When in Rome…

As we ventured through Europe, the sights we saw became more and more dramatic. The creations of man seemed to grow in both size and detail. First, the great 747 which carried us across the ocean. Then the ruins of castles, built unnaturally on the steep slopes of the German Alps. The Doge’s palace (or “Dojo’s place” as some chose to call it) in Venice, Italy, contained more than the eye could appreciate and more than the mind could handle. But to top off the manmade sights we saw, we enter the smallest independent country in the world: The Vatican.

No matter how many dictionaries I swallow, I will never have the words to fully describe this magnificent place. The Vatican Museum contains such works of art, such history, and such detail, that one cannot help but be amazed by its splendor. Our entire team certainly was. In the museum, the team saw tapestries, yards long, statues, yards tall, and a hall containing maps… ancient maps… 120 meters of ancient maps.

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St. Peter’s Basilica

We, of course, saw one of Michelangelo’s finest works: the Sistine chapel. This room was both stunning and disappointing. The beautiful artwork which decorates the walls and ceiling are awe-inspiring, and it was an experience the OFC team will never forget. We could see the artist’s mastery of color and design in the magnificent paintings. The history and culture in that room gave us feelings of wonder. Unfortunately, the room was packed full of other stupefied visitors, detracting from the overall experience. Still, it was a sight unlike any other.

To top off our experience, however, we had to leave the Vatican museum. St. Peter’s Basilica sits in a different part of Vatican city. There are no words to adequately describe this massive cathedral. The largest in the world, St. Peter’s puts all other buildings to shame. The intricacy of all of the decoration, and the finery of all of the many altars is breathtaking. The epic scale of everything in the seemingly endless room pushed our eyes and minds to their limits.

It was truly a blessing to see such a sight. And it brought us great joy, knowing that this magnificent city was dedicated to the worship of our Heavenly Father. We can only hope that we will get to experience that wonder again someday.

Awestruck,
Aaron Brickle

A Little Recognition

Very appreciated, but not always properly recognized, the University Singers’ Noah Cromer does his job with pride. He is the team’s sound engineer. His job is to control the mix of the various microphones and speakers used by The Singers in their many performances. And though the audience can hear the difference that he makes, they very seldom realize it. So here, for everyone’s benefit, is a brief profile of Noah Cromer.

Photo By: Zack Adams
Photo By: Zack Adams

A former homeschooler from Temperance Michigan, Noah is a freshman of Southern Wesleyan University, double majoring in piano and ministry. Unfortunately, while with the Singers, he is not often able to flaunt his excellent piano proficiency. He is also very successful academically.

To everyone’s advantage, though, Noah is able to use his great musical talent with The Singers. Having a good auditory acuity is vital in sound mixing. Noah said, “Probably the hardest part of running sound is trying to listen to all of the different parts. . . other than that, it’s pretty easy.” He also sings with the group on several of the concert selections. His ministry with the OFC team also spans beyond their music. While at Aviano Air Force Base, we all watched in tender amusement as he played with a group of small children. He was ministering even as the rest of us were hungrily engaging the marvelous dinner provided by the chaplain.

So, all things considered, Noah’s musical talent does not supplant his other ministry. However, it does not always receive all of the recognition which it deserves either. Still, he uses his gifts for God’s glory; and that, dear reader, is all that really matters.

Reporting from Italy,
Aaron Brickle

Great is Thy Faithfulness

A gorgeous arrangement of the classic hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness, this song shows the dedication of the University Singers to both musical and spiritual excellence. The lyrics speak of God’s unfailing faithfulness, and the photos and video show the  work of The OFC Team while in Europe. We hope you enjoy.

Vincenzo and the Crash of ’15

It was a pretty normal day. After the exhilaration of a morning spent touring in Venice, the OFC team had settled back for a long bus ride to Florence. As has become typical on these extended trips in the bus, the occupants of the last two rows were throwing themselves into a comical uproar. Tanner Lambert, the Univertsity Singers’ highest tenor, was merrily leading us on a verbal “tour” of Italy. Sides were split was he described his adventures in the “Dojo’s Palace.” Then, just like that, our cacophony of raucous laughter came crashing to a halt, just like the cars in front of us.

