One of those visitors was a master violinists from Cuba. Jaime Jorge is roughly 40, and began taking violin lessons when he was 5. By the age of 9, he won his school's violin contest, then the city's contest, and finally the province's contest. At the final level of contest, the judges pulled him aside told him that he played so beautifully, and he had earned the right to win first prize. However, they said, for him to be able to win, they knew he and his family were Christians, so he must renounce his faith and say God doesn't exist since the Communist government of Cuba couldn't recognize someone who believed in God. Jaime told us that his parents had told him that it's better to obey God than man, and so he told the judges that he wouldn't deny his God. Shortly thereafter, one of the judges approached Jamie about a scholarship to study violin at the Moscow Music Conservatory. All Jaime had to do was sign a piece of paper stating that he no longer believed in God. Again, Jamie politely refused. The judge became angry and told Jamie he'd never become a truly good violinist.
A year or so later, Jaime's parents received permission to immigrate to the USA. Jaime was able to continue studying violin, and I do believe that what I heard and saw this morning and again tonight was the perfection of a 'truly good violinist'. Jaime explained to us that a few years ago, he was invited by the UN to play at the Kremlin in Moscow as part of a public campaign against teenage use of drugs and alcohol. Isn't God's vindication always perfect? Amazing.
Music is a beautiful tool for worship, and I am so grateful for musicians who choose to use their talents to glorify God and bless the rest of us.
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