helen roseveare - Prairie - Christian College Education

a
m i n i s t r y
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Prairie’s new President
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HELEN
ROSEVEARE
How Her Darkest
Chapter Brought
Light to Millions
issue eighty-five
frontlines
Called to Rebuild
I’ve been meditating on an ancient
book lately. Penned around 425 B.C., it is
as relevant as any classic or contemporary
bestseller on effective leadership. The author,
a personal butler to the king of Persia, was
called from obscurity to a work of great
importance for God. In his book we find
a roadmap to help us handle criticism,
discouragement, a cranky boss, personal
challenges, and rebuilding walls that have crumbled.
You’ve likely guessed that the book is Nehemiah. Just an ordinary
man with a prepared heart, he was in the right place at the right
time for God to turn him into one of the most significant leaders
in Jewish history. When Nehemiah heard that the Temple back in
Jerusalem was being reconstructed, he knew there was no wall to
protect the city, so he asked God to let him go and help. The king
released Nehemiah and despite great opposition the wall was built
and the enemies silenced.
But when Nehemiah left, Jerusalem fell back into apostasy.
Twelve years later he returned to find the walls strong but the people
weak. So he set about the task of teaching morality, reestablishing
true worship through prayer, and encouraging the people to revival
by reading and adhering to the Word of God.
I recently accepted the challenge of taking the reigns at one
of Canada’s most historic and well-established Bible colleges. I am
honored, but it has certainly crossed my mind that I am about as
unlikely a choice for this task as Nehemiah was for his. After all, I am
just a “businessman with a Bible.” But God is able.
We too are facing great challenges. Walls need to be rebuilt and
trust re-established and Nehemiah’s example serves us well in these days:
1. God’s work is built on the cornerstone of prayer. As a staff
we gather each Monday for an invigorating time of prayer. I wish you
could join us as we take our needs before God and watch Him answer.
He has blessed us with harmony, a sense of His abiding presence, and
a renewed purpose as we march forward on our knees.
4. God’s work requires community. Nehemiah instructed his
people to join together when they heard the trumpet call (4:20). He
did not attempt the task alone; in fact, he was just one of the many
swash-buckling brick layers.
Please consider this the sound of the trumpet, because we need your
help. A very real and present need is the renovation and repair of our
dorms. We are already seeing an increase in students as our re-tooled,
one-year Bible program is resonating with many students, parents, and
pastors who understand the importance of a solid foundation in the
Scriptures. We believe that God will bring even more young people to
our campus and we need to be ready with adequate housing for them.
In this issue we celebrate the “rebuilders.” You will love our
“Innerview” with one of my missionary heroes, Helen Roseveare. A
true rebuilder of bodies and souls in Africa, at age 85 Helen continues
to inspire millions and she is excited about Prairie’s commitment to
the inerrancy of God’s Word. We are excited to welcome her to our
Global Connections Conference in February of 2011.
We want you to know that we are on-mission “to know Christ
and make Him known,” with a renewed commitment to Bible
teaching, discipleship lifestyles and service in mission and ministry.
Will you partner with us as we rebuild on the prairies?
PS: George Verwer of Operation Mobilization will be here November
5, 6, and 7, 2010. Watch for news. S
Mark Maxwell is President of Prairie
Bible Institute. You can reach him at
[email protected]
I believe God’s work will be built up
as we move forward on our knees.
2. Along with prayer, God’s work requires action. In line with our
founding motto, “To know Christ and make Him known,” our faculty
has incorporated in the Bible College line-up a Bible-drenched, oneyear program of biblical foundations. Valuable to anyone’s walk with
God, Encounter will prepare students for university, the marketplace
or continued Bible training. This course (see back cover) includes
Apologetics and Communication, but its primary text is the Bible. In
addition, our aviation school (PSMA) and College of Applied Arts and
Technology (PCAAT) continue on, purposefully integrating Bible into
their coursework and preparing students for missions and ministry.
3. God’s work involves reconciliation. Nehemiah tells us that,
“Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens
took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a
weapon” (4:17). While we build, we are in a battle. There will always
be opposition when we are about God’s work, but often criticism can
be constructive and lead to restoration. God has been very good in
allowing us to find favor with others in this community and beyond.
2 servant issue eighty-five 2010
Exciting things are afoot at Prairie Bible
Institute. Join our new president Mark Maxwell,
author Phil Callaway, and Development
Director Wayne Nelson for an unforgettable evening
of laughter, challenge, and hope.
“What Prairie needs is raving fans! Count me in!”
–George Verwer
Times and locations will be announced soon. Check us out at
www.prairie.edu/events
letters
What a great issue of Servant. It looks like Prairie is back on track
with its historic mission. That is a comfort to alumni like me. I
quoted your Family Matters cartoon: “Were you pretty when
Daddy asked you to marry him?” to one of my best friends and
even personalized it. His wife was ready to shoot me! We all had
a good laugh! Thanks for the ministry of Servant.
1974 has, like my running, seen more
episodes of pain than experiences of
pleasure. As I commence my sixtieth
year, I am so thankful my Father has
revealed to me that I am not the one
running this race.
Jack Chapin, Venice, FL
I take strong exception to Chuck Colson’s comment (Innerview)
that “when doctrine and truth are abandoned...you get another
religion called liberalism.” In reality, those who intentionally
deny Christian values often identify themselves as agnostic,
humanistic, non-theistic, or atheistic. Liberals don’t “abandon”
truth; while holding high values of integrity, they often view
matters through different lenses than do scriptural literalists,
considering additional factors that they believe are important
such as scholarship, tradition, history, and reason. We need to be
fair in affirming that liberalism is a positive belief system, not a
negative one, even when disagreeing with it.
Kenneth Kepler, Port Huron, MI
I enjoy reading every issue of Servant. Thanks for your great
work. I too share the passion for running and the obligatory
pain as expressed by Prairie faculty member David Atmore
in “Secrets of a Successful
Runner.” My life pilgrimage,
since graduating from PBC in
Ellis Henricks, Woodstock, ON
It was neat to read about the PBI - Ontario connection even
before Mr. Maxwell came to Alberta back in 1922 (“Legacy
of a Love Story”). I love the way Bernice Callaway’s account
shows how God worked from generation to generation. We
expect everything to zip through on fast-forward, but God
is so patient.
Mary Waind, Elora, ON
I enjoyed “Letter to Jeff” (Family Matters). If Phil wants to
sneak in a twist to his son’s wedding, here’s an idea. At the
ceremony for one of my brother’s children, when the minister
said, “You may now kiss the bride,” selected family and friends
rushed forward to get the first kisses in before the groom had a
chance to react. There were lots of laughs. When Dad himself
married again after his wife passed away, he instructed the
pastor to forego the time-honored statement. However, we still
found a way to get in on it. Thanks, Phil, for all the laughs
through the years.
