"PICK UP your cross," said Jesus. And ordained pastor Bob Maryniuk has taken those words to heart.

Over the past five years, in Abbotsford, he has frequently carried a large cross in public while praying. Recently, he decided to take this ministry beyond his home town.

Beginning May 24, and continuing throughout June, he embarked on a journey in a motorhome, with two other men. They travelled from Kelowna to Winnipeg, and then turned back, going through Saskatoon and Edmonton, and back to Abbotsford.

Along the way, they handed out tracts and took turns carrying the cross. They appeared on Winnipeg's It's a New Day program, as well as The Miracle Channel in Lethbridge.

They also prayed with people, including the mayor of one municipality; and they stopped in various businesses, praying with clerks and store owners.

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Some of their more memorable encounters occurred in Brandon, Manitoba. On his weblog, Maryniuk wrote:

"We went to the mall to relax, and to casually hand out a few tracts. A security guard, who had problems with religious solicitors in the past, strongly confronted us. We spoke to the mall manager, who was also agaunday schinst us - and we got kicked out of the mall."

Later, however, as they were passing the office of a local newspaper, Maryniuk recounted: "[We] wondered if they would have been interested in our story. Immediately after, a photographer from the Brandon Sun was there - taking pictures of us and asking us questions. Isn't it awesome how God is building this ministry!"

Contact: aboveandbeyondministries.ca. Photo: John Morrow - The Abbotsford News.

July 2007