LAPD Visits ACSI Guest House

HUNGARY

Before leaving for an assignment in Romania, Henry Toews (ACSI director for Eastern Europe), handed me an e-mail, along with these instructions:--"take care of this." The e-mail read: "Would anyone know of a reputable, conservative prison ministry that would be interested in meeting with Jack Crans and Robert Vernon, whose primary purpose is to assist setting up an Hungarian Christian Police Association? If a meeting could be set up with prison ministry people, they would be delighted." How does an uninitiated Canadian "take care of this?"

On April 17, I headed to the airport to pick up my two guests. I was fully equipped to meet strangers; I had my customary placard with their names on it. When the passengers emerged from Customs, I held my placard high, waved it aggressively, and poked it into the face of numerous likely looking candidates; all to no avail. Robert and Jack just would not identify themselves. I finally went to the airline office to asked if the two passengers had been on the flight. Yes, and they had arrived. Assuming that the two found their own way to our address, I went home.

When I got there, not only were they there, but so was the chief of airport security. He had shunted them by Customs, by-passed my frantically waving placard, and escorted them to us. My wife Irene had graciously received them. Robert Vernon is a retired assistant chief with the Los Angeles Police Department and Jack Crans is a retired police officer. Their mission is to organize Christian Police Associations all over the world. They were careful to emphasize they are not promoting "denominationalism, religion, or Christianity," but a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It was apparent both knew this relationship.

Airport Security took them to several appointments with government officials and the Budapest police. Around 11, a Budapest police officer returned them to our guest house. They were excited about the evening's results. Budapest Christian Police Association had been launched.

The officer, a member of the new association, promised to be back in the morning to transport them back to the airport.

Robert Vernon has been instrumental in setting up Christian Police Associations in a number of countries.

Jake Isaak, a member of Niverville MB Church in Manitoba.

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