Hugh Ouwehand
ne
Join us onli
ith other
To interact w
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Phil Calla
How to reach us: Email [email protected], leave a brief message at 1-800221-8532, or write us through the enclosed envelope. Letters may be edited
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in this issue
5
Plan B
When we don’t get what we want
Publisher Prairie Bible institute
President Mark Maxwell
12
Alumni in Action
Opportunity of her lifetime
Editor phil callaway
Assistant Editor pat massey
Design two 01 studio
SOURCES FOR NOW YOU KNOW, PAGE 8: 1. The Reason For God, Tim Keller. For more, see The Next Christendom, Philip Jenkins; 2. Amnesty International; 3. Sports
Illustrated explains that they squander millions due to bad decisions, lavish spending and poor financial planning; 4. Harper’s; 5. www.thepinkcross.org; 6. For Better, by
Tara Parker-Pope; 7. www.thepinkcross.org; 8. Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, Daniel Okrent; 9. For Better, by Tara Parker-Pope • Cover illustration by Dennis
Currie • Servant (ISSN 0848-1741) is published three times a year by Prairie Bible Institute, a non-profit educational organization founded in 1922. Prairie’s
primary mission is to Know Christ and Make Him Known. Servant is dependent on the gracious gifts of Prairie alumni, donors and friends. Its purpose is to
edify, exhort and encourage today’s Christian. Third class mail, return postage guaranteed. Change of address notices, undeliverable copies send to Servant
Magazine, Box 4000, Three Hills, AB, T0M 2N0. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in Canada. Scripture taken
from the Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Moving?
Send us your old and new addresses.
servant issue eighty-five 2010 3
real issues
I
was ready for a change. After working with words most of
my life—writing, preaching and giving counsel—it was time
to work with my hands. And so began a 3½-year adventure
on a carpentry crew.
Dale, our foreman, was willing to hire me with whatever building
skills I had to offer (basically zero) and I would learn on the job. This
was a welcome opportunity since I had always wanted to work with
wood. But along the way I got an unexpected bonus: a whole new
understanding of what it means to be apprenticed by Jesus Christ.
It would change both my personal life and the way I teach in the
classroom today.
In his forties, Dale had a crew of three men, all ‘twentysomethings’. Then I arrived. Not only was I the oldest member of the
team, I was also the least experienced, which meant I had a clearly
defined role: do the basic tasks so that everybody else could get on
with their skilled labour.
I’ll never forget spending almost eight hours underneath a mobile
home, on my back in the dark, removing batts of insulation from
between the floor joists and pushing them with the nearest leg or arm
into piles to be dragged outside. I learned the value of two things: dust
masks and living in the present moment (some call it patience).
Lunch and coffee breaks suddenly took on new meaning. I
suspected that I was being tested. Could this former pastor do the dirty
jobs without complaining? Does he practice what he preached? I had
ample opportunity to ponder Jesus’ comment that “he that is faithful
in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). Lesson
one for apprentices of the Savior: be faithful with the assignment you
are given, no matter how small or unpleasant.
Dale brought out the best in every worker with his sense of
excellence and remarkable patience. He had a reputation for high
The Apprentice
This desire for excellence was contagious. As new young
workers were later hired, they saw that ethos in action and rose
to the challenge. At the same time, Dale was incredibly patient
with our goof-ups, even though some of them were costly. He was
never surprised at our mistakes because he’d made them all himself
at some time or other. And when it came to teaching someone
why a job was better done this way than that way, he would come
up with some wise saying. Installing J-channel around exterior
windows the right way became obvious when he said, “Just think
like a drop of water.”
I’m convinced that Dale’s apprentices did so well because their
boss loved his work. But even more, he cared about each worker and
he gave us a sense of confidence that was vital to our efforts. Because
he valued us, we would do anything to hear his “Well done.” Lesson
number two: nothing motivates an apprentice of Jesus like personal
care (“Love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12).
I came to see carpentry as basically three activities: measuring,
cutting, and fastening. A proper job means getting all three right. I
soon discovered a fourth activity that kept sabotaging my best efforts:
assuming. It was an old mental habit that had never served me well
and my new job helped me face up to it. Here are some slipshod
assumptions that wasted valuable time:
•The corners in this kitchen I’m renovating are perfectly square.
•You want three pieces cut at 8¾”, 6 7/8”, and 7 5/8”? I can
remember that.
•I’ll just cut all ten studs for this basement wall the same length
because the floor is always level.
A newly cut piece of wood may not talk to you, but it will
stare you in the face and show you when you’re out ¼ inch. Every
time. Working with wood, you know when you’re
getting it right. Not so with ideas. I could carry
around false ideas in my head for years without
getting a reality check. Lesson number three: just
as there is no room for wishful thinking on the
worksite, so there is no room for it in the life of the
church. Faith in Jesus Christ isn’t just an idea we
have in our heads; it’s what we practice and how we
live that counts. “Faith without works,” said James,
“is dead” (2:17).
Eventually I became skilled at things like
framing, insulating, siding, roofing and tearing
apart bathrooms. But I also internalized a set of
habits that work in any setting: keeping your eyes
and ears open, noticing when a crew member
needs help, cooperating with all the other trades,
attending to details, and teaching the new guy the
way you were taught.
Whether in a local church fellowship or a
Ritchie White: I suspected I was being tested: did this
Bible college setting, I now find myself thinking
in terms like apprenticeship, crew, and building
former pastor practice what he preached?
project. God the Master Builder has already
modeled this for us (“He that built all things is
quality work, whether it was building a shed, doing renovations, or
God.” Heb. 3:4) and I believe He can shed new light on what we’re
constructing a new home. And he expected each of us to match his
about as the Body of Christ. S
standard, even if it meant taking a little longer to do it. Indeed, in
Ritchie White (MDiv, MTh) teaches Old Testament
the few years I was part of the crew, two of his apprentices finished
studies at Prairie Bible College.
number one in their programs.
4 servant issue eighty-five 2010
pLAN
by pete wilson
Do you remember the day you discovered your life wasn’t going to turn out quite
the way you thought?
Maybe the realization hits you in the form of illness or death—a terrifying
diagnosis, a sudden descent into the world of hospital beds and IVs, the sudden
loss of a close friend or family member. Maybe it involves a disillusioning
church experience or a financial reversal or a career dream that keeps being
frustrated.
