Rachelle and I are in Dallas, Texas picking up our fifteen year old son, Logan, upon his return from Peru. He has spent six weeks this summer sharing Christ in street evangelism with a team from Awe Star Ministries out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Logan, candidly photographed (left) by one of the team members as he prayed over a village in Peru, has a heart for missions and evangelism. Logan's team leaders for this Peruvian mission trip were Brent and Deanna Higgens. This delightful couple lost their own fifteen year old son, B.J., to the bubonic plague in the summer of 2005 while he was ministering to the Peruvian people as well. I have previously written of the Higgens family and how their #1 bestselling book, I Would Die for You , an account of their teenage son's life and death on the mission field, greatly moved me. It was through reading B.J.'s story that our son, Logan, felt called to spend the summer of 2009 in Peru with Awe Star.You can read the reports of this summer's Awe Star Mission trip to Peru here. Nearly 4,000 Peruvians professed their faith in Christ through the gospel ministry of Awe Star this summer. Awe Star Ministries was designed to help 14,15,16, and 17 year old kids go through a rite of passage into adulthood - through missions. Over the past fifteen years Awe Star Ministries has placed thousands of young people in 39 countries of the world to share the gospel, plant churches and make the transition to adulthood. I highly recommend Awe Star ministries to anyone and everyone interested in gospel missions done well. Walker Moore, President of Awe Star, and all the staff of Awe Star have been a blessing to the Burlesons.
Welcome home, Logan!
Dad
28 comments:
The Peru trip pictures are here.
I have never been on a missionary trip. But I did go for a winter mountaineering course in the Himalayas long time ago, when I was at Logan's age. Those memories are very clear and those experiences very unique.
In some ways, these memories for Logan would stay with him too for a very long time. And they will be crisp.
May God grow Logan in faith as he matures.
Wade,
I'm sure it is a precious blessing to have a son like Logan.
I want to apologize for the header on my post above. I am not sure what happened. It shows how techno challenged I really am.
I am truly overwhelmed by the commitment to Christ and His cause of the youg people and the leaders who run this ministry.
In His Service
Darrell
I wonder if Logan kept a journal, or is considering writing his reflections about his mission.
If not, he might like to tape his thoughts whilst they are still fresh so that someday, he can write about this tremendous formative experience.
Maybe the family can help him by filming an interview of him talking about the experience.
These are ways to help Logan 'process' what happened there and what it meant to him, and how he was inspired by B.J. to go and serve the people in Peru.
(Here Speaks the former middle school teacher of writing L's :)
Linda,
On a previous post you wrote about Pastor Burleson's family, and I will quote you, word for word:
Does culture induce bias in our interpretation of scripture?
Of course. In the past the cultural bias was toward moms at home and we read scripture that way.
Pastor Wade's wife desires work outside the home and so we are treated to his biased interpretation supporting her supporting him.
Again, cultural bias.
Now, I don't really give a fig if families can own more stuff, or have more money for golf or other adult play, or if someone feels more fulfilled being outside the home rather than inside.
When it is just two adults, do whatever makes you happy.
But I spend my days trying to put back the pieces for small children who rightfully feel very abandoned as dad merrily pursues his calling and mom goes out to be fulfilled.
We can exchange anecdotes all day. Yes, some men are jerks and some women and children have trusted them and been hurt in the process.
But you know what? That traditional pattern worked just fine for most people for centuries.
And if both partners follow that ploughboy understanding of the Bible today, instead of wandering around finding a scholar to tell them what they want to hear, it still works today.
So gents, go right ahead and walk away from the understanding you are to be providers. After all, it is soooo stressful, right?
And ladies, go right on out and find yourself and be fulfilled. It is your right, isn't it?
But PUHLEEZE, no whining when the kiddoes put you in the geezer home and never come around. What goes around comes around.
And don't ask why when they turn to gangs, or drugs, or whatever form of self destruction they choose.
And don't make excuses when they do not get saved because they cannot conceive of God's love and grace.
After all, it was YOU that taught them they are of no value.
I do hope, and I do trust, that with hopelessly missed predictions about "the Burleson kiddoes," which you stated so confidently would happen, and the opposite outcome as evidenced by Logan, that you do not try to make a living picking stocks.
You are a miserable prognosticator.
WOW bainiac,
You sure read Linda's post much differently than I did.
Braniac,
I'm with FBC Insider. I'm not sure Linda was directed her comment toward my family.
Blessings,
Wade
Brainiac, Linda did a follow up comment here.
Tom Parker--funning? In a sense, yes.
Wade, it is great to hear about Logan's trip. Does Emmanuel give sabbaticals for excellent pastors to go and do something similar?
Concerning the dust-up over Linda's comments, I would like to quote something I wrote in the comment stream about B.J.
