”What was the best part of your summer?” Our daughter-in-law, Amy, asked the question at breakfast last week. How would you answer that question? I had to think about it. Time with our kids, grandkids and friends, training pastors in Haiti in July, Gull Lake Camp, finishing a patio for my mom, gardening – it’s been a good and full summer. Thank the Lord for His good gifts of life!

Over these last two warm weeks, Rena and I had the opportunity to serve as Missions Rep at Gull Lake Camp in southwest Michigan and meet our new grandson in Tennessee.

Gull Lake Camp

We were super excited when Gull Lake Ministries invited us to serve as missions representative for a week of camp. Family members, Bruce and Carrie Holt, introduced us to Daniel Wallace (camp name “Ambush”), the camp’s executive director, a year ago. The Holts are long-time campers at Gull Lake, and their son Garrett (camp name “Click It or Flick It”) served as a camp counselor this summer. (Side note: Carrie and two friends recently authored The Other Side of Special, an excellent book for parents of children with special needs. They and the book are featured this week on Focus on the Family. Check out the book and related podcast HERE.) We introduced PPI, shared the need and opportunity to train international church leaders, enjoyed conversations with other campers, and had a lot of fun!

Grandkids!

After our time at Gull Lake, we had one day at home to wash clothes, mow the lawn, and re-pack our suitcases. The next day, we drove to Shelbyville, Tennessee, to meet our third grandchild in person, Theodore (Theo) Kenneth MacGillivray. He did not disappoint!

All our kids and grandkids trekked to Tennessee for a long weekend together. What a special time together! We were reminded again that each of our kids, daughters-in-law and grandchildren is a special gift from God to our family. Each brings his or her unique personality, gifts, quirkiness and joy – and we are enriched for it. We also enjoyed a few precious hours with Rena’s mom and dad before heading back to Michigan on Monday.

We are filled with joy and gratitude to God for this summer – all gifts of God’s undeserved kindness through Christ to us. If Jesus had not rescued us from sin and self, no doubt our summer would have looked quite different. I would have missed the joy of fellowship with church leaders in Haiti. (Trust me, I would not spend time in Haiti if Jesus had not changed my heart!) Our pride and expectations of our children and grandchildren would have created tension between us. We never would have experienced Gull Lake Camp. C.S. Lewis’ words come to mind: “I believe in God not only because I see Him, but also because by Him I see everything else.” Thank you, our God, for freeing us to see and experience Your wonderful gifts of family, ministry and summer!

On Wednesday, we concluded Course 2, Our Powerful Gospel, with an important assignment: Every student writes his or her personal testimony. This assignment tests church leaders’ understanding of the four essential truths of the gospel, which we study in Romans chapters 1-5. It also gives students practice in sharing with others how they met Jesus and makes their study in this course personal.

Do you remember when Jesus traveled with His disciples to Caesarea Philippi? (Matthew 16:13-18) It was quite a walk from Galilee to the forests and streams of Mount Hermon. Herod Philip had restored (and renamed) the city in Roman style in honor of the emperor, and it became a vacation destination for wealthy Romans. The main attraction of the city was the cave of Pan (Greek god of the woods) and its wall of gods (pictured). Shelves were carved into the rock face surrounding the cave for the figures of other gods. People could pray and sacrifice to whatever god appealed to them in the moment. Jesus chose this location to ask His disciples a life-defining question (Matthew 16:15): What about you? Who do YOU say I am?

Once every church leader has written their faith story, we invite 2-3 of them to share with the class. One young pastor (pictured) shared that he grew up in a poor family. (In Haiti, where everyone is poor by American standards, this means his family was destitute.) When he was old enough, he left home and settled in Ouanaminthe to find work. He was desperate and alone, but some believers helped and encouraged him. He started attending their church, where he heard the good news of Jesus and turned over his life to the Savior.

Another church leader shared that her father was a Voodoo witch doctor. She planned to follow in his footsteps to help protect their family from curses but instead, as a young adult, found herself empty and afraid. Her friend invited her to visit her church, but she resisted for a long time. When she finally accompanied her zanmi to church, the pastor shared that he had been involved in Voodoo before he became a Christian. He said Voodoo could not protect a person. In fact, it was evil and harmful. Only Jesus can protect us and give us peace. This message opened her heart, and she received Christ. Now her face shines with the joy of the Lord!

Pray for the 90 church leaders who completed Course 2 that they will be clear and confident in sharing the life-changing news of Jesus. This is the foundation of all our churches and the starting point for any lasting change in Haiti!

And please pray for our team as we wrap up Course 3 today (Saturday), enjoy a short sabbath, then head for Fort-Liberté on Sunday afternoon. We begin Course 1 there on Monday morning. Bondye beni nou! (May God bless you all!)

Probably like most Americans, I took my life in the United States for granted. Until 9-11 happened. We lived in the NYC metro area at that time. We saw the angry smoke rising from the twin towers that September morning. A few days later, Rena and I prayed with believers in Lower Manhattan and walked around the devastation in silent disbelief. It was a war zone. We witnessed firsthand how that day changed the lives of people we knew and loved. It changed our lives.

Some months later, we traveled into the City to enjoy a Yankees baseball game, our first since the 9-11 attack. I don’t remember much about the game, but I will never forget the moments before the game began. Thirty thousand New Yorkers stood in reverence as Irish tenor, Ronan Tynan, sang “God Bless America.” Many, including me, placed our hands over our hearts and focused on the lighted American flag in center field. Many, including me, sang along. Most, including me, shed tears. I will remember those moments for the rest of my life. I can honestly say, from that day to this, I am profoundly moved every time I have the opportunity to pledge allegiance to our flag, sing our national anthem or “God Bless America.” I instinctively stand at attention, place my hand over my heart and focus on our nation’s banner.

I took for granted what it means to be born and to live in the USA. No longer.

That sentiment has deepened as I have spent time in other countries, especially Haiti. Our nation began and progressed very differently from nations like Haiti. The USA began its life with a well-organized, principled and prosperous economic system. Haiti began its life as a former slave colony. Our first leaders were well-educated, accomplished men, who established our government on the truths of Scripture and promoted those truths among the populace. Haiti’s founders had little education and less experience in governance or business. They had little exposure to biblical Christianity, and many embraced Voodoo. (Trust me, Voodoo is not just a neutral cultural expression. You understand the demonic origins and destructive effects of this religion when you see it play out in Haitian life.) Although Haiti’s founders established a “democratic government,” instability, power struggle and corruption and have marked Haiti’s leadership from the beginning.

Since 1814, the USA has enjoyed freedom from foreign domination or meddling. By contrast, other countries have invaded, controlled and meddled in Haiti’s governmental and economic affairs from the start. Especially France and the USA. France drained its former slave colony economically for 122 years, until 1947. The United States has invaded, pressured and meddled in Haiti for decades. We worked to replace Haiti’s president as late as 1994, when we dispatched 25,000 U.S. troops and two aircraft carriers. Some of our actions helped; many made the situation worse. Haiti has hardly had a chance to stand on its own two feet.

So, yes, let’s thank God that we were born and live in the USA. Let’s pray faithfully and fervently that our nation returns to its biblical and moral foundation. And let’s grow in compassion for the dear people of Haiti, who were born and live in a nation very different from our own. Pray especially for church leaders there. The spread of the gospel and the making of disciples – this is the real and lasting hope of Haiti!

Pray for us as we leave for Haiti on Friday. We will spend the next two weeks with up to 350 church leaders to encourage, train and resource them in Jesus’ mission. These church leaders represent thousands of Haitians who love their country and want to see God’s truth set them free.