Victor's Russian Experiences....

Kriszta (the Let's Talk coordinator) requested that I come next week to an advanced training at Lake Balaton instead of this week if it wasn't too inconvenient. This means that where I cleared my schedule to go this week, I've now got some time to get organized with other things. I got to sleep in until 9:30 am this morning and have the day to do things. Woo hoo! I'm not complaining. It's nice.
----------
INTRODUCTION TO VICTOR....
Last night I met Ela and Nona at Ela's flat for a last goodbye. Nona will go back to New York and Ela will return to Warsaw this weekend. Near the end of the night, Ela's landlord, Victor, came by for a drink. He and his pregnant girlfriend live across the building and apparently stop in quite frequently at Ela's place. Somehow we got to talking about his experiences when he was a student in Moscow. We were teasing him that maybe he is former KGB because his stories were a little outlandish.

For example, while he was a student, there was no food on the streets in Moscow but he realized that he could cut down wood near Siberia, and bring it back to Hungary to sell the firewood in exchange for food, wine, and other consumables. A businessman in the making, he would then bring the consumables back to Moscow, making a decent living as a college student. It sounds like something out of a book or a movie. Apparently, it became quite lucrative so he rented a large working van and loaded it up with wood. One night he and his girlfriend were driving the wood back to Hungary through Belarussia (a country between Poland and Russia) but got really tired and pulled over in a parking lot to sleep. About an hour or so later, a guy tapped on the window with a club and stick and said, "You're going to want to give me money because this is my parking lot." And Victor said, "Why?" And the guy said, "Because look around you." When he did, there were 20 guys with clubs. So, Victor gave him the money and said, "Can we go back to sleep now?" The guy said, "You gave me this money so easily? You must have more. I want double." So Victor said to us "I was a novice then, so I gave it to him." But later he went to the police and because the truck he was using had Hungarian diplomats plates still on the car and the documents in the car, the police took Victor back to the parking lot to get his money back. (Sounds a little fishy to me). The police went back to the area with masks, full protection and basically confronted the guy for the money back. Instead of arresting the guy the police said to the guy, "I thought you were only harassing locals. This is a Hungarian diplomat!"

Man, this guy's life is better than Alias or 24.

After listening to his interesting stories for quite awhile, something came up about the Passion movie that Mel Gibson made years ago. Victor was basically saying it was a really shoddy movie -- bloody and pointless and the slow motion scenes where they hammer the nails into Jesus' hands was ridiculous. He went on and on about it. I could care less about defending the movie, but I thought since he was so engrossed in his comments, I would mentioned that it's not like other blood and guts movies with senseless violence but that for Christ followers, the crucifixion is a major part of Christian faith. It's basically the life that Christ lived and demonstrated to us and then this one bloody act that brought about a new way of living for humanity. Without the death and then the subsequent rising from the dead that Christians believe is true, our faith is nothing. Jesus would just be relegated to another "good man" or "prophet." Ela brought up the point that this movie probably wanted to get the viewer in touch with how brutal a crucifixion actually is since its so far removed from our life and our forms of punishment today. I thought that was probably a good point.

All of this brought me back this morning to some random thoughts.

First, Victor must be former KGB or mafia. I wouldn't be surprised. He invited us to a party on his "island" next weekend located about an hour or so away from Budapest. Who has an island of their own?? OK, some people do obviously. Oh, and he made sure to tell us that he built it himself. He owns property all over and he just sold his "casino" in Romania. Sounds a little mafioso to me. If nothing else, his life would definitely make an interesting main character in a movie or book.

Second, when it comes to my faith in Christ, lots of people think it's utter foolishness to believe that somehow one man could, would or even should be crucified for the rest of the world. I am OK with being looked upon as foolish. Knowing Christ and the power of His love and faithfulness to me all these years is the essence of who I am. It's the substance of my being. There was no harm taken and no harm done by our discussions last night. I just find it so interesting that someone so incredible, so amazing in my life can be relegated to a cuss word or that .... something as significant as his death is laughed at through the guise of a "bad movie." Again, I'm not defending the movie quality. But this man. This mystery. He's incredible and incredibly worth investigating and giving your whole life to.

Third, I haven't listened to Vineyard Worship Music in a LONG time. But I just downloaded "Sweetly Broken" from their More Than Ever: Live from the Rockies CD and it's all about the cross. I'm kind of "over" their style of worship, but a song called "Sweetly Broken" knocks it out of the park for me! I'm enjoying it this morning and reveling in my foolishness. I will be a fool for Him forever. He is an amazing God. Thank you Jesus for being who you are.

"Sweetly Broken"
To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness