For the last week, we have been at the Avon Park Holiness camp in Avon Park, Florida. Our colleagues in Mozambique had attended here a couple of years ago and said it was the highlight of their furlough and had encouraged us to go if we had the opportunity. Now I understand why and we are so thankful to have been invited to attend.The camp has many houses that people own and numerous trailer sites for RVs and the like. They also have a wonderful dining facility and multiple dormitories and apartments. Most of the people we talked to are retired folks from northern states who winter here and they run numerous camp programs, this missionary emphasis week being their largest. Ann and I are some of the youngest folks here and it has been an amazing time for us. We have had the opportunity to speak numerous times and have received so much good teaching. We have made so many new friends.
There are three amazing, or what I would call “world class” evangelists/teachers speaking at the services and a in-depth Bible study each morning by a Bible teacher (Dr. Ron Smith) we know through our OMS channels, and lots of wonderful music. But what is the best part of all are the wonderful and gentle people who live here and are sold out for Jesus. Many of the people here are retired missionaries and pastors. As we talked, there were all sorts of links within this community to the work we do or people whose paths we have crossed the last few years. The world is a small place.One of the highlights of the week was “Missionary Day” when all four missionary couples presented their work covering Ecuador, Uganda, Honduras, and Mozambique. It started with a beautiful flag ceremony, which Ann lead (after the American Flag) with the Mozambique flag as the ‘flags of the nations’ were presented.
During this day, everyone who had served as a missionary came forward and was introduced and they gave their name, their years of service, and their fields of service. Our four years seemed so small compared to numbers like 50 plus years. After all the introductions, one of the camp leaders gave us the total and it was nearly 2000 years of missionary service coming out of this small community in Avon Park. Our 4 years seemed so small in comparison and it made me wonder, what could I tell these 800 people assembled for this special day? But, it was our joy, to share the good news of what God has done and is doing in the country where we serve.Each day goes something like this:
- 0700 - Prayer service and devotional time in the Tabernacle (church building).
- 0800 - Breakfast, where we sit with different people each day
- 0915 - Bible study by Dr. Ron Smith
- 1030 - Morning service and teaching
- 1200 - Lunch
- 1300 - Special presentations (Seminaries, Christian Colleges, etc.)
- 1430 - Afternoon service and teaching
- 1700 - Dinner
- 1830 - Missionary presentations
- 1930 - Evening Service followed by fellowship times in various people’s homes, usually including food.
We know we have put on weight this week!Of note are the lovely murals painted for this day. The artist, Myrna Wright, is show with us in front of the Mozambique mural.
The Evangelists / teachers are outstanding and we’ve crossed paths with some of them over the years. We have had outstanding discussions with new friends, enjoyed hearing the other missionaries and what God is doing in their countries, and have been challenged deeply. We are getting tired because the days are so filled and long; we can’t keep up with these retired Florida people and are wondering if there is a fountain of youth here they aren’t telling us about. Plus, there is so much experience here and we have enjoyed the stories of those who have served so faithfully.
This precious group is taking up a missionary offering all this week. To date, they have raised over $60,000 dollars to be split among the missionaries. We expect to see many monthly faith-promise pledges which will go along ways to helping us be ready to return to the field this June. It is humbling and precious; they are serious here about taking the Good News to all the nations; the commitment is certain, serious, and done with great joy. They understand without explanation what faith-promising giving is and what it takes to get a missionary to the field.
We shared the week with some amazing missionary folks: (left to right) Doug and Cindy Tankersley (Ecuador with OMS); Bill and Beth Ryan (Honduras with WGM); us; Jon and Lisa Mayo (Uganda with WGM). They all had amazing things to report of what God is doing in their fields and we learned much from each of them. Wonderful and dedicated people.....
What a privilege to have been here. You can’t imagine the peaceful presence of God that we feel in this place. I can see why people would choose to retire in such a wonderful setting.
If you want to check it out: http://www.avonparkcamp.org/
(and there is no snow here!!!)
Much love.
Dave & Ann
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
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