You expected to finish your life with the partner you married. But it’s
over and you’re hurt and disappointed. Or maybe, like my friend Dana,
you just knew you would be married by now and have a family, but it’s
not happening. Now every wedding she attends is a reminder that life
isn’t turning out the way she expected. Keith and Sheila feel the same
way when they receive a birth announcement or shower invitation.
Four years ago they asked me to pray with them, but they are still
without a baby.
Sometimes life just falls apart with no explanation when we
least expect it and you’re left wondering if God is still actively
involved in your life or if you’re too broken and bruised to be
healed.
We all have expectations of the way our lives are going
to be. If you’re a Christian, you may well have assumed God
wanted it for you as well. You were pretty sure he was going
to sweep down and provide for you as only he could do.
But it didn’t happen. And you’re frustrated. Or hurt.
Or furious. Or all of the above. What do you do when you
have to turn to Plan B?
plan b
the disappointment
the haunting question
I planted my first church in Morgantown, KY right after college.
It was a small church and people like Dan and Kimberly Flowers
were the perfect volunteers, willing to do anything that was needed.
Then, all of a sudden, they just disappeared. I finally called and they
told me that they couldn’t come back to church because their unwed
daughter Kelly was pregnant.
I told them that not only would they be welcomed back but
that nothing would make me happier than to see Kelly get involved
as well. I was so proud of our congregation over the next several
months as they generously reached out to that family. Week by
week, as Kelly’s pregnancy progressed, I could see her life being
transformed by the love of God’s people.
One Saturday afternoon I showed up at the church just as a
group of women were holding a baby shower for Kelly. Most of
them couldn’t have been more different from her. And yet they
were extending a love that was beyond themselves. The highlight
of the shower was a beautiful white dress with little pink flowers
that one of the women had bought. Kelly was so excited. She
immediately squealed, “This is the dress she’s going to wear home
from the hospital.”
I remember getting into my car that afternoon thinking, This is
what God’s church is all about!
When the time came, I rushed to the hospital to wait with
Dan. He told me that Kelly had chosen to call the baby Grace, and
he thanked me for everything the church had done to show God’s
love to his daughter.
All of a sudden, Kimberly stuck her head out the door. “Please
pray,” she begged. “Something is terribly wrong.”
For the next ten minutes Dan and I just sat there, not saying
a word but praying like never before. Then Kimberly came
out again, crying uncontrollably. The umbilical cord had
wrapped around the baby’s neck and despite their best
efforts, the doctors had not been able to resuscitate little
Grace.
I would like to tell you that in that moment I stepped up to the plate
and did something really pastoral—quoted Scripture, perhaps, or
led the family in a prayer. But I didn’t. I just stood there in silence as
Dan and Kimberly cried and held one another. Then Kimberly said,
“Pete, Kelly would like to see you.”
I remember thinking, Like now? I just wanted to run and hide
because I was totally unprepared for that moment. The room was
dark and quiet and Kelly was sitting on the bed, holding Grace
and speaking to her little girl as if her tiny heart was still beating.
Finally she looked at me with big tears in her eyes and simply
asked, “Why?”
I didn’t know what to say.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” she added. “After all God has done
to restore my relationship with my parents and to show me who he
is, why would it all end like this?”
I didn’t have a good answer for her that day and still don’t. I
don’t spend much time questioning “Does God exist?” The question
that resurfaces for me again and again has more to do with all the
unexplainable pain and hurt in this world. And after a lot of time
studying and pondering, I’m still not sure I understand.
I stayed with Kelly and her parents and mostly we just sat there,
silently praying and staring at one another in disbelief. The funeral
home took the baby away in that pretty little white dress with the
tiny pink flowers.
I cried the whole way home. I cried because I hurt for Kelly and
her family. I cried because I couldn’t understand why God would
allow this to happen. How am I going to explain this to my church? I
wondered. How do I tell them God didn’t show up?
In a way, those questions still haunt me. But I’ve learned a few
things since then that have helped.
Suddenly Kimberley
door. “Please pray,”
is terribly wrong.”
6 servant issue eighty-five 2010
abandon or worship
There were times in my life when well-meaning
people told me: “God will never give you
more than you can handle.” It sounds so
sweet and biblical, like something my
grandmother would have done in
needlepoint and hung on the wall in
her house.
The problem is, nothing
could be further from the
truth. The Bible is packed with
stories of individuals who faced
situations that were completely
beyond what they could handle and
they had to choose—either abandon
God or worship him.
We are stripped bare and what we believe in
our heads becomes a belief that permeates every fiber
of our beings. I relinquish what I cling to for identity.
I let go of that which holds me back from intimacy
with God. These are crucial moments when God is
trying to get you to surrender your
plans in order to receive his. It’s
stuck her head out the amazing the bright light our lives
become when we give him all we
she begged. “Something have in the midst of the darkness.
pete wilson
don’t walk alone
When we’re hurt or doubting, questioning and
crying, we need community more than ever. And yet,
because of the pain it’s easy to miss the people God puts
in our lives to offer comfort and strength in the midst
of the darkness. It’s my observation that one of the single
most important factors in whether we lean on God or not
is the group of people we have around us.
Separated from community, we tend to think the worst
and tilt toward hopelessness. But while authentic community
doesn’t take away the pain, it certainly helps reframe it.
You can continue to try to mask the hurt and grow bitter and
lonely. Or you can begin to trust that God’s presence is evident in
those he has placed around you and take the risk of opening up your
life to others.
waiting on God
We talk a lot about Good Friday when redemption happened
through the shedding of Christ’s blood. Easter Sunday is a day
of celebration because Jesus conquered death so we can have life.
But we don’t hear a lot about Saturday. Saturday seems like a day
when nothing is happening. It’s a day of questioning, doubting and
waiting, a day of hopelessness when we wonder if God is asleep or
simply powerless to do anything about our problems. Is it possible,
though, that Saturday is actually a day of preparation when God’s
getting ready to do his best work in us?
While life is uncertain, God is not. While our power is limited,
God’s is limitless. He still has the whole world in his hands. While
our hope may be fragile, God is hope itself.
Your world may feel chaotic, but God is still
in control. And one way or another, Sunday is
Spiritual
about to dawn.
living in the questions
transformation
doesn’t take place when we
get what we want. It takes
place while we’re waiting and
trusting, even though we have
yet to receive.
In the days after baby Grace died, I ran from
the pain and uncertainty. I talked about God
because it was my job, but I was preaching about
someone I didn’t know if I trusted anymore. Sadly, I wasn’t the only
one running. Kelly started getting into drugs and I found myself
driving around with Kimberly in the middle of the night, looking
for her daughter who had not been home for days.
When we give up on God, we easily fall into harmful behavior
that hurts ourselves and others. But when you’ve been stripped
of everything, that’s when you need God more than ever before.