I think it applies here also, in honor of Logan's service to Our Lord:
"Let us ‘sharpen our iron’ elsewhere and , instead,
sit quietly in the light
of this child’s faith
and at peace with one another. "
Thank you, Logan, for picking up that candle that was lit by your brother-in-Christ, B.J.,
and for carrying it forward.
Benedicite,
Love,
L's/Christiane
I'm a blog-stalker, I think this is my first comment: You let your 15 year old son spend 6 weeks in Peru! That says as much about you and your wife as it does him. Thank you for trusting your son to the Lord. Not enough parents would dare...much less encourage, such risky faith.
Wade,
I can relate to your post this morning. My youngest is currently on her flight home from the Former Soviet Republic. She's 20 and this is her third summer spent away from home. You can check out their blog, fsrchallenge.blogspot.com, to see what God did there this summer.
It's amazing the feelings of pride and trepidation, increased trust in God and parental anxiety, inspiration and perspiration that a parent can have while their young one is serving.
But what's most amazing, is what God is doing in this generation of young people, how I'm learning by their example, and inspired to live out my own faith more boldly then ever before. To everyone who reads this blog, don't discount what you can learn from this generation because they are young. Their passion for Christ and His glory is humbling and inspiring.
Grace,
Jeff
Linda, further elucidates her position in Baptist Life Forums here.
I'm a blog-stalker, I think this is my first comment: You let your 15 year old son spend 6 weeks in Peru! That says as much about you and your wife as it does him. Thank you for trusting your son to the Lord. Not enough parents would dare...much less encourage, such risky faith.
Fri Jul 24, 05:44:00 PM 2009
I agree and was blessed to have the same kind of parents.
Lady, you said:
"Let us ‘sharpen our iron’ elsewhere and , instead,
sit quietly in the light
of this child’s faith
and at peace with one another. "
Oh my, what a heart.
thank you
w
Off Topic:
NYT > Op-Ed > Not a Victim, but a Hero.
MEERWALA, Pakistan
After being kidnapped at the age of 16 by a group of thugs and enduring a year of rapes and beatings, Assiya Rafiq was delivered to the police and thought her problems were over.
Then, she said, four police officers took turns raping her.
The next step for Assiya was obvious: She should commit suicide. That’s the customary escape in rural Pakistan for a raped woman, as the only way to cleanse the disgrace to her entire family.
Instead, Assiya summoned the unimaginable courage to go public and fight back. She is seeking to prosecute both her kidnappers and the police, despite threats against her and her younger sisters. This is a kid who left me awed and biting my lip; this isn’t a tale of victimization but of valor, empowerment and uncommon heroism.
Yesterday at four in the morning, I jumped out of bed to the loud banging on a locked door.
My wife had crawled through a fence and had been walking in a pasture.
She stood there crying, “I need help!”
Please pray for her.
Rex,
My heart is broken for both of you as you face this. Know that praying for you is a given. Keep us imformed as much as is possible.
I always wanted to go to Peru but have yet had the chance. Good news about your son and the mission team and the souls saved.
May there be more.
Rex Ray: My prayers are with your wife and your family. I am sorry to hear the agony and anguish she is going through. I know what it is to feel lost and cry to Our God and Our Lord. "I need help". I too have cried this many times. In my case, the agony was not physical, but spiritual. At present, all I am being asked to do is to trust and abide in Our Lord Jesus Christ. That is it. But the Lord knows how stubborn and rebellious I am at heart, and He is slowly leading me.
Dear REX,
From the Psalms and the Gospels:
for those who have made the Most High their refuge and their dwelling place, there is this:
"For He will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."
We shelter under the Wings of the Most High God. We are cared for, in our need. And when, in fear, we cry to Him out on the deep, He will come to calm the storms with a Word.
Peace of Christ to you.
Love and Prayers, L's
Rex, I pray for grace upon grace and mercy for you both.
This sermon of Pastor Wade was on April 12th (Easter). Excellent sermon dealing with trusting and abiding with Our Lord Jesus Christ.
#13. When Christ Appears the Second Time (I John 2:28-3:3), of the Series I John: The Christian and Complete Joy. If you watch the video, it's titled "When Christ Appears the Second Time", Part 13 of series (1 Jn. 3:1-3).
Interesting highlights of the service:
1. Watch Ronnie Cue and his family get baptized.
2. Hear about Wm. Paul Young and his winnings in "Who wants to be a millionaire?", and what happened afterwards.
Exellent sermon and message. The music and singing was terrific too.
Many thanks
Just read your entry, Rex. Our prayers are with you, your wife, and your family.
John
I am glad your son got to serve in Peru. He was in the company of greatness. Brent and Awestar, of course, but godly people like Pastor Tito Sevilla. Tito was my pastor when I lived in Trujillo and just a great man of God.
May Logan long remember the people of a very special nation. They will remember him.
Frank Lamca
www.crossthefrontier.com
The past fifteen years Awe Star Ministries has placed thousands of young people in 39 countries of the world to share the gospel...
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