"Radical: Is the Great Commission at the Root of Your Living?"
was the theme of this year's mission convention at Penn View Bible Institute.
Bro. Tim Keep, director of Bible Methodist Missions, had the first message about what radical really means; a workshop about spiritual warfare in missions; and the final message of the convention about Jesus' call to "hate" our own lives, and what that means to us right here where we live.
When we finally remembered to take a picture, it was during the service when Dr. David Shenk, pictured below, was speaking. He is a global consultant for the Eastern Mennonite Missions, and has an amazing ministry among Muslims. Yes, the head of gray hair you see in the foreground is that of Leroy Adams, who was nearly dead a year ago, but is still alive and flourishing enough to play a very complicated trumpet duet in the final service of convention with his tall grandson, one of the Anthony boys. Sorry, I forget the boy's first name, but I remember him being a little boy and now he is a freshman in college!
Crystal enjoyed the privilege of making friends with this sweet young lady from South Africa, Margaret van de Merwe. She is eighteen years old. This photo was taken near the dorm, and you can see the main college building up in the left corner.
Crystal with her cousins, Candace and Natasha, again at Penn View.
Jonathan and Anna with Donald and Lois Blowers, their daughter Becky, Aunt Priscilla, and David and Faith Blowers. This is in the back of the dining hall. It was so special to see these friends again, my brother Elon's wife's family, after many years.
Here are Roy and Doris Hoffman, sitting with their son Doug and his wife Kim and son, who have been missionaries to the Dominican Republic for about 10 years.
Their presentation wasn't talking about all the great and mighty deeds Doug and Kim have done as missionaries, but about the humble beginnings of a missionary son and the choices that have affected three generations of mission-minded family members..
"What do you feel you contributed to your son becoming a missionary?" Doug asked his parents.
1. They took their children to church every time the doors were open. Going to church was not an option. At church, there was no toybox, not even a tablet and pencil. The children were expected to sit still and behave and listen.
2. Doris chose to be a stay-at-home mom.
3. They taught their children: "We love you; God loves you. You must obey us; you must obey God."
4. They taught their children to memorize Scripture.
5. They provided good books for their children, and went to hear missionaries, visited them, or invited missionaries to their own home.
6. After homeschooling for 5 1/2 years, they moved near Penn View, from where Roy would have to travel 45 miles one way to work every day until he retired, but the sacrifice was worth it, they said. Their children had Christian fellowship and Christian education, and their two sons found wives there at Penn View.
Kim shared that her duties on the missionfield were to be a wife and mom, with some small ministries on the side.
Jonathan kept squeezing my hand. I knew that this service was the one I needed to remember the most for where I am right now. Ministering to Muslims or in India sounds exciting, but right now, I have my home job cut out for me, and only I can do that job.
Below, we are eating together with the Hoffmans. Precious friends and someone strong and godly to look up to!!
What surprises to see Ken and Carol Lefever, representing Brotherhood, at the convention, along with our former pastor, Derald and Kim Hunt, who had stopped by for the last service on their way home from New York Pilgrim ministerial! This picture was taken in the back after the last service. I found myself going around hugging and saying goodbye to quite a lot of people!
It had been a wonderful, convicting service, and it was a privilege to see our own two oldest children, a niece, and other young friends responding to the invitation to surrender to God's call to hate our own lives in this world in comparison to our love for Christ, and to pray together with them, prayers too deep for words--just tears and reaching to our God for our young people and for ourselves, that we would truly hate our own lives and all those people and things dear to us in comparison to our devotion to Christ.
So behind the ash heap of our personal ambitions, selfish desires and undue worries may there be something that will contribute to Your Church being built in this world, Lord.
On the other side of the church was this scene--an Amish farm with a very long clothesline strung clear out to the barn's silo!! I loved all the Amish clotheslines hung with clothes.
On one side of the church--a burnt mess.
On the other--a scene full of life and vigor.
Lord, help us to choose which side to focus on.
Help us to remember to give lots of love and attention to our children--like my little nephew Bryn, Gabriel's youngest, holding neice Laura, Joella's youngest baby.
Show us how to raise our teenage daughters (like Fain's Natasha) how to be efficient, capable and loving future moms and wives (she is well on her way already! I was impressed with Fain and Regina's wonderful daughters.) She is holding Joella's Jonathan on the right and Phil Geise's Anthony.
Show us how to provide enough work and fun for our teenage boys to keep them busy and out of trouble! Sammy helped Fain's Samuel and David morning and evening with chores at the Amish farm across the road, and one night caught several pigeons to sell at the auction to make a bit of money.
Show us how to get along with people who make our hair stand straight on end.
This guy is NOT related to me!!!
My dear brother Gabriel (below)--whose wife just lost a little one unborn to heaven's gain on Easter Sunday morning, enjoys our little neice, who was passed from one to another on Easter Sunday. There had been so much beautiful music that day. Even a little four-year-old daughter of a friend was weeping softly as we finished reverently singing, "Heavenly Father We Appreciate You; Son of God we magnify You; Holy Spirit, You're a comfort to me; Blessed Trinity, You are all that I need!" I asked the dad if his little girl was always that way, and he said yes, and that he wanted to be very careful to not discourage her tenderheartedness. May we never despise others' tears.
I spent several times helping over at Gabriel's through the first few days before convention, and enjoyed being with his charming children.
I spent several times helping over at Gabriel's through the first few days before convention, and enjoyed being with his charming children.
Jonathan's turn with baby Laura!
"Let the little ones come to Me!" Jesus said.
May we always love the little ones.
This picture was snapped unbeknownst to me, at the Harrisburg airport as we headed home, after we found out we had made a mistake on what time our plane was leaving Harrisburg, and we had to wait an extra almost two hours! This is what we all felt like!
After getting something to eat and drink, I felt better and enjoyed the time to write in my diary and talk with Jonathan about our thoughts about things at the convention. We had also had the privilege of making a quick stop in Lewisburg to see Sis. Anita Brechbill, who used to be head of Ropeholders. We thought we had to rush, and there was only time for her to quickly pray for us--what a blessing to sit with this godly prayer warrior's hand in mine--and commit ourselves to God.
And I was able to finish the book How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life as we flew on three different airplanes. That book did about as much to boost my morale as all the services at the missions convention put together! It was written by one of Reagan's speechwriters, the one who wrote the speech in which Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
That line to be spoken at the Berlin wall was fought over and fought over until before the speech, about the only people who wanted him to say it were the speechwriter and Reagan himself. Everybody on Reagan's staff was scared and thought it was the wrong thing to do--and then Reagan did it--and suddenly everyone knew it was the RIGHT thing to do!
Mr. Reagan changed the world because he did what he believed to be right despite what everyone else thought.
