join us. Walter positively grinned!  Placing his bucket of sand on the ground next to him, he raised his sweatshirt….emblazoned boldly across his belly, in that timeless jail-house script, were the words: “JESUS IS LORD
God has presents waiting for us every day…we just have to sniff them out…ears perked for His small, still voice.

His gifts are good

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS Apparently Walter has been looking for a church…we’ll see him next week.

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 7th, 2010
About half an hour to the sunday service. We sit in the prayer room that connects to the stage, we are between prayers. You know that silence that isn´t bothersome or awkward, just a natural part of a conversation with our Father. Its sweet. Now, ours is an old building, refitted as best we could for the churches use. This of course, was a path fraught with compromise. This was never more evident to me, than when the main sewer pipe ( which runs across the ceiling of the prayer room ) first began its extraordinarily loud and resonant flow. A few chuckles …and then someone started to sing softly….”Create in me a clean heart O Lord…and renew a right spirit in me!”  As more people joined in, the sounds of the pipe receded, as did worries, cares and woes. God´s Spirit fills every heart…every corner, till there is no room for anything but Him. Its so good to sit down with Jesus before a service…
Time to ´gird-up´ for 2010. First and foremost; please pray that we would be a blessing to Calvary Chapel Heidelberg! That our hearts would break for the lost in Heidelberg, and in our village of Hirschhorn!  At your request…He fills us. By your petitions… we are empowered to do this work. We ask you to pray for the Tibetans He would have us reach. Pray that we would know where to go, who to speak with, what to say…that our every step would be as the Lord  ordains!! Pray for the Lamas, the rinpoches… the leaders of the Tibetan community here…that we would continue to have favor with them…access to their souls! Pray, please, for all the missionaries breaking up the hard, hard soil of Europe!
As I left the flat this morning, my son said: “Dad, I don´t think I can go with you…its very cold.”
“Its OK son.” I said, heading out the door.
“Don´t worry dad.” He says over his shoulder, “Jesus will be with you.”
Lord…give me the faith of a child.

because Jesus loves Tibetans

Mike, AmberleaMercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

December 30th, 2009

      Zion and I were returning to Hirschhorn on the evening train. Now normally, I would wax eloquent on the safety, comfort and efficiency of the German rail system ( Greenwich-mean-time is calculated, not by nuclear clock, as one would imagine, but by the arrival of the DB-express into Berlin! ) but this fateful night, however,  would alter that opinion somewhat. Last night the cars were packed! Full to bursting!  Zion sat in his ‘child-seat’ on my bike, chattering away. My son begins speaking when his eyes open in the morning…and ceases talking only when sleep takes hold of him. ( we’re thinking this might be genetic. )  I wedged the bike into the crowded car,  and prepared myself for the nine stops to our village. What I wasn’t prepared for was the elderly German couple that squeezed through the doors at the next stop. They seemed so innocuous, so safe. Hah! Never judge a book by its deceptive cover! This sweet old woman  appeared  to be the soul of kindness, smiling at us, exchanging Christmas greetings with others in the crowded car…and then, without warning, ( as I bent over to adjust some portion of our gear ) she spun swiftly around in answer to some comment from her husband….clubbing me nearly unconscious with the umbrella strapped to her pack…a large, sturdy affair, quite sufficient for dispatching charging rhinos. ( or stationary evangelists, for that matter. )  I remember sinking towards the floor.  Generous folk reached out to assist,  Zion Laughed ( the little rodent! ) and  her husband gasped aloud…at which she spun to see what all the fuss was….bashing me again in the head….funny…I had always assumed martyrdom would be a much quicker demise, but apparently,  I was to be slowly bludgeoned to death by this viscous German grandma…ah, well.
      I was helped to me feet, ( again! ) brushed off (  I did flinch a bit when she first touched me! ) questioned concerning my health, my child was complemented…and polite inquiries made as to what brought us to Germany….approximately seven minutes till the next stop…so I explained our calling…at length.
        when the doors opened again in Neckargemund , the elderly couple virtually sprinted from the car. Those left inside stared at me with the same look found on the faces of soccer-players awaiting a  place-kick. 
       Sometimes the gospel is not well-received…but it is always received. The Holy Spirit convicts men ( and grandmas! ) of their sin, our job…is just to pass along the offer of salvation. Show them the door into life.
        Please be in prayer for this couple, and for all those others, left  trapped in the car with us! Only one train up the Neckar river…we shall, no doubt, see them again!

