Concert, concert, concert!!

Josh here-

In the last 18 hours, we did 3 concerts! Whew! I was blown away with how wonderful it all was.

Last night we sang at a retirement center. About 60 people came down to listen. They had a nice clavinova and a built in sound system with 2 microphones. It worked fairly well, and the people really loved the concert. I always thought our program was a bit on the boring side - not enough 'crowd pleasers,' but I realized it was perfect for an elderly audience, especially "Beautiful Dreamer" and the hymns. They were all very touched and greatly appreciated us. One elderly gentleman even put $60 into my hand.
This was a fairly wealthy place, and dad noticed in the parking garage a lot of fancy and expensive cars. What seemed sad to me was that these people weren't living with their families. We are so family centered that it seems strange to us that our parents would be anywhere other than in our own home when they get old and frail. I grew up with very elderly great grandparents in the home, and loved it. I didn't know the burden it was on my parents, but I'm glad they made the sacrifice, and I'm definitely willing to go through that sacrifice for my parents and for Nancy's.

This morning we did two slightly shorter concerts at the Women's Prison pre-release center. There were over 100 women who showed up altogether. I didn't really know what to expect, so we went in with an attitude of taking whatever comes. The building was converted from a hotel, so we were placed in a room that used to be two hotel rooms. We had dad's little portable keyboard (a junky but functional little thing), 1 music stand, and our trumpets and violin. The barest essentials. About 60 women crowded into the space for the first concert. These were the more hardened criminals, and they 'oohed' and 'aahed' over the kids, especially Gloria and Bjorn. There were many elderly women there as well. My mother, who leads a monthly service at the center and a Bi-annual weekend event at the prison itself did our introduction, and she knew a few of the women there.
We began our singing and were rewarded with great applause after each piece. I wasn't sure exactly how to modify the speaking portions of our program, so I winged it, based on some advice mom gave me the night before. It was basically a message of encouragement, hope and of seeking salvation in Jesus.
We definitely had an emotional impact on the women, especially as Gloria and Bjorn sang "Jesus Loves Me," and my words about how I am so blessed to be around my family all the time. The women are separated from their families, some of them forever. There was a lot of pain in that room, so I pointed them as best as I could to Jesus and the Bible. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to see those dozens of pairs of eyes look with longing at our beautiful family while thinking of their own torn families, but we kept pointing them to Jesus, explaining that He is the restorer and renewer of all things.
Both concerts went well, although we were very tired afterward. Please pray for these women, that this little emotional event will result in life-changing salvation for them. We certainly plan on coming back, and will seek now to perform at any prison we can. Those people so need the love of Jesus. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers...." (Luke 10:2). I hope, dear reader, that you take this verse to heart and do all you can to share the Gospel however you may to all the world.