Now, it is high time we recognized the most important, unofficial member of the OFC team: our driver, Vincenzo Pedonta. Without the services of this colorful man, Operation Freedom’s Cadence would have gone nowhere fast. As the cars in front of us collided and swerved, he dodged left with incredible swiftness, and impeccable skill. While the rest of us froze in our places, unsure of what was happening, Vincenzo’s constant awareness prevented a situation far worse than the one which actually occurred. 

All of this took place in seconds. Not twenty seconds after the accident, we had pulled over – assessing the situation. Debris littered the highway behind our bus. A black car, the original size of which we could no longer tell, sat motionless and completely backwards against the now misshapen guardrail. In front of us, the small van which had been involved had slid to a quiet stop.

It was scary.

Next, came the noisy morass of questions. We blew a tire, right? Did we just hit that car? What happened? Is everybody OK?!?

Relief came as we saw the passengers of the mangled black car step out of their vehicle – especially as we saw the one coming from the driver’s side. The driver of the little van had also gotten out, and was inspecting the damage to his own car. Dr. Carr, the team’s veteran military chaplain, came towards the back of the bus, guiding disturbed students through the shock of witnessing such a violent crash. Fortunately, everyone seemed to be just fine, and after a short stop, we were on our way again. We talked about it, we prayed about it, and we overcame the adrenaline of it. And Vincenzo… Well, he just keeps on “truckin'”. 

Still alive (Thank the Lord),

Aaron Brickle

We Hit The Alps

Eight hours a day in planes, trains, and automobiles has left the team in a stupor. With 4000+ miles of confined spaces and expensive visits to the restroom, we have learned the truth about the morose tedium of international travel. Fortunately, our team has managed to bear our “great burden” of jet-lag, hard work, and early mornings with good humor. Mirth, happiness, and, frankly obnoxious, spurts of laughter, filled our bus ride across Germany. Then… We hit the Alps.

A mad dash ensued; everyone scrambling for cameras and views of God’s finest wrinkling of the earth. It was a sight to behold: the frenzied hunt for the perfect picture, that is. Many “wow!”s were voiced; many praises to God were spoken. And in the end, the plethora of gorgeous photos taken outweighs the many near death experiences faced by the brave photographers. The environment looked like a green screen; like something out of a movie. Blacks, greys, and whites formed a perfect picture of God’s creative glory.

The singers finished the day with a beautiful performance at the chapel of the US Army base in Garmisch, Germany. Nestled comfortably at the foot of a massive mountain, the venue was perfect, inside and out. And while the concert’s attendance was not as great as others, it was definitely the most musically solid performance the group had yet put on. No doubt, every soul present was touched by their beautiful ministry… and the view…

Reporting with wonder,
  Aaron Brickle.

God and the French Language

Photo By: Hannah Coleman
Photo By: Hannah Coleman

It was along flight – almost 8 hours long. We left as the sun was finishing it’s descent. A long,warm overnight flight. Scattered across the rear of the cabin, the OFC team settled down for a long nap, or a good movie. I was in a small seat beside a big man, and sleep, for me, was nowhere in sight.

So starting up a film, I prepared to try to enjoy the flight.

However, the movie I picked did not hold half the intrigue of a brief conversation I had a stewardess aboard the flight. We were flying on a massive AirFrance liner, and all of the flight attendants were, naturally, French. So, hopefully to the pride of my beloved high school French teacher, I attempted to order my inflight meal in the stewardess’s native tongue. Unfortunately, whenever the moment came to say “please,” I could not, to save my life, remember the French word for it. This created more than a few awkward pauses after I spoke my order, whereupon I would softly utter a pitiful, English, “please…” I afterward apologized, in French, saying that my French was “very bad.” She replied that it wasn’t, and that she understood me.

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Photo By Aaron Brickle

All of this comes down to an simple thought. The pain of my French teacher aside, this short conversation with the stewardess will stick with me much longer than anything else I saw on that flight. This will be a story I tell my friends and family for years to come. But this was a very silly little encounter. God has much bigger plans for this trip than any of us is really ready for; he will put new experiences and, more importantly, new people into our paths. And to each of these individuals, many of them wounded physically and emotionally, we will have an opportunity to show God’s love, forgiveness, and mercy, through music and media. And that, folks, is the reason God has seen it fit to bring us here.

Happily landed,
Aaron Brickle