The summer has officially come to an end. I am back in Atlanta after a good long summer and I have to say God has done some wonderful things!
Wrapping up my ministry summer was a little “vacation” in Newport, NC, near where I grew up. I visited family and friends and even had a little performance opportunity.
For close to a year now, I have been working informally with the Korean Church in Havelock, NC, teaching their youth, hosting events, and building a WAVE team. Since my mom attends this church, we schedule things for the kids when I am in town for visits.
Last weekend, the Korean church had been invited to attend a worship sing-a-long night at another church and I was invited to share a couple of songs with the kids on the WAVE team. Even though I have been working with the WAVE team for a while, they have never done anything outside of the Korean church so this was a pretty big deal.
When the evening came, we were slotted last of the visiting churches to perform. I wasn’t sure how things would go, as much of the music from the night was “conservative” to say the least. Not that I have anything against that style (having grown up with it) but I knew that anything we were gonna be doing was not only gonna be a little more “edgy” but also completely different.
The Korean congregation did a dance in their beautiful customary clothing and sang a song and then we were up.
The time came for the first song and of course we had a little technical difficulties! I explained who and what Vision 2 Hear is, my background and that I had grown up in Morehead and graduated from West Carteret in 1987.
Once the music started, people seemed to be with us but it was still too soon to tell. Like A Lion roared measure after measure and people clapped along. Was this really happening?
By the end of the song, God’s presence was surely felt! People were praising God and some even seemed to know a little sign language and even most of the congregation tried to sign along at the bridge!
When we did You Raise Me Up, the congregation was singing along and seemed to be mesmerized by the music and motion. Of course the song is an emotional one to say the least but our team was engaged and the audience seemed to be captivate by the whole thing. At the end, there was a roar of clapping that lead to a standing ovation. Now this was certainly not what I had expected! In all my years of touring, performing and speaking, I have only had a few standing ovations. This was a definite indication to me that God had touched people’s hearts!
After the service ended I was able to make some contact with the regional missions director and several people who had direct connections to deaf people. We also talked to a few people who were “touched” and brought to tears from the songs! I can only praise God for the way He used us that night. I also have to give thanks to God for allowing me and the newly formed NC WAVE team such an awesome first experience together! I trust that as God opens doors for us all to perform more in the future that God’s Spirit will move through us just as mightily!
George