Basic HTML Version
PAGE 2
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, AUGUST 19, 1986
They include mountaineering, leather carving, scuba diving, fencing,
windsurfing, sailing and trampolining, among others. The camp at Loch
Lomond is unique in that its facilities are entirely portable and must be
completely assembled before camp begins and completely removed and stored
after it ends.
Most of this work, as well as staffing, is done by
volunteers from local British congregations and Ambassador College
students. There is a special thrill of teamwork and cooperation in the
whole SEP effort in Scotland. On one hand, I'd like to find a way to
provide permanent facilities for the Scottish camp. But on the other,
there is a great benefit to the truly •camp-like" environment that the
tents and portable facilities provide. I appreciate the fine job being
done by Mr. Paul Suckling, who directs the camp. We also were able to
bring Dr. Kermit Nelson with us to Scotland for his first visit to the
camp there.
Sunday evening we were able to meet with all the local ministers and
wives. Then on Monday morning, accompanied by Frank Brown, we departed
for Nairobi, Kenya. I felt that this trip to Britain was a good time to
begin visiting some of our African congregations.
And talk about a
pleasure! I was able to meet with both our Kenyan congregations--Nairobi
on Tuesday evening, and Kibirichia on Wednesday morning. What joyful,
enthusiastic groups of God's people 1 Again I was struck with how mighty
is God's Spirit that makes all His people of one mind. In Kibirichia, one
·can feel he is at the end of the world. We flew in on a light plane and
landed on a tiny airstrip in the midst of a real wilderness. But as soon
as we arrived at the Church's meeting hall, we were home!
The joy,
smiles, interest in the Work and many little children were just what you'd
expect in any congregation of God's people in the world.
It was a
marvelous experience!
We returned to London on Thursday (the flight from Nairobi to London
is 9� hours>. On Sabbath, August 9, we flew to Belfast, Northern Ireland,
to visit the Irish brethren. I told the brethren in Belfast that on Friday
I had toured the World War II cruiser Belfast anchored in the Thames
River, and the next day I was visiting the city of Belfast. But in sharp
contrast to both, we had people from all over Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland meeting together in peace!
All the Irish brethren--from the Dublin and Galway churches and Cork
Bible study in the south, and the Belfast, Ballymena and Craigavon
churches in the north, about 500 total--set an example of true peace,
brought about by God's Holy Spirit. Again I was able to meet with the
brethren individually after services and have dinner with the ministry.
Belfast is also like another world--sometimes similar to an armed camp.
Barbed wire, checkpoints, airport frisking--all a part of daily life.
There were riots, looting and burning in parts of Belfast the very night
we were there. Only the return of Christ will end the problems there.
But in the meantime, 500 lights will be shining in that darkness.
We returned to Pasadena on Sunday and I've been playing catch-up
since. But I took time out on Thursday, August 14, to return to Orr to
visit virtually the entire Mexican YOU attending their two-week SEP at our
camp facilities in Minnesota this year. Dr. Nelson had selected some 30
high-school workers from the previous U.S. session to stay over along with
several Ambassador students to provide staffing. In addition, a number of
volunteer brethren from the Duluth and Grand Rapids, Minnesota,
congregations offered their services.