                                            
      “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;   persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”         
                                            II Corinthians 4:8-9

                 
                             Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

December 9th, 2009
“Therefore, since we have such hope…we use great boldness of speech!”

2 Corinthians 3:12

Chokgyurlingpa Urgyen Jigmed Palden Rinpoche…. one of the highest ranking Lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, a leading teacher in Europe, spoke last Friday at the park forum in Heidelberg. there was a crowd of Germans, a sprinkling of other nationalities, the Rinpoche, his attendant monk and, sitting in the back…me.

I had filched a poster off the bulletin-board at the market, and shortly afterwards; received an email from one of the church’s translators, asking if I planned on attending! ( Oh, be still my heart!! ) We prayed hard for a chance to speak with the Rinpoche…an opportunity to touch his heart! The group that assembled to hear the Lama was hushed, respectful.. .the fawning reverence that the westerner has for Eastern philosophy. When he called for a break, I went forward to talk with him. Ugyen had only a few words in English..so my somewhat sketchy Tibetan had to suffice. He was surprised to hear his own language, and more surprised still,  to hear that Jesus loved him! After a moments pause, he tucked his robes about him and said:”Buddha, Allah, Jesus…there are many paths to God!”
“But Rinpoche” I said, “Jesus claims to be the only truth, the only path to God!” I clasped his hands in mine, he leaned towards me. “It is either true…or it is a lie….and you, Rinpoche, you…have to choose!”
He nodded several times, obviously ill at ease, his attendant watched us both intently. “I will pray for you, every day!” I said quietly. I placed an envelope in his hands. He glanced at it…took my hands again and thanked me. Pray for this man, that God will water the seed that was planted! I left him clutching the envelope, sealed with a bit of red wax, bearing his name in Tibetan script…and containing a tract in his mother tongue, holding the key to his salvation… and perhaps, through him…the salvation of his people!
Like our friend Darlene says:
Thrilled to be serving the King of Kings!!

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy


PS  Thank you all for praying….the terrifying ´cat-urine-frying- the-laptop- voiding-the- warranty- off-line- for-nineteen- days-without- communication´ ordeal has been successfuly brought to ´closure´….we received a great many emails in regards to our ´dire straights´,  quite a few from fellow ´Apple-Macintosh´ users…who regailed us with their tales of Mac-tragedy and  Mac-triumph,
“Standing by us!” in our moment of loss!! ( we Mac users are a silly lot! )  You also sent the total replacement cost of the computer…in less than twenty four hours!! We don´t deserve you…but we are so delighted to have you looking after us. God bless you all!

Hello brothers and sisters!

December 2nd, 2009

ashes to ashes…

I normally tend to emphasize the ecstatic, and downplay the morose…to fling into view the joyous thing…and ignore the tragic, the calamitous….but not at this pass. I feel compelled to share our burden with you, to offer you a place beside us at the grave…as we grieve.

Amberlea received the call this very afternoon….the voice at the other end did not quibble, nor disemble. The clipped vowels were un-mistakable: ”Zee apple laptop ist dead, ein  katz hass peed on your mother-board.”
The cat belonged to the specialist my wife had visited in Berlin…apparently it had some issues with Americans…sigh…I’m afraid Berlin is too great a distance to travel…just to kill one cat.
Other than feline-based horrors, we find ourselves doing well ( your prayers, thank you! ) and our work here…well…it seems to leap about like some frenzied young golden retreiver! from the sqallid back-streets of Mannheim…to Heidelbergs proud city squares,  from Tibetan monastery, to french graveyard…it is busy, it is often hard…and it is  a great joy.  Yesterday, the fog hung low in the river valley, we floated through it in our train, the kid’s  noses glued to windows streaked with mist. Our ride is usually a noteworthy affair. Through these doors walk the reason that we are here, these lives into which the Father provides a portal.  An old man we met months ago gets on…it is the ‘king’! ( He was so named by Mercy, who thought his heavy gold rings accorded him this  exalted status. )   Greetings were exchanged, embraces given…and then something rather special happened. Ollie pulled out his wallet, ( as seamed and venerable as Ollie himself ), and slowly un-folded a much-handled square of paper….a picture Mercy had drawn for him half a year earlier! Ollie is sniffing the wind, as it were…and smelling Jesus!!  I am discovering that our children are the Lord’s real missionaries here! When we reached the Bahnhof, I was arranging the luggage on our bikes…when I overheard my wife inviting a young woman to church, Amberlea pulls out a Calvary Chapel Heidelberg card…and so does the young woman! “A large American man already invited me!” she said.  Amberlea just shook her head.  What fun! You can’t begin to explore Gods limits….there are none! ( “wondrous are your works, O Lord! ) His mercy’s are new every morning….and every afternoon, for that matter!

