No Young Men?

This morning at church, the African Mission Team was asked to give a small testimony about our trip.  As many of you know, my youngest Daughter (Corina) became our first missionary to South Africa, specifically the outer parts of Cape Town.  Corina is also attending the Cape Town Baptist Seminary and will complete her first year in November.  Ironically, my oldest Daughter (Breana) is in South America for a month.  Breana is with Dre and his family which does help - especially since I am holding him responsible for her safety.  It is very difficult for me to have both girls on different Continents at the same time.

Our Mission Team returned on July9th and since then I have been struggling emotionally with what happened to me on the trip.  I have had much difficulty talking about it even to my Bride (Carey).  About a week after we got back I attempted to tell Carey something about the trip and began sobbing (not just crying) and out of my mouth came these words; "I can't believe I am going to say this, I want to go back!"

When I found out our Youth Pastor, Scotty Jarrard wanted each of us to speak, I made arraignments to be out of town for this mornings service.  After sharing my intentions to be out of the area to our Music Minister, Tommy Greene whom happens to be one of my closest friends, he made me feel lower than dirt by simply saying; "So your not going to be in church this Sunday?"  He said it with that southern draw of his which had a hint of "your an idiot" woven in there somewhere.  The next day (Wednesday) I told him I would be there because my Bride said so!  What a good "Help Meet".  After speaking with Pastor Scotty, he did say that he would not force me to speak (I don't ever have a problem speaking in public) but wanted me to share if possible.

This morning on the way to church I was messaged by Corina who told me she was praying for me and the service and she wanted me to speak.  JUST GREAT, now I have to do it...

As I listened to the others share, it was difficult to keep my composer, reliving what happened in my mind all over again.  When they finished Pastor Scotty looked at me so I went up and this is a short paraphrase of what I said;

I want to qualify what I am about to say.  I am one of ten people who went on this trip.  Our interpretations of what happened are based on several things like our genders, ages and life experiences to name the biggest ones.  Since I represent only 10% of the team, it is logical that I represent only a small number of the people in our church.  What I am about to say doesn't have anything to do with you, but it has something to do with - you.


When I was told I could go on this trip, I approached Pastor Scotty and said that the main reason i wanted to go was to see Corina.  Like any father, especially with both of my girls, I would do what was in my power to be with them.  Pastor Scotty then wisely said; "Don't you want to work side-by-side with your daughter on the mission field, doing what God called her to do?"  He was right.  I am a teacher and teaching god's Word for the last nine years has been the most rewarding thing for me, UNTIL I was able to work with my Daughter on the Mission Field.  Now my hope is that I will have the opportunity to not only work with Corina again but Lord willing, all my kids doing God's work.


About six months ago, we sent the one God chose as our representative to South Africa.  Six months later, we sent three men (a trinity) and seven women to the same place.  For those of you that are familiar with me, know my thing for numbers - especially significant Biblical numbers.  By the way, the tenth member of our team was a young girl named "Zoe".  Her name means "LIFE"!  The team accurately represents the church.  We had a couple which had no kids (but may have met them there), a couple that had children, a mother with her daughter, a single mother with her young daughter, a father (me) visiting his daughter, and a young lady (22).


There is some thing missing though - young men?  There are no young men.  Where are they?  Sadly this makes up several of the church's I have been in or know about.  Oh, there is young men in the congregation, but absent every where else...

ernie