The John Waller Band Visits Wales

4th of July with John Waller

One of the highlights of this past week’s mission team was getting to meet John Waller and his band. We tossed some burgers and hot dogs on the Weber, hoping to provide a little American hospitality to these new friends who gave up their fourth of July to put on a free concert for the young people of our Welsh community.

We were really thankful to God that a contemporary Christian band would interrupt their concert tour to go on a mission trip to Wales. These guys and their tech crew traveled all over the valleys putting on mini-concerts in Welsh schools during the day and full-blown gigs every night, all for the glory of God and the extension of the Gospel message here.

Obviously I’m taking this photo, but not until I polished off a piece of strawberry gateau and half a cup of coffee! From left to right are: Jen (my youngest daughter), Sheri (my wife), Chris, John Waller, David, Jordan, and Dan (Jen’s fiancé). On a side note, Jen, and Dan are getting married this Saturday in Cardiff!

Here’s one of my favorite John Waller songs, entitled “Still Calls Me Son.”

Singing The Star-Spangled Banner in the UK

4th of JulyThe 4th of July, a.k.a. Independence Day, is just two days away and very difficult to celebrate in the United Kingdom. Just think about that for a second and you’ll understand why. We have missed this bit of Americana for the past four years, but we do love what God has called us to do here, so we’re not complaining.

Last night I heard “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by an American church choir in our small town of Pontypridd, South Wales. Since I organized the event, I already knew that there would be two choirs—a Gospel choir from the Atlanta area and the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir—and that the audience would be singing the national anthems for America and Wales. It was the first time I have ever attempted to sing the Welsh Anthem, “Land of My Fathers,” in Welsh and it was also the first time I have heard my national anthem in the United Kingdom. Continue reading