A Royal Welcome

I promised I’d share with you more positive testimonies of times God really blessed me in ministry. This morning another such time came to mind. It was a time I received a really “royal welcome.”An associate minister at a large charismatic church in Florida had made a connection in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He was involved in a really big move of God in that country and, though on staff at this church in Florida, was given liberty to travel there frequently to minister. It happened that my mother used to work at that same church as a secretary for another of the associate ministers, and she told this pastor about me. I too was traveling in ministry very frequently, but happened to be in the area and to have some openings in my schedule, so he called me and asked me to come speak with him.

This pastor said he would like to invite me to come down and see what God was doing in that city and to do some preaching and teaching myself. I was thrilled and accepted the offer. It turned out that a local Christian TV station had recently upgraded their equipment and this pastor had talked them into donating their old stuff to the work in Ecuador. He needed someone to bring it down, so I accepted that assignment as well. We went over to the station and I was given the cameras and other stuff. If I remember right, they were already packed safely into padded containers. We agreed that the other pastor would be heading down in the coming weeks and I would follow in a month or two.

When the time came, I loaded my own things in a suitcase and brought the TV equipment to the airport in Orlando, said good-bye to my wife, and was on my way. I was wearing very casual clothes, some rumpled khaki pants and one of those flowered Hawaii shirts. I might have even had flip-flops or Crocs on my feet, I’m not sure. I was going to a tropical place, after all! If I remember right, it was a rather long and boring flight, so when we touched down in Guayaquil, I was really looking forward to getting off the plane and getting settled in a room some place. I had absolutely no expectations of anything special happening at the airport upon my arrival. I only hoped they had remembered my coming and sent someone to pick me up.

I made my way through baggage claim and passport control, then followed the signs toward the street and ground transportation. As I approached the glass doors and windows at the front of the airport, however, a young man rushed in to greet me and help with my bags. He shook my hand vigorously, welcoming me to his country and asking me to follow him. As we made our way out the exit, imagine my surprise as I saw about a dozen men and women in suits and ties or nice dresses, standing in a line outside, ready to welcome me. One of the women stepped up and gave me a dozen roses! Then the whole group broke into loud applause and exclamations of welcome.

Most shocking of all, a TV cameraman with his camera on his shoulder, was focused on me and backing up as I walked out! The lead pastor of the Assemblies of God in Guayaquil stepped forward with this big plastic key in his hand, and in a very formal voice, presented it to me. It was the “key” to the city of Guayaquil, and bore the letters “Welcome Pastor Warren”! I was so surprised, and suddenly became very self-conscious of my rumpled, casual clothes and my disheveled hair, quickly trying to unwrinkled the pants and pat my hair into its proper place!

We were taken to waiting cars, and once we were all loaded up, headed out in procession. The line of cars made its way to a big, four-storied house with a sign out front that read, “Embajada Cristiana” (Christian Embassy). I didn’t have to carry my own luggage or anything, but was whisked inside to a spacious room. All these formally dressed people formed up inside and welcomed me again with applause. Then, with the TV camera rolling, they sang their country’s national anthem. The cameraman and a “reporter” of some sort came over to me and welcomed me again, then asked me to tell their viewers what my purpose in visiting their country was. I didn’t have time to be nervous or think of a response. I just said something like, “I’ve come to see your country, meet your people, and share the message of the gospel.” If I’d known I would be interviewed like that, I would’ve thought up a better speech, but everything was completely unexpected!

We all sat for just a moment and were given some kind of wonderful fruit drink, mango, papaya, I don’t remember exactly. But before I could relax, I was told a Christian radio station had also sent a reporter and would like to interview me! I wish I had a video of my face. I bet I must’ve looked like I thought this was an episode of Candid Camera or something! I mean, was this real, or was I dreaming? Did these people know who I was?

I was taken to another room, where a microphone was held out to me and I was questioned again about my purpose in coming to Ecuador and what my plans were. I didn’t have any idea what the plans were – I was just waiting to do whatever the local people wanted me or allowed me to do! I don’t recall what else we talked about in the interview. I only know that if I’d been told all of this would be happening, I would’ve been so much more nervous, but I would also have been better prepared, and I would’ve dressed differently!

Well, eventually, all the excitement died down, the many guests left, and I was allowed to go to my room, unpack, and relax. The pastor who’d invited me came and spoke with me, and gave me a rough idea of the plan for the next week or so. We were going to stay at this Christian Embassy, where a whole crew of local church folks would feed us and make sure we had all we needed, and there would be various ministry assignments for us throughout the week.

