The Gideons

Today we got to meet some very cool Christian Pastors. There was a meeting here in Iruma and about some 15 pastors got together for fellowship. They had one of the guys play two harmonicas simultaneously. That was fabulous. He was playing the melody line and the harmony using two different keyed harmonicas at once. I'd like to see Darrell Mansfield do that?  Another Pastor and His wife played a song on a traditional Japanese Okarina

Okarina

The organization, an early American parachurch organization dedicated to Christian evangelism, was founded in 1899 at the YMCA  in Janesville, Wisconsin by two traveling businessmen who met by chance when they shared a hotel room in Boscobel, Wisconsin and refined their idea in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.^[2] It began distributing free Bibles, the work it is chiefly known for, in 1908, when the first Bibles were placed in the rooms of the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana.^[3] The local railway station at the time was named Iron Mountain, causing confusion as to the name of the town.^[4] From Wikipedia.
The organization describes its link to the story of Gideon:

Gideon was a man who was willing to do exactly what God wanted him to do, regardless of his own judgment as to the plans or results. Humility, faith, and obedience were his great elements of character. This is the standard that The Gideons International is trying to establish in all its members, each man to be ready to do God's will at any time, at any place, and in any way that the Holy Spirit leads.

In keeping with this symbolism, the symbol of the Gideons is a two-handled pitcher and torch, recalling Gideon's victory over the Midianites as described in Judges, Chapter 7.



Gideons are in pop-culture too-

• The Beatles – song – "Rocky Raccoon" - "Rocky Raccoon, checked in to his room, only to find Gideon's Bible."
• Beulah – song – "Maroon Bible"
• Bill Hicks – comedy album – Rant in E-Minor, He speculates how Gideons operate and considers capturing and studying them as a hobby.
• Clutch – song – "Profits of Doom" – "Genesis and Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Gideon is knocking in your hotel while you slumber."
• Fall Out Boy – song – "XO"
• Frank Zappa – song – "Room Service"
• Jay Brannan - song - "Home" - "Why don't the Gideons leave condoms in the drawer? Bibles don't save many people anymore."
• Jethro Tull – song – "Locomotive Breath" - "He picks up Gideon's Bible, open at page one."
• John Cale – song – "Gideon's Bible"   

The Gideons in Japan have a bilingual Bible that is distributed into the school system and many events. Hospitals and Military all receive Bibles. One person shared how she gave a Bible to a nurse who uses it for her patients that don't have peace. It was such a blessing to meet these men of God serving Jesus and getting the word out. My heart was full of Joy. It was over 25 years ago I received my first Gideon Bible. I was in the Army and they took my hair and took my clothes and took my pride and then gave me a gideon. Too bad we can't do that with everyone? That Bible was in my pocket through out basic training and AIT. Pray for the Gideons and getting the word out to everyone. 

Double Harmonica too Cool

 http://www.gideons-jp.org/index.shtml

Husband and Wife Okarina duet--sweet.