Our Fathers business….nothing cooler

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

November 23rd, 2009
 I was sitting  again on our balcony, just a little bit of blue left in the sky, slice of moon…scraps of clouds scudding north up the river valley…I watched the barges slow for the locks, the cars wind their way through the cobbled  streets that climb the banks…one year ago, in one of these narrow lanes, I met a young Moroccan man, Jaffar. I have spoken with him often, little snippets of conversation, pieces of hope…small dollops of truth. We prayed for our Muslim friend  (as have many of you! ) and the Lord would lead him to our home…we’d talk a while…then Jaffar would leave suddenly, as things became to much to bear, the Spirit, knocking loudly at the door of his heart! We wrote not long ago,  to tell you of his salvation, and his desire to attend church with us…and he has, several times now! Jaffars countenance has altered, there is a light in his eyes, an ease about him that is such a departure from the hunched shuffle that carried him about the village! God has worked another miracle, another transformation of the dead, bringing life once again!
    I had promised a German bible to Jaffar. After yesterdays service, I noticed him looking though the bookshelves in the sanctuary, I went over to help him…and found him staring at the small, blue book in his hand. Jaffar looked up at me with wet eyes,”Es ist im Arabische!” he whispered quietly. ( “It is in Arabic!” ) I knew we had bibles in several languages ( English German, even Turkish! ) but this tiny bible had escaped my notice! I closed his fingers over it. God is good.
                                                ”Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
                                                                                            Psalm 119:105
                                                  
                                                                       We are so glad to have you with us!
                                                                 Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy 

Hello brothers and sisters!

November 18th, 2009

 

    It is surreal at times…how the hand of God comes suddenly into our lives, bringing blessing, answering prayer…ordering the days events to His purpose…at Calvary Chapel Gorltz we saw His hand. It was so evident in what occurred there! 

 

      Gorlitz sits squarely on the 15TH longitude, sprawled across the river Neisse on the east German/Polish border. In both its faces, a stark contrast…and a common need; the east German side is still beautiful, her stone…lovingly worked, her trees….dressed in gold and red, the drifts of fallen leaves seem almost arranged about the feet of her shops and dwellings. Her Polish sister, however….huddles in rags of poverty and decay. Despair blows cold and hard down her crumbling streets….but both need Gods love in a bad way.

  Into this picture come Stephan, Dorit, ‘Timo’ and Nora Spielau; CC Leipzig…tough sheep. Missionaries. Their lights shine brightly….in a very dark place. Hannah Lawrence played a concert here, then wrote them suggesting I go up for an outreach…The Spielau’s prayed to that effect…and The lord tossed in another Evangelist ( Jake Davidson; Calvary Fellowship, Seattle ) for good measure….and it was wonderful! Crisp, sunny…and each person Jesus wanted to speak with, clearly marked for us! Encouragement to the Christians we met, the gospel to the lost. Parents with children, young people, old men shuffling about…even five Mormon missionaries at the bridge,( they didn’t say much…but they listened for close to an hour! )  …some people out of work… some just out of hope….but all directed into our paths! We talked to skaters and waiters and street-artists, ….but had the distinct impression that the real victory….was in the way Gorlitz seemed to watch us…and took note of these people who couldn’t wait to share their Jesus! In the strangely appropriate slang of my youth: It was Righteous!   

     We didn’t reach hundreds…but we touched the ones the Lord had ordained…and He bound us together in the process, like He has is so many other cities! As we become part of the fabric…the weave here….we decrease….Jesus increases, yeah? A year ago someone told us we were brought here for the Lord to work on us….they were right. We just want to belong to Him, and let God handle the rest!   Please remember these churches…as you remember us….your prayers have set in motion what happened here! And we thank you…

 

                                                  in Jesus name

                                  Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS The ‘Ride-share’ you prayed for ? I spent a total of fourteen hours in a Volkswagen Golf with Yvonne, Veronica and some bundled-up creature that slept undisturbed in it’s seat the entire trip back….and the Lord opened the door….I spent most of the trip answering questions about God…most of them from the girl in the back seat….she is considering Jesus!