Things may not be turning out the way you expected, but that
doesn’t mean your life is spinning out of control. It just means you’re
not in control and in those moments you can learn to trust the only
one who has ever had control in the first place.
Sometimes God wants us to live inside of the questions, to
linger in the waiting, hoping, praying. In fact, sometimes it’s right
in the middle of our darkness that God speaks most clearly. Our
very faith was born out of uncertainty and despair. In the seeming
tragedy of the cross the pain of “you will have trouble” meets the
triumph of “I have defeated the world.”
Spiritual transformation doesn’t take place on Sunday when we
get what we want. It takes place on Saturday while we’re waiting
and trusting, even though we have yet to receive that for which
we long. The cross is a reminder that God can and will redeem our
circumstances. He’s already taken the darkest event in history and
turned it into the best thing that ever happened. And that’s a reason
to keep hoping even when we must watch and wait.
I am asking you to trust the God who loves you, who is
reshaping you into who you need to be. I’m asking you to trust that
faith will win over doubt, light will win over darkness, love will win
over hate, and all things will one day be redeemed. I’m asking you
to trust the process that is going on in your life.
God will finish what he started.
Wait for it. S
© 2009 by Pete Wilson.
Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Publishers.
For your copy of the Book
Plan B by Pete Wilson, see the
enclosed return envelope.
servant issue eighty-five 2010 7
world update
Afghanistan Politician wants Christians executed Afghani believers are concerned following threats issued in
Parliament by the deputy secretary. After a video broadcast on TV that showed Christian converts being baptized and praying
in Farsi, Abdul Sattar Khawasi said, “Those Afghans that appeared in this video film should be executed in public. The house
should order the attorney general and the NDS (intelligence agency) to arrest and execute them.” The report also triggered a
protest by students at the University of Kabul where crowds estimated in the hundreds shouted death threats and demanded
the expulsion of Christian foreigners accused of proselytizing. Many national believers are hiding in fear of their lives.
Brazil 90,000 attend Franklin Graham Festival More than 700 local churches and thousands of volunteers partnered
with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to draw 90,000 people to the Festival of Hope in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in May,
2010. Crowds of 10,000 on the opening night had grown to more than 25,000 by the final evening and over the three days
3,900 responded to the message of salvation. Only 19 percent of the people in the country’s third largest city are considered
evangelical and Graham’s Festival of Hope was the first of its kind.
Laos Displaced Christians suffer critical illnesses Lao believers forced from their village in Saravan Province
in January are suffering from prolonged lack of adequate food and clean water, which has led to disease and general
weakness and the death of one person. Expelled from their village at gunpoint on January 18 for failing to renounce their
faith, the 48 Christians built temporary shelters at the edge of the jungle about four miles from the village and have been
living on food from the jungle and well water that is unfit for cooking or drinking. A delegation of provincial and district
officials led by the governor visited them at their jungle site in March and assured them of their legal right to embrace the
faith of their choice and to live anywhere in the district. However, harassment by local leaders continues.
face to face
“I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by
the fact that some of the most intelligent and wellinformed people I know are religious believers,”
admits philosopher Thomas Nagel in his book
The Last Word. “It isn’t just that I don’t believe in
God and, naturally, hope that I’m right in my belief.
It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to
be a God: I don’t want the universe to be like that.”
In The Reason For God, New York pastor Timothy
Keller credits Nagel’s respect toward belief and
religion, then responds this way: “We should not
try to ‘look into the sun,’ as it were, demanding
irrefutable proofs for God. Instead we should ‘look at
what the sun shows us.’ Which account of the world
has the most ‘explanatory power’ to make sense
of what we see in the world and in ourselves? We
have a sense that the world is not the way it ought
to be. We have a sense that we are very flawed
and yet very great. We have a longing for love and
beauty that nothing in this world can fulfill. We have
a deep need to know meaning and purpose. Which
worldview best accounts for these things?”
“I commend Professor Nagel for his candidness about
the connection between his belief in atheism and his
desire for it to be true,” writes James Enns, Associate
Professor of History at Prairie Bible College. “He has
not arrived at belief in God’s non-existence because
he was forced to by an airtight rational chain of
reasoning, but rather because he already wanted this
conclusion to be true. Nagel’s statement shows that
we never form our beliefs by reason alone, but that
we are as much desiring beings as we are rational
ones. God cares about our desires, and appeals to us
based on them: the Psalmist writes ‘Delight yourself in
the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart’
(Ps. 37:4). Nagel helpfully reminds us that gospel
proclamation needs to address our heart’s desires
and yearnings, not just our intellectual curiosity.”
8 servant issue eighty-five 2010
Now you know
Korea has gone from 1% to 40% Christian in a hundred years
Last year in Iran at least 388 executions were carried out. In
Iraq: 120, in Saudi Arabia: 69, in China: it was in the thousands
Almost 80% of National Football League
players are flirting with bankruptcy two
years after they retire. 60% of NBA
players end up broke within 5 years of
retirement
Chance that an Afghan will report being
tortured in his or her lifetime: 1 in 5
65 percent of high school students admit
to unsafe, inappropriate, or illegal
activities online
81% of college grads who wed in the
‘80s at 26-plus were still married 20
years later
66% of pornography performers
have Herpes, a non-curable disease
In 1830 the average American was guzzling the
equivalent of 1.7 bottles of hard liquor per week,
three times the amount consumed today
23% of college graduates who married in the
‘70s split within 10 years. For those who wed in
the ‘90s, the rate dropped to 16%
Sources listed on page 3.
online
Windows on trends, beliefs, and values
meditation
“[Biblical] salvation lies not in an
escape from this world but in the
transformation of this world….You will
not find hope for the world in any of
the religious systems or philosophies
of humankind….The Biblical vision is
unique. That is why when some say there is
salvation in other faiths too, I ask them—‘What salvation
are you talking about?’ No faith holds out a promise of
eternal salvation for the world—the ordinary world—that
the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”
–Vinoth Ramachandra, a Sri Lankan
Kindergarten of good and evil
Contradicting psychological heavyweights like Sigmund Freud and
Jean Piaget, who had us believe that people start their life as amoral
animals, researchers from Yale say that babies appear to have a
basic moral code from as early as six months. “A lot of philosophers
and psychologists used to believe that babies started off knowing
nothing,” says Paul Bloom, a professor of psychology at Yale University
who has led the research. “In the domain of morality many people
believed that babies started off as little psychopaths, indifferent to the
suffering of others and not knowing right from wrong. But in our labs
we are finding a surprisingly rich understanding of morality even in
the youngest babies that we test.” Bloom says that a growing body of
evidence suggests that humans have a rudimentary moral sense from
very early on: “With the help of well-designed experiments, you can
see glimmers of moral thought, moral judgment and moral feeling
even in the first year of life. Some sense of good and evil seems to be
bred in the bone.” According to Bloom, if we didn’t start out with this
basic code, we would be nothing more than amoral agents who are
ruthlessly driven to pursue our self-interest.
recommended
Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…
and Other Lies You’ve Been Told (Bradley
R.E. Wright, Bethany House)
“The odds against a universe like ours emerging
out of something like the Big Bang are enormous.
