Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Get -Togethers

May is the time for fellowship; it is a very busy time for “get-togethers”. I had the privilege of speaking at the “Sunflower Fellowship Meeting” on May 5th at Buffalo Ridge Camp Ground near Ottawa, Kansas. What a relaxing camp ground. I have spent a couple of nights there over the last few months. The man who runs the campground, Sam Renfro, asked me to speak to preachers concerning the issue of preaching on finances. It was a wonderful day as a number of preachers were able to attend the conference and then enjoy some “Buffalo Burgers” (I hear they are very healthy). After the meeting Tyler, his girlfriend, and I attended a Kansas City Royals game at the “new” Kaufman Stadium. It is a beautiful facility, and we really enjoyed the game.
From May 11th – 15th I was able to enjoy “Fellowship Week” at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. There was good preaching and fellowship. We do need to pray for the college; it is going through some difficult times (both financially and in attendance). I was able to spend time with the first pastor I worked for and his wife, Ralph & Darlyn DeVore. They are very special friends and I am grateful for their investment in my life. Ralph has pastored in Siloam Springs, Arkansas for a number of years. His wife, Darlyn, is in poor health and I’m praying that God works a real miracle in her life. The graduation speaker at B.B.C. was my friend Jack Eggar, who is President of AWANA. He challenged the graduates to make a difference in the lives of others. He showed a video of the work at AWANA in Angola Prison in Louisiana. They had put a program together for fathers who were incarcerated to visit their children and share with them their desire for their children to not “follow in their footsteps” and to get involved in AWANA in their neighborhood.