Living Life Together by the Sea

Rarely do Bill and Becky get to meet the families of their students. So, to help foster this connection, they decided to organize a summer family camp. On the seaside in North Wales, the students with their entire families stayed in a hostel for four days eating, talking, and living life together. This allows Bill and Becky to get to know the families and share the gospel with the entire family unit— an important cultural gesture. This summer, two trips were planned. The first group was made up of 30 refugees from Syria (this is only half the number of Syrian refugees that Bill and Becky work with). The second group was comprised of Iranian families and some others from Western Asia. On the first trip, the weather was glorious, the group got along wonderfully, and the Old Testament story of how God was with Joseph during the hard times was taught. Overall, the trip was a success. One student’s mother was able to go on the trip. She had just been released from the hospital after having chemotherapy. After the trip, Bill drove the student and his mum back to Birmingham in the car as that was easier for them than taking the minibus with the rest of the group. On that journey, Bill had some great spiritual conversation with the student who was more than appreciative of Bill and Becky’s kindness. The student said that “thank you” was not a good enough word for what he wanted to say. He also told Bill that if he could teach him about the Quran then Bill can teach him about the Bible. Hopefully, fruit will come from this exposure to scripture. On the second trip, Bill and Becky enjoyed another great time with their friends. It helped that this second group knew English at a higher level. And for those who didn’t know English well, one student named Jay translated— which was a huge blessing. The Bible sharing time with the children was great. Some of the kids were able to talk with their families about what they learned from the stories of Jonah and Joshua. As for the adults, they intently listened to Bill’s testimony of how Jesus transformed his life and heart. Along with these precious times, Bill had some lengthy spiritual conversations with a couple of students. In these talks, he felt the ability to be transparent about his faith. By the end, they were eager to learn more. There is just something about the summer camp that allows headway to be made like this.

Consider This

What Bill and Becky are doing in the U.K. can be done in your own backyard. The reason why their summer camp provides such great spiritual developments is that “living life together” is happening. When two share their lives together an incredible connection is formed. It is like a bridge where truth and insight can be transported. Are there any immigrants or refugees in your area? Many can attest that one of the most incredible things you can do for them is to invite them over to your home. If you truly care about the Nations, try seeking out these people and share your life with them. And, once a bridge is built, you may be surprised at how open they are to hearing the life-saving truth of Jesus Christ.