I think there are clearly religious implications,”
says Stephen Hawking in Francis Collins’
book The Language of God. “It would be very
difficult to explain why the universe would have
begun in just this way except as the act of a God
who intended to create beings like us.”
“I have more money that my
grandchildren’s grandchildren can spend.”
–Country superstar garth Brooks
“I’m very religious,” Lady Gaga told Larry King.
“I was raised Catholic. I believe in Jesus. I believe
in God. I’m very spiritual. I pray very much. But
at the same time, there is no one religion that
doesn’t hate or speak against
or be prejudiced against
another racial group or religious group, and/or
sexual group. For that, I think religion is also bogus.
So I suppose you could say I’m a quite religious
woman that is very confused about religion. And
I dream and envision a future where we have a
more peaceful religion or a more peaceful world,
a more peaceful state of mind for the younger
generation. And that’s what I dream for.”
In the wake of the 2004 tsunami that took the lives of 225,000
people, a Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian offered their perspectives
on public radio. The Buddhist said he did not believe in a personal
god and saw natural disasters as an inevitable part of fate. The
Muslim said that perhaps natural disasters come as a punishment or a
warning to Muslims who had not been taking their religion seriously.
After reminding listeners that most of the tsunami victims were either
Buddhist or Muslim, the commentator turned the microphone over to
the believer, a representative of an international aid organization. “I
have no good explanation for why such a thing happens,” he said
“and cannot pretend to guess at God’s involvement. We are there
on the ground because we follow a man who defined love by telling
the story of a Good Samaritan reaching out to a person who was his
ethnic and religious opponent. Jesus showed that same love, and we
believe that by following Jesus we are doing God’s will on earth.”
How Many
Evangelicals
Believe In…
87
86
Angels and
Demons
82
Miracles
85
HeLL
Heaven
If you’ve read the many negative reports about
the evangelical church in the media— Christian
young people are leaving the faith in record
numbers, the divorce rate among Christians is
as high as those of nonbelievers, etc— you’ll
enjoy seeing sociologist Wright shatter these
popular myths, along with many others. Though
decidedly American, the book provides a
helpful response to those who seem to delight in a negative slant on
statistics. Describing how we’re doing in areas like church growth,
beliefs, participation in church activities, family and sexual issues,
Wright uncovers surprising and encouraging news.
quotEWorthy
Source: Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008
servant issue eighty-five 2010 9
innerview
Helen Roseveare
Is it worth it?
When you’re ten years old and smack dab in the middle of a tackle football game,
the last thing you want to hear is your dear mother yelling, “Philip, it’s time for
the missionary meeting.” You consider running away and joining the circus. And
when you finally obey, and your hair is slicked and you’re dragged to church
where you find that the speaker is a short spinster with curly gray hair, you
can’t help thinking of the huge sacrifice you are making and how grateful the
grownups should be that you are not snoring by the first hymn.
Dr. Helen Roseveare was at the podium that night. An English
missionary to the Congo from 1953 to 1973, this skilled surgeon
pioneered, practiced and taught medicine. I had plans of doodling
and daydreaming, but when this dynamic woman launched into her
story, I couldn’t stop listening.
I wasn’t the only one.
On another college campus the student men were summoned to
a meeting with Helen. Like me, they were less than excited. Draped
over couches, slumped on the floor, they viewed her with suspicion.
Thick glasses. Simple cotton dress. Gray hair pulled back a little too
tight. Two minutes into her testimony, Helen sensed the lack of
interest and stopped. “I don’t want to bore you,” she said. “It’s late,
why don’t we just take another ten minutes and I’ll answer questions.
I’d rather talk about the things that interest you.”
A hand shot up. “I’ve got a question,” said one self-assured young
man. “Missionaries come through here all the time and they’re always
talking about paying the price and suffering for Jesus. What did you
ever suffer for Jesus?”
dragged me out into a clearing, tied me to a tree, and stood around
laughing. And while I was there, beaten and humiliated and violated,
someone brought out the only existing hand-written manuscript of a
book I had been writing about God’s work in the Congo over an elevenyear period. They put it on the ground in front of me and burned it.”
As Helen watched the book go up in smoke, she cried out to
herself: “Was it worth it? Eleven years of my life poured out in selfless
service for the African people and now this?”
As the students listened spellbound, she went on. “The minute
I said that, God’s Holy Spirit settled over that terrible scene and He
began to speak to me. ‘My daughter, the question is not “Is it worth
it?” The question is “Am I worthy?” Am I, the Lord Jesus who gave
His life for you, worthy for you to make this kind of sacrifice for me?’
And God broke my heart. I looked up and said, ‘Oh Lord Jesus, yes,
it is worth it, for you are worthy.”’
Helen’s life of service was portrayed in the 1989 film Mama Luka
Comes Home, which recounts her return to the Congo in 1966 to
assist in the rebuilding of the nation. Since the hospitals she built were
destroyed in the uprising, she helped establish
a new medical school and hospital, practicing
medicine until 1973.
Government soldiers grabbed me. I was beaten and
Today she lives in Northern Ireland, but
savagely kicked, losing my back teeth. They broke my
continues to speak at conferences and patiently
glasses, so I could not see to protect myself from the
answer questions from journalists like me who
next blow.
secretly wonder how a dynamite but diminutive
woman can be used of God to draw so many
to Himself. “How do you forgive those who
Well,” Dr. Roseveare answered quietly, “during the Simba
abused you?” I ask. “How can those who have suffered come to a
uprising in the Congo, I was raped twice.” The room grew deathly
point of peace…even joy?”
quiet. “Government soldiers came to my bungalow, ransacked it, then
“When I was being driven down the corridor of my home by
grabbed me. I was beaten and savagely kicked, losing my back teeth
those rebels, panic nearly seized my heart,” she recalls. “But God
through the boot of a rebel soldier. They broke my glasses, so I could
stepped in. I did not see a vision or hear a voice, but I just knew He was
not see to protect myself from the next blow. Then, one at a time,
there and in charge, and I had nothing to fear. God seemed to whisper
two army officers took me to my own bedroom and raped me. They
to me: ‘Can you thank Me?’ And I was ready to shout ‘No! This has
10 servant issue eighty-five 2010
Photo © 2010 Scott Frank
Is it worth it?
