Latvia and onward

Good Monday all-  we are partway through the tour, so far things have been going well, even in the midst of some travel craziness.  The simple logistics of a trip like this, a different country each day, the realities of getting from place to place on planes, trains, automobiles, buses, ferry rides, etc just means there is a lot of room for things to go wrong.  
    In spite of those chances of things going wrong, there are tons of things going right, and a lot of God's grace going before us.  Yesterday we were late getting to the airport check-in area because of travel issues, and trying to get from point A to B in the Frankfurt airport, navigating no less than 10 escalators with 6 carts of guitars, luggage, keyboards, etc-  makes me laugh just thinking about the crazy parade.  We finally got to Air Baltic, and checked in, I thought 'there's no way we are gonna make our flight'    Well, wouldn't you know it, the flight was delayed about 40 minutes!!  We went through a THOROUGH security screening, arrived at our gate & had about 10 minutes to sit down and relax-  Praise the Lord!  

     So, though there are challenges with logistics, we believe and know God has truly gone before us, and blessed us by being here IN us first, and then THROUGH us as well.  We had a great time of prayer & bible study last night in a very cool VIP lounge of sorts on the hotel roof.  We wanted to just go up there & hang out, but the area was closed, the restaurant closed down.  The lady running it, however, said 'would you like to sit more comfortably?'  We did.  She flipped on a light in a corner room and there was a sweet huge curved couch, a bunch of crazy globe lights and a very comfortable space to hang out & pray & talk.  Great night of ministry after a great few days of ministry behind us and before us.   

I'll leave you with a few fun pix.  Apparently Brian appeals to a very wide demographic, this older woman was very excited to see him on the plane in the seat behind her AFTER she saw the paper... before then, um... not as much :)   

This next picture is of the green room in the club that the guys play in tonite, the place from which I'm typing this.  Not sure how clear it will be to you, but it is not a pleasant or sunny happy picture, nor is it a sunny happy vibe here.  The people are nice, somewhat friendly, but look closer to the top poster, look at the pictures there-  there is definitely a tough, hard edge to this club for sure.   But, as we prayed when we got here, we can't blame the dark for being dark, we can and will be Light in that darkness, however, and continue to pray that the power of the Gospel will go forward through the music, the lyrics, Brian's story of Jesus's work in his life, the lifestyle of the guys here on tour.  And, it's encouraging to know we are not alone-  other Christian bands have been through here (see the bottom poster) and the promoter is a Christian and doing his best to be light as well, and we have been an encouragement to him- he is STOKED about the show to say the least :)

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying for us.  The God who hears, who provides, who holds us-  that same God is alive and at work in the people here in Europe, I am thankful and humbled that He is using me to encourage and help that work here.  Time to go...  this place won't rock itself. 
Looking up, my eyes on the work set before me and on the cross...
dave

dates left for the tour...

6/7/2010

Melna Piektdiena

Brivibas 193c

Riga, LG

6/8/2010

Rock Café

Tartu mnt. 80D

Zelluloosi Keskus

Tallin, Estonia

6/9/2010

Nosturi

Telakkakatu 8

Helsinki, Finland 00150

6/10/2010

Day off in Amsterdam- going to see Phil Wickham & Switchfoot here tonite- yay! 

6/11/2010

P3

17-19 Purmersteenweg

Purmerend, 1441 DK Netherlands

6/12/2010 Dave flies home

7:30-8:30 pm - come to Trinity Baptist @ 2400 W. 18th street--

It's a LightsOut Thank-quet!  Thanks a bunch to our supporters - come hang out & have a rootbeer float, hear stories from the road, and what's next for LightsOut!