The Son & the Sand
APRIL 2006
www.barefootbelievers.com
What Comes to Mind When You Hear “Spring Break”?
Cook outs, suntans, school’s out, distant lands
Recreation, having fun, vacations, hot dog buns
Hanging with friends, sunglasses, spending time with kin, a convertible passes
Honk! Honk!
Ok. So maybe I went a little far with the silly poetic expression above, but when you hear the words “spring break” your first thought may well be recreation, vacation, sunshine, and fun times. We’ve already had a couple of weeks of spring break on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Our ministry has had the privilege of partnering in ministry with Virginia Alexander and her Calhoun Community College Baptist Campus Ministry team, Perdido Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Gulf Shores, Lifeway Community Church, and First Baptist Church of Orange Beach. The teams took part in a variety of ministries. To learn more about what we are up to during spring break and how you, your family, your student ministry, your church, or association can partner with us in resort ministry during the Spring of 2007 or the summer of 2006… visit this corner of our website http://www.barefootbelievers.com/missiontrip.htm
An extra special note of thanks to Lisa Langley. March 19-24 Lisa supervised all of the spring break activities while I was in Georgia taking a Worship Leadership class. It was a huge comfort to know that the ministry was in the capable hands of such a Godly and intelligent young woman. Lisa will continue to partner with the ministry as the assistant director during the summer of 2006.
Still “At the Beach”
Everywhere I go church folks seem to get a kick out of the fact that I am a missionary on the beautiful beaches of Alabama. I was also a missionary (a summer missionary) on the beaches of Hawaii in 1997 and near the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea (at the Baptist Village in Israel) in ‘98. I think Hawaii was the first time I ever heard “suffering for Jesus at the beach.” It’s true missionaries serve all over the globe. Missionaries even serve at beautiful resort locations.
This isn’t the first time I have mentioned the “suffering for Jesus…” phrase to communicate a message in our resort ministry newsletter; however, I don’t think I’ve shared the following concept with you. The truth is missionaries (no matter where they serve… at the beach, on the slopes, in the jungles, in foreign lands, a metropolitan area, or in rural America) have one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs in the world. Christian missionaries are in all kinds of countries and cultures experiencing and impacting many different kinds of people and places. It’s a privilege to “still be at the beach” sharing the love of Jesus with others in new, meaningful, and exciting ways.
The job is not easy, but the truth is I can’t see myself doing anything else. I’m still at the beach in 2006; I am looking forward to another amazing summer working with summer missionaries, barefoot believer interns, mission teams, and other volunteers.
Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for the summer.
Let us know how we can pray for you, too.
Just on the Horizon… Additional Prayer Points
Pray for the following students that have already been appointed to serve with us during the summer of 2006… Lisa, Chase, Lana, Courtney, Heather, & Ashley
Pray for other students that have shown interest through emails and meetings in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach… Ashley, Jessie, Matt, & Liz
Interviews this month at Shocco Springs, in Talladega, AL, will complete the assemblage of our summer ministry staff for the summer of 2006
Continued Spring Break ministries in April with Central Baptist Church (Waycross, GA) Youth Team & their Youth Pastor, Tim Kilgore… Backyard Bible Clubs, Beach Evangelism, and work with their ministry partners at Crossroads Belforest Church
One Last Thing… Keep on Loving Each Other
Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1 & 2
In the Grip of His Grace.
Jeff Ford