Helen Roseveare
helen roseveare
gone too far,’ when I realized that the Lord was saying: ‘Can you thank
Me for trusting you with this situation?’ Amazing. God trusting me? It
was as though He said: ‘Yes, I could have prevented this. But I have a
purpose. You cannot understand now, but are you willing to be part of
My purpose?’ ‘Yes, God,’ I tried to whisper back. ‘If you have a purpose
in all this, thank you for trusting me to be part of it,’ and immediately
I was flooded by His peace and a huge sense of privilege.”
While her words echo Philippians 1:29, they seem foreign to our
world: “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting
in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.” Aware that I
sometimes complain about a hangnail, I ask, “But did you ever
struggle to forgive those men?”
Helen Roseveare with a needy African mother: “When I returned to
“No,” she replies. “There was no sense of bitterness or even anger. I
Congo and met the man who had humiliated me, I realized that I did
was overwhelmed by the sense that God was graciously using me in His
carry some resentment. I wasn’t sure I had forgiven him.”
purpose. All He asked of me was the loan of my body. The consequences
were His. A year later, when I returned to Congo and met the man who
had humiliated me, I realized that I did carry some resentment and I
asked the same question that Helen asked: Was it worth it? This was
wasn’t sure I had forgiven him. But God led me to accept from Him the
her conclusion:
forgiveness that only God can give, and He gave me His peace again.”
“Was it worth it? Does it make sense that five gifted young men
Born in England in 1925, Helen grew up in Belfast, Northern
should die for the sake of sixty people? By whose standards can we
Ireland. She came to faith as a medical student at Cambridge
answer that question? Lots of Auca Indians got saved. I’ve heard stories
University in 1945, served in the Congo, before returning to
of thousands of volunteers to the mission field. People everywhere tell
England to nurse her dying mother. She then began writing Living
me they were moved and changed by the story. Hundreds of young
Sacrifice, a helpful and powerful book that is also surprisingly
men have told me that the book The Shadow of the Almighty changed
honest. “I looked back on my 20 years in Africa,” she admits, “to
their lives. Suppose it’s all true—does that make it worth it? Suppose
see if I had lived as my Savior wanted me to live and where I had
for a moment that not one Auca Indian got saved, that not one person
failed. And I tried to draw out lessons as to what it really means to
ever heard the story of those five men, let alone was changed by it.
live sacrificially in these days.”
Would it be worth it?”
It’s convicting, hearing a veteran saint tell how she could have
Then she continued, “Yes! Why? Because the results of my
done a little better: “I could have given in to God’s promptings more
obedience to God are the business of God almighty who is sovereign.
quickly, been less selfish and demanding of others. But I just thank
It is the love of Christ which constrains us. There is no other motive
God for all He has so lovingly and patiently taught me through so
for missionary service that will survive the blows of even the first year.
many years, and that despite mistakes I have made, He has still allowed
We do it for Him.”
me to teach the Word and share the Gospel. There is overwhelming
Helen agrees. When I ask her to summarize her magnificent
joy in leading others to put their trust in Jesus.”
adventure of walking with God, she says, “I cannot describe the privilege
Sacrifice seems a dated word in a society where we ‘deserve a
of being allowed to serve Him and to show Him my love. He has never
break’ and comfort is the selling feature for most products. Many
let me down. He is always there, so quick to forgive and encourage.”
Christians are more inclined to ask, “Sacrifice? Are you kidding? I
Although she is entering her 85th year, Dr. Roseveare clearly seems
want all I can get out of this world and heaven too.”
surprised by my next question: “What are some keys to aging gracefully?”
But Helen shakes her head. “To be a Christian,” she explains,
“Keep on loving Jesus, fixing your eyes on Him,” she says. “Never
“you must embrace the fact that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, sacrificed His
count the cost in the sense of saying ‘Is it worth it?’ Ask instead, ‘Is
all, dying for us on the Cross that we might be
forgiven. Surely we should expect to live as closely
like our Savior as we can. And in this world of
In this world of ‘What can I get out of it?’ our whole
‘What can I get out of it?’ our whole emphasis has
emphasis has to be ‘What can I put into it?’
to be ‘What can I put into it?’ Anyone who speaks
that way cannot have fallen in love with Jesus or
understood what God has done for us. We are so
totally undeserving of God’s grace, how dare we demand anything?”
He worthy?’ and you’ll always know that He is absolutely worthy of
What practical advice does she have for up-and-coming
anything you can give Him or do for Him. Growing older can be a very
servants of God?
uncomfortable stage of the journey, but each day I am one day nearer
“Above all else, take daily quiet time apart with God. Let nothing
home. I look forward so immensely to being with Him in glory, seeing
squeeze this out of your timetable. This is where you grow, where
Him face to face, and learning how to worship Him as I should.”
He can teach and change you into His likeness, where He can speak
And what would she like to be remembered for?
to you, direct you, encourage you, and where He maintains the
“That I loved Him. That I longed to know and love Him more,
spirituality of your service. Paul said, ‘Pray continually.’ Does this
and that I longed for all people to come to know
sound impractical? It is scriptural, and the Lord knows just how busy
Him as I had.” S
you are. The busier you are, the more you need to pray. We have to
–Phil Callaway
learn to use all the spare moments and to bring everything to God in
prayer. Nothing is too small or insignificant—the disappointments,
To request a copy of Living Sacrifice,
problems and joys. We can pray as we scrub up, as we wait for the
see the enclosed envelope. To read the
traffic lights to change, as we peel the potatoes.”
rest of the interview with Helen, visit
Prairie alumnus Elisabeth Elliot Gren, whose husband Jim Elliot
www.servantmagazine.com
was one of five men killed trying to reach the Auca Indians for Christ,
servant issue eighty-five 2010 11
alumni in action
Sinking her bare toes into the
warm sands of the Arabian desert,
28-year-old Gertrude Dyck could
hardly believe that only days ago
she had left behind the sub-zero
temperatures of her native Canada.
The landscape before her was
not so different from her beloved
Saskatchewan prairies–except
that the vast expanse was filled
with sand instead of snow.
Latifah
The young
farm girl
had lost her
mother
at
an
early age
and her father was
left with the dilemma of raising three young girls.
His answer was to send Gert and her sister off to boarding school in
Three Hills, Alberta. As she attended first High School and then Bible
College at Prairie, Gertrude’s long-standing desire to be a missionary
took deep root. She was almost finished nurse’s training when word
came that The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) needed nurses
for a tiny hospital in a far-away desert. Gert couldn’t resist the
challenge.
