Monday, March 23, 2015

“There and Back Again”  August 2014

To England: London, Bristol and Oxford

Dr. Terry Lindvall invited me to England with the Virginia Wesleyan travel course on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.  How could I say “No”?  In addition, he requested that I research a future travel course on the Methodist Revival while on the trip!  At the time he and I were co-teaching the Spring course on Methodism at the College. 

My wife, Eileen questioned: “Why do you get to go to England when I’m the Downton Abbey fan?”  Little did she know I already had plans.  It was our 20th anniversary and so I bought her a ticket after the grandparents agreed to care for our children!  Eileen and I had 6 days in London and Oxford together, then she flew out on the day the students arrived.  Eileen and I visited John Wesley’s home and Chapel in London as well as having high tea at Kensington Palace!

I drove to Bristol to see ‘the New Room’ when Eileen flew out.  This was the headquarters for John and Charles Wesley for their Christ centered renewal movement.  I spent the day with David Worthington, the Director, touring the site and talking about how God used this movement in the 1700s to bring tens of thousands to saving faith in Christ!
You can check out the New Room online at:     www.newroombristol.org.uk 

This is no mere history lesson: an understanding of how God worked, how the people responded and the Biblical principles applied can help us in awakening the church today and leading the lost to new life in Jesus!


Nicaragua ~ Trip # 4 with the College

We had another tremendous mission trip to Nicaragua this Spring, with a vibrant team of 14.
Again our time at the House of Hope was a great blessing.  It is painful to hear the stories of the women and children’s lives who have been damaged by prostitution, abuse and neglect.  However, it is always a story of redemption at the House of Hope.  “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5), is still true today!
On the left are Samantha, Mindy, Taylor and Gabriella working hard.  Gabriella is the daughter of Gioconda and Wilfredo, dear friends of our who always serve with us while we visit their country. 
We spent 2 days serving with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) outside of Managua.  They taught us about sacrificial living – laying down our lives for the Gospel.  The YWAM base is in the moutains in the town of Diriamba.  They have a vision to launch another base on the east coast of Nicaragua where centuries ago the Moravian missionaries from Europe came to share Christ with the those who had been enslaved by the Spanish.  The goal is to help the church recover the passion for the Great Commission that the Moravian Church had in the 18th century.  LORD, let it be! 

Thank you!   What your giving makes possible . . .

Wayne Credle Jr. on the far left  received a scholarship last this year for his 2nd year at Duke Divinity School.  The Board of Life in His Name decided to support students who have a heart for evangelism and building the Kingdom of God.  Also in the picture are two other Virginia Wesleyan College graduates, Brandon Nichols who is also at Duke Divinity and Devon Blair who is pursuing Chaplaincy in the military.
The LIHN Board is meeting at the beginning of September and will consider a second scholarship candidate who is a part of Rev. Brian Sixby’s congregation, First Fox Hill in Hampton, VA.  The student is currently attending Asbury Theological Seminary and has a desire to serve as an Evangelist.

In 2013 our YWAM partners introduced us to Lillian and her family who were living in a shack that barely gave them shelter.  Life in His Name and the team from Virginia Wesleyan made it possible for Lillian and her family to have a new home.  The picture above is from this year in front of the new home.  Actually 2 homes were built because of the partnership between LIHN, VWC and YWAM.  The cost of each home is a mere $3,000.  They are simple, but sturdy, dry and a vast improvement from what they were living in! 
Lillian cried when she saw us this year.  She shared the story of the new home being built with so much gratitude.  She and her family are involved in ministry in Diriamba with YWAM.  Tears of joy.  Thank you!

Dr. Terry Lindvall and Dejha Crudup on the path where  C. S. Lewis came to faith in Jesus.  Dejha was the recipient of the Marlin Ministries Servant Leader Award this year.  Life in His Name gives $100 each year to a student whose life models the life of our LORD.

A walking tour of Oxford with the students and Terry.  Tolkien and the others that befriended Lewis and gently led him to Christ is a great model of evangelism for us all.

We’ve Moved!  The West family has moved to the King’s Forrest neighborhood of Virginia Beach this summer.  I’ve wanted Eileen and the children to be involved in the ministry to College Students at VWC.  This enables us to have a much closer reach. The new students arrive next week!  We welcome your prayers as we make disciples of Jesus this fall.   

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning    sacrifice for our sins.”                     
1 John 4:8-10