Frankly, we had to be a bit crazy to do what we did then!  To invade Myrtle Beach as an interracial Christian singing group was a bit suicidal!  It is a wonder we survived as we set up our flatbed in the horseshoe at OD across from the Pavilion…or Spanish Galleon…Fat Jacks…or the Pad – and sang about Jesus!  And then to go nose-to-nose with the Budwiser Clydesdales, Bush Mountain and the Coers Silver Bullet was a bit insane!  But God blessed both our faith and foolishness!  Lives were changed for time and eternity because of the songs we sang…the testimonies we gave…the messages we preached.

Since this is our “40th Anniversary” as a ministry, I am posting a few of the Easter pictures from the earliest trips around 1973 until our last ones in the latter 1980s.  I hope you will enjoy looking at them and that they will bring back a lot of special memories.  Even more, I hope and pray that these pictures will freshly inspire you to be just as “radical for Jesus” now as you were then!

Finally, I will be ministering in Haiti this Easter so I do covet your prayers as I once again invade the bastion of voodoo with the liberating Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

In His resurrection love and power,

JL

PS:  I want to again remind you of our special “40th Anniversary Reunion” the first weekend of August – so mark it off on your calendars!  And please pass this email along to any of the old ND’s that you are in contact with.

This was not only a promotional event for Marie’s new CD, it was also a time to promote the “Charles Alston Memorial Church” we are going to build in Haiti.  With your prayers and support, it will be ready for dedication in the summer of ‘09.  We also hope that many of the ND family will go down with us for the dedication—along with Marie and her family.  We will have some special concerts at the same time in Haiti—just like in the “good ol’ days!”  So start planning now to be with us for this exciting trip!  Many of you ND’s could take your children along and let them experience Haiti just like you did as a teenager.

Finally, don’t forget to reserve the dates of the first weekend of August for our historic “40th Anniversary Celebration.”  We will kick off on Friday night with lots of “mini-concerts” by ND Alumni who are still doing musical ministry.  Then Saturday will be filled with more music, sharing, laughter, tears, videos—and lots of good food!

In His Faithful Love,

Marie, Jennifer and Josh singing Marie singing with her two daughters, Elizabeth (left) and Jennifer (right) Marie can still play a tamborine! Mama Soul can still deliver the goods! Marie singing with all 4 of her children, Jennifer, Emmanuel, Josh & Elizabeth (left to right) Josh singing songs he wrote—sounding just like Charles Josh was like watching and listening to a “Little Charles” on stage! It was such a privilege for me to pray for Marie and her new CD Patt and me with the “Charles & Marie Alston Clan” Marie with her girls, Jennifer and Elizabeth Does this not look just like Charles smiling?! Faithful Alumni, John and Jane Fraser were there to celebrate with us Marie, her children and musicians The CD’s by both Charles and Marie for sale to help build the church in Haiti

If you do not have this latest CD, you can either order it directly from Marie or from NDI.  -  JL