North Africa - Extended Edition

We stayed in North Africa a week after our 2 week tour with TACO.  It was our 5th time working with this organization for 3 festivals around the country.  These large scaled events are well organized and run by hundreds of attentive volunteers.  It is such a privilege to work with such humble servants of God. 

We were blessed to have our friend John from TACO join us for this week as an assistant.  He is a very competent young man and we wish we always had his help.  In the last few months he has even taken up unicycling.  The three of us were able to do a unicycling trio act as part of our shows.  It was a fun addition.

Our first festival was at the Cave Church in the midst of what is called Garbage City, home to 80,000 people who live among and process garbage from the huge city below.  We did 3 shows throughout the day, along with many other performers, sharing the Gospel with many hungry for truth.  It was exciting to see so many respond.

From there we joined a weekend festival at a conference center in the desert where around 12,000 people attended each of the 4 days.  We did 2 shows each day along with skaters, bmxer's, a strength team, clown, illusionist, motocross jumper and marshal arts team.   We again saw hundreds respond to the open invitation to follow Jesus.  We prayed with many hurting people after our shows and saw Jesus touch them.

Next we drove to the south of the country for a one day festival.  It was a pretty crazy day but we know that people were ministered to through our multiple shows. 

Thanks for praying with us that the thousands who surrendered to God will remain in Him!

Dustin performing at the Cave Church

Interview for SAT7 television which airs across the Middle East.

Cole and his amazing skills.

Kevin flying high. 

Wes jumping high over volunteers.

The stadium with over 10,000 people.

Loving the people of North Africa

We returned to the land of pyramids for the 5th time mid October.  The first two weeks we were part of TACO's first tour in this country.  It was the first time the local organizers had planned anything like this so it was a learning experience for all.

We had 3 shows combining our band, dance, mime and unicycling with local secular bands and dramas for 6 hour long festivals.  We weren't able to share openly in the shows but delivered a positive message of cultural diversity, which was the theme our local organizer chose.  We were helping the group here build relationships and bridges with the community.  They walk a very fine line with restrictions and laws.  

The first festival was for a school with very excited and aggressive boys.  The volunteers helped out greatly to keep things under control.  The next festival was for a girls school of 1,000.  Many knew English and all were thoroughly enthusiastic about our program.  It was sweet to see them singing along with Drake and band.  After the show a student told the principal that because of the message Dustin shared, she was going to start using her gifts for others and not herself from that day on.

The last festival was at a cultural center.  We did a short set at the beginning of the festival and were supposed to close the festival with another set.  The other bands and dramas between us performed so long that at 11:30p the facility manager cut the power just before we were about to go on.  Dustin still jumped on his unicycle and rode trials on the structures, then Drake and company played and sang songs unplugged.  The crowd that was left loved it.  Some said it was a great testimony that we didn't get upset but went ahead and still shared something with the audience.

Friday night we had a great highlight show at a Catholic church reaching out in a Sudanese refugee community.  This was the only show where we were the only performers and we could share openly since it was on church grounds.  It was refreshing to be able to do a full show and share about the Reason for the hope we have!  The priest told us afterward what a blessing we had been to these refugees and how special it was that we cared for and loved them enough to come share our show.

One of our local organizers said that his life has changed after seeing our show and hearing our message.  He had stopped trying to make a difference with his life but is now inspired to step out and make it count for eternity.  Our whole team of organizers and helpers were great.  They warmly welcomed us and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

Please pray that all who heard and saw our show will take steps closer to Jesus!  Thank you!

First festival.

Second festival.

Fourth show.

Our team.