It was December of 1962 when the plucky girl boarded a plane
for only the second time in her life. The arduous journey would take
her to Rome, Beirut, Bahrain and finally Abu Dhabi in the Trucial
States of the Middle East where life had changed little since the time
of Abraham.
Once known as the Pirate Coast, the barren lands at the
southern end of the Persian Gulf were now a British protectorate
bordered by Saudi Arabia and Oman. The world of the desert
12 servant issue eighty-five 2010
by
Pat Massey
Bedouin tribes was harsh and unforgiving, a terrain of massive
red and gold sand dunes where the precious treasure of water was
limited to the scattered oases.
While Arab families elsewhere were typically large, death and
disease were decimating the population of this backwater wasteland.
Parents were fortunate to have even two or three living children,
often less. The perils of desert life and crude birthing methods often
made childbirth a death sentence with one in three mothers dying
and half the babies having no chance of survival.
Royalty was no better off than the common people and
the ruling Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi state knew they had to do
something. Impressed with mission hospitals in Muscat and
Bahrain, they decided to set up a similar center in their own
country, choosing as a location the historic oasis of Al Ain with
its reliable water supply.
Assured that they would be free to share their faith even in
this Muslim nation, TEAM doctors Pat and Marion Kennedy
arrived in November of 1960 to set up shop in a small, mudblock building. They were still unpacking when a patient in labor
arrived at their door. Living in total isolation, the local people were
suspicious of the newcomers and the first white woman they had
ever seen, but when the baby was safely delivered by the American
doctors, word spread like wildfire. Patients began arriving in
latifah
droves, coming at all hours by camel, donkey and on foot to set
up camp on the hospital grounds. By the end of its fifth year, the
hospital had registered 20,000 patients. All illnesses were treated,
but it was the care of mothers and babies that broke through the
fear. A new era had begun in the desert kingdom and the Oasis
Hospital was its birthplace.
Conditions were primitive. With no electricity, telephones, or
roads and few supplies, the ingenuity of staff was taxed to the limit.
Even intravenous liquids had to be concocted by hand. Gertrude
pumped water manually from nearby wells and worked on
maintenance along with her fellow nurses, suffering
in 120 degree heat. Work hours were long and
everyone was on call during emergencies.
Although she had not been
trained as a midwife, the young
nurse from Canada was soon
delivering
babies—by
the
hundreds. The long days in
maternity were all worthwhile,
though, when she could gather
the new mothers around her and
watch them respond to the message
of God’s love. Her understanding of
Arabic was progressing quickly and she
found real delight in leading gospel songs
and presenting Bible lessons.
Royalty were some of the hospital’s
first patients and Gertrude got to know the
family well. Gradually she became the one
responsible for their care, a role which could
be somewhat demanding. When a royal baby
was born, far more attention was required than
usual, but Gert wasn’t fazed and seemed to have
as much patience with them as she did with the
desert Bedouins. She soon came to be known
as “Doctora Latifa”—an Arabic title referring
to her gentle kindness and one that would stay
with her for the rest of her days.
In 1971 the British withdrew from the Persian Gulf and the
United Arab Emirates was formed. With the discovery and production
of oil, new-found wealth catapulted the country almost overnight into
a dizzying pace of modernization. With the development of presentday wonder cities like Dubai, the UAE became the watchword for
extremes in architecture and business.
The city of Al Ain blossomed too and soon surrounded Oasis
Hospital, which kept growing to meet the demands of an expanding
population. Once a simple date palm oasis, the “Garden City” now
boasted parks and resorts, major highways and universities. Gertrude
Dyck, who had shared in the rugged lifestyle and ancient customs
of the desert world, now had a front-row seat for its transformation
into a modern state.
There were other changes. Gert’s letters home gradually began to
reveal the subtle pressures that faced the work. When the revolution
of 1979 made Iran an Islamic state, the whole of the Middle East was
affected. It was no longer prudent to show favoritism to Christians,
and gospel meetings at the hospital came to an end. Unsympathetic
officials delayed needed building permits and limited the supply
of necessary drugs. In the early years services with the in-patients
were an enjoyable and fruitful part of the work. Now, witnessing for
Christ had become dangerous and limited to sharing among friends
as some believers were imprisoned. It was hard to discern whether
the hospital was still having a spiritual impact.
Gertrude’s role as a nurse was changing as well. “Instead of
running up and down hospital corridors,” she wrote to friends, “I find
myself sitting behind a desk teaching the ABC’s of Arabic.” It was her
firm belief that no-one could truly understand a people until they also
understood their language and it delighted her to introduce the fine
points of the culture to new staff.
As restrictions increased, it was easy to become discouraged and
Nurse Dyck sometimes wondered if she was wasting her time. “But
I am still convinced that God called me here,” she concluded, “and
that my job is to ‘stick by the stuff’ and be faithful in what He gives
me to do.” In the Gulf, wars raged around her, but the medical work
carried on largely uninterrupted and construction began on a
long-awaited new building.
As retirement loomed, Gertrude
struggled. In spite of the difficulties
that often faced the hospital itself,
compassionate service reaped its own
reward and the patients continued
to be warm and friendly. She was
torn at the thought of leaving her
adopted home.
“God has given me this
beautiful opportunity,” she
the desert,
of
ld
or
w
nt
ie
nc
a
nd
a
h
rs
After sharing the ha
wealth
nd
ou
-f
w
ne
s
a
t
en
m
ze
a
m
a
Gertrude watched in
ay wonder.
d
ner
od
m
a
to
in
ry
nt
ou
c
e
transformed th
wrote, “of getting to know
these Arabs who have become as close as family and with that
opportunity, the privilege of proclaiming a living, loving, forgiving
Savior to them. I want to finish well.” She knew the adjustment to
Canadian life would be difficult but it seemed unavoidable.
Then a Canadian company requested Gert’s help with cultural
orientation for its employees in Abu Dhabi City. The job included
a beautiful apartment and a trip back to Canada every summer to
escape the heat, something she had privately longed for. God was
caring tenderly for His child.
Blessings continued to overflow. In 2002 Gertrude was called
to Ottawa to receive the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth
II Jubilee Medal. It was a wonderful, unforgettable experience, but
her heart remained in the Emirates and she returned to finish out
her commitments. When health problems finally sent her home
permanently, she settled into a retirement facility in Abbotsford,
BC. But the irrepressible retiree was looking forward to returning
to UAE in 2010 for the opening of the Doctor Latifa room at the
Canadian Embassy there.