During my stay there, I was taken to different areas of the city and different churches of the ministerial alliance that had welcomed me. I spoke at evening services all over the place, but I also preached at mid-day a few times. I spoke several nights to men and women at the local Bible college who were preparing for ministry. I taught at a school for missions. I was on the Christian TV station several times, doing interviews, translating for the other American pastor, and giving little teachings. It was really a whirlwind tour! In between all of these things I spoke with a young couple who were pastoring a church but also leading the missions school, and found we had so much in common I was amazed. Not only was this true, but they actually knew more about missions and missions organizations than I did! They invited me to come back to their country three times in the next year, to teach at their school, preach at their church, and do an evangelistic rally. It was what I had always dreamed of, and it was really happening! I almost couldn’t believe it.

One morning I was awakened and told to dress in suit and tie, because someone was coming to pick me up. I said okay, got myself ready, and went downstairs to have some fruit and coffee. What am I being picked up for, I asked? Oh, there was a big conference downtown, and I was going to be one of the keynote speakers! What?! I was shocked and immediately began to feel a bit panicky. A minister came to pick me up. We went to the waiting car, got seated, and started toward the conference. “What’s this conference about?” I asked. “Oh,” he said, “It’s on being men of integrity. We’ve been announcing it for a few months and lots of men have signed up.”

I’ve done some conferences before. I’ve done some men’s meetings. But I’m usually told in advance what to speak on, and I have some time to prepare! This thing had been planned for months, but the first I heard about it was when they put me in the car to go there! I lifted the whole thing up to God and said, “Lord, you knew this was going to happen, and you know I’m not prepared. If you want to bring anything good out of me on this subject, you’re going to have to do it!” Then I tried to relax. We arrived at the venue, and there were hundreds of people waiting!

Well, after some praise and worship, I was introduced as this great preacher from the United States, and I was up for the very first session of the conference. God put some thoughts into my mind, so I launched into this talk about walking on the path of righteousness and so forth. It wasn’t great, but God and I “pulled it off” so to speak. I sat back down to applause, and the conference proceeded. I was off the hook for the rest of the sessions, and someone came to lead me back to the car. Whew!

The final culmination of this amazing trip came on Sunday, when I was asked to preach at the main Assemblies of God church of the city. I got up in front of some 800 people and preached my heart out about reaching the world for Christ. I told the congregation that I would be leaving for Kazakhstan after being with them, and asked them to pray for me. They did pray, with great fervor, and I had tears in my eyes as I felt their support and concern for another part of the world.

As I ended my sermon, I told them I would be there to pray for any of them who had needs, and I stepped down off the platform to the ground floor to await them. For the first time, I understood why Jesus had to have His disciples get their boat ready for Him, so He could avoid being crushed by the crowd! I was literally surrounded by hundreds of people, all wanting me to pray for them! I was wearing suit and tie, so I was already soaked with sweat and tired. But the “party” was only getting started! I prayed for person after person, for every sort of need you can imagine; healing, provision, salvation, guidance, strength, you name it. These people didn’t know I was just some ex-hippy guy that Jesus had mercy on! They thought I was God’s man of faith and power, a famous evangelist from America! It really was amazing and overwhelming to me.

Believe it or not, the leaders of the church had to send deacons to rescue me from that crowd! These guys who looked like Secret Service pressed through the crowd, gently grabbed me, and escorted me out of that place. I gotta tell you, I didn’t resist at all – I needed to be rescued!

When we got home to the embassy, I took off my sweat-soaked jacket and finally got to rest in a chair and eat some papaya or other tropical fruit. (Every day they had this amazing “spread” of every kind of tropical fruit you could imagine, along with lots of other great food.) Later, the senior pastor sent me an envelope with an offering from the church for preaching and to help me get to Kazakhstan. I was so blessed and warmed by that gesture. To think that these brothers and sisters from what I consider a “third-world nation” were willing to pray for me and give me some of their hard-earned money to carry the gospel to yet another part of the world, well, it was amazingly gratifying and heart-warming. That pastor came by later and told me they’d be praying for me in Kazakhstan, and would I please send an email report, so they could know how things went? I was thrilled!

When I finally flew out the next day, a group of pastors and others saw me off. They were so gracious and kind from beginning to end of my stay there. I flew away tired, but with this warm glow throughout my being. My time in Ecuador was truly one of the greatest experiences of my ministerial career, a time I will always treasure and never forget!