My Dream Becoming Reality

13 years ago - (at the time I wrote this article, in April 16, 2010) - yes, the lucky number again -  in 1997 - I was told of the concert series of Ray Boltz that were taking place in our country, Romania. I knew most of his songs at that time and he was my hero and wanted to meet him. For those of you that don't know Ray Boltz, I recommend searching about him on the internet - he is, or I should say, he was, a Top 10 Christian contemporary artist.

First I had to go through some training for the concerts that were taking place and I volunteered to help. There was a group of Americans that were in Romania at that time, and prior to the concerts we spent time in doing some practical things in Bucharest: showing people that God loves Bucharest. I didn't know that Ray would be involved as well in this. He was the one to give us a motivational speech and we proceeded to our task: cleaning the eastern wing of the second largest park in Bucharest (if I am not mistaken). We mowed the grass, cut the hedges, picked up dirt and stones and we did all these with the approval of the City Hall of that section of Bucharest. It was our way of telling people of the concert Ray was about to hold in Romania.

After a week or so, we all went to a camp for orphans and we had to take care of a large group of kids from different places and different orphanages that Ray Boltz was supporting, together with his co-partners. Then one night came we took all the kids to the concert and stood there to listen him live sing of the story of the lamb that ran away and the crucifixion of Jesus, of the thank you for giving to the Lord, and many others songs. I was crying there. Most of us who understood the words were crying because the music was so profound, real and striking to our senses. I've never been to a concert as real as this one. I saw kids that gave their lives to the Lord because of Ray's. I never felt so much passion for the lost people around us before I heard Ray's singing. His songs were so unique and so special. I will never forget that moment.

On one of the last nights when the concert was held in Bucharest at the Palace Hall, right in the heart of the capital, I wanted to shake hand with Ray and get his autograph. There were so many people there that I had been forced to wait in line and somehow was unsure whether to wait any longer or go back home. I persisted. I didn't have any cd or tape with him, all I had with me was a New Testament I received in 1995 in a mission trip I went to with another group in Braila (another story, another article maybe). I finally got to meet him and he gave me an autograph on one of the last pages of the New Testament. He was smiling. I was very enthusiastic about that encounter. I recount that he was either too tired or that was his own way of reacting to people that asked for his autograph.

Years had passed since that encounter. I found out later on that Ray declared himself to be a homosexual and that thing changed everything I knew and liked about him. I was not only discouraged, but I started to hate that fact. Why him? Why now? Maybe an accident and his death would have not been so dramatic as the news of his sexual orientation. I was astonished to hear that. In churches rumors started about him. Even before that most of his songs were translated and sang in our churches and we really liked that! But now... all has changed.

I don't regret that I met Ray Boltz. I think it was the bravest thing I ever did in my life. I hope and pray that God will touch him and change him and someday we would hear that he came back to the real life and has new and better songs, new and renewed life and purified heart, soul and body. I am praying for Ray.

Note: This article was written as an assignment for Associated Content on April 16, 2010. Associated Content was later taken by Yahoo Voices... that is shutting down this year (2014), unfortunately. All the information in this article is my own story, you may not alter or use this article on other site without quoting this final note. The pictures in this article are taken from various sites (mouse over for source). The first picture is a picture of Ray the way he looked like when I first met him in 1997.