It was not to be. On October 17 of 2009 Gertrude suffered
a fall and six days later she entered the presence of her Lord. Her
passing prompted deep mourning. Members of the royal family of
the Emirates showered the memorial service in BC with flowers and
sent their Ambassador to Canada to personally relay the heartfelt
condolences of a grateful nation.
While her medical legacy was unique, Gert’s personal
photographs were an invaluable heritage as well. Taken to Abu
Dhabi to go on permanent display at the Center of Research &
servant issue eighty-five 2010 13
alumni in action
Development, they will provide a remarkable future record of an
era that is fast disappearing. The story of the little hospital that
impacted a nation has also been preserved in her book The Oasis,
published in 1995.
Gertrude’s life-long friendships with the ruling class formed
bonds with the hospital that continue to this day. Far removed from
the days of simple mud and cement block buildings, a new, multi-
We don’t need to see the results; they
are all in God’s hands. He only asks
us to be faithful.
story state-of-the-art facility is now under construction with funding
provided by the ruling Sheikh and President of the UAE and the
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The life of Gertrude Dyck is aptly described in the words of
Proverbs 31:30­—“Her children rise up and call her blessed.” An article
entitled “Mother to a Nation” in the official magazine of the UAE
Embassy in Canada reads in part, “Gertrude dedicated 38 years
to helping mothers give birth at Oasis Hospital. This was literally
the gift of life during a time when childbirth often ended in death.
Her memory will live on in the hearts of the people of the UAE for
generations to come.”
More than anything else, the years of challenge with little
obvious spiritual fruit had required one thing: faithfulness. Along
with thousands of Prairie alumni around the globe, the simple
country girl from Canada would find ample opportunity to practice
the same quality she had seen so often in her Heavenly Father. 14 servant issue eighty-five 2010
“Mother to a nation,” Gertrude Dyck left a unique medical and
historical legacy to a grateful people.
“God has been so faithful in directing and leading me,” she wrote
as she neared the end of her career. “As I get older I find that I need
more time “beside the still waters” and in those times He restores my
soul. My strength is waning, but His strength renews and re-equips
me to serve Him in new and exciting ways.”
The secret of contented service, she concluded, was simply this:
“We don’t need to see the results. They are all in God’s good hands.
He only asks us to be faithful in what He has called us to do.” S
Gertrude Dyck is an alumnus of Prairie High
School (’53) and Prairie Bible College (’57) and
recipient of the Order of Canada.
family matters
It’s payback time
One of the most invigorating aspects
of reaching old age is the anticipation you
feel as your children set about establishing
nests of their own. Sure, Ramona and I
are experiencing the customary jolts of
nostalgia as we remember the house as
it once was: Noisy. Messy. Cloudy with
a chance of incoming mud. But I can
scarcely contain my excitement. They are
flying from the nest. And I will soon have the opportunity to visit
their homes. Here are just a few of the activities I have planned,
should they choose to have us over for the weekend:
When our kids were small a new principal came to town and
promptly sissified the school. Fearful of lawsuits and emergency rooms,
he insisted on removing swing sets and tetherball from the playground.
He even levelled the King of the Castle Hill and banned score-keeping
at soccer games. I fully expected him to coat the school in Styrofoam.
By contrast, when I was knee high to a teeter-totter, I learned
the way a monkey learns: You only put a fork in the light socket once.
When someone yells, “Dogpile!” you look eager, but you move slowly.
I licked a door knob in December at my brother’s request one time.
Never again. And bullies are a horrible reality you’ll deal with all your
life. Without them, I’d never have gotten into comedy.
• Show up and announce, “I brought some friends. What’s for supper?”
•Leave taps dripping, lights blazing, and an open mayo jar on the
counter overnight.
•Replace Michael Buble CDs with something from The Gaithers.
•Use their phone to call friends in Singapore.
•Crack the fridge door open for the night.
•Gather wrenches and bury them (the wrenches, not the kids) in
the sandbox.
•Beat the wooden furniture with pillows until the stuffing is gone.
•Invite six friends over about 10 PM. Say, “Go ahead and make
yourselves sandwiches.”
•Take everyone out for dinner and forget my wallet.
When our daughter Rachael was ten she enjoyed an hour-long
shower during which she forgot one essential bathtub safety rule:
insert the curtain inside the tub. It’s surprising how much a ceiling
can hold before its water breaks. Not to be outdone, Jeffrey wedged
remote controls into bookcases. Steve enjoyed coating light switches
with jam and honey.
Where will I possibly find the time to re-enact all these grand
memories in their houses?
Increasingly my ministry is to help my offspring learn, as did
I, to hold the stuff of earth loosely, and to practice Bible verses like
“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials…” They will thank
me for it one day.
When Rachael was ten, she enjoyed an
hour-long shower with the curtain outside
the tub. Where will I find time to re-enact
these memories in her house?
Still greater anticipation greets me when I consider the prospects
of grandchildren. Oh, the places we shall go; the pranks we shall play.
I read of a 54-year-old grandma in the Florida Keys who was
spotted driving around the parking lot with her three-year-old
granddaughter perched atop her Lexus. According to the deputies
who arrested her, Brenda Bouschet said she “was just giving the child
some air and letting her have fun.” The child was in no danger, of
course, as Brenda had one hand out the window, holding onto a leg.
Like Brenda, I will be a magnificent grandparent. There will be
no Playstation or X-Box. Instead, I will educate the grandbabies with
hands-on experience.
Phil and his newly-married son: “Jeff used to wedge remote controls
into bookcases, so here are just a few of the activities I have planned,
should they choose to have us over for the weekend…”
I grew up in an era when monkey bars served to fortify the
gene pool, if you catch my drift. You gained strength and confidence
from doing something, not sitting on padded chairs chugging Coke
and ingesting Youtube. I’ve had broken limbs. Each taught me an
important lesson about gravity and stupidity, and provided a glorious
story to tell the grandkids one day.
We’ve begun praying for these grandchildren already. That they’ll
join Jesus early on this grand adventure. I suppose my greatest fear is
that the grandkids would settle in for an unexamined, comfortable,
complacent life down here. To complicate things, I fear our culture
has elevated safety to an unwholesome place. There is nothing safe
about life or about faith. The Christianity I’ve embraced is not the
indoor variety. It is no spectator sport. There are bruises to be had
along this road.
So when the grandkids come to our house we will choose football
over Facebook and survival over Survivor. And, should I still have the
energy, I will introduce them to the joys of grass stains, firecrackers
and carving wooden whistles.
And if they leave the shower curtain out, it won’t much matter. I’ll
spend a few days at their parents’ house and everything will be fine. S
Visit Phil Callaway at www.laughagain.org
or join him on Facebook.
servant issue eighty-five 2010 15
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