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11 Out of 12 Ain’t Bad at 70+by: D. Phillips |
When you are in your 70s, what do you expect to be doing? Most people sock away 401(k) funds for their sunset years, plan to put more time into golf, fishing, playing with grandkids, traveling, the usual retiree fun stuff. Hawaii, Mexico, Florida are usual hot spots for retirees. Not many AARP members would make plans to take on major projects to care for orphans and translate the Bible in Nagaland, India, or spend a lot of time in civil war torn and AIDS-riddled banana republics of East Africa, unless you are my parents. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of seeing my parents, Syvelle and Lovie Phillips, for the first time in almost two years. They took some time off on the way to speak at a San Francisco area church to stop at our home near Yosemite National Park for a couple days, to see the grandkids of course.
Over the course of two days we all talked, catching up on family news. My parents like - no, love - their work. Their ministry is their life. They are in their 70s now, but they seem to have missed the whole concept of slowing down. My mom is the founder of God Loves Kids (Christian Communications Commission or CCC) and my dad founded Evangel Bible Translators (EBT).
Everyone who knows them knows they travel a lot doing their missions work. Over their two day visit, we talked about their trip to India. We talked about their trip to Africa. We talked about their time in Sri Lanka. We talked on and on about all their friends and associates all over the world, my adopted aunts and uncles, bothers and sisters.
In the flow of conversation, my mom made a little comment about how in 2006 they personally visited 11 of the 12 schools and orphanages God Loves Kids supports. I did an audio rewind in my mind. “How many did you say?” I asked. I wasn’t quite sure of what I had just heard. My dad confirmed that he and my mom had traveled to 11 God Loves Kids’ schools and orphanages that year. “We couldn’t get up to Elijah’s place because of the fighting at the Kashmir boarder, or we would have made it to all 12,” my dad casually added. (Elijah is Elijah Gergan, grandson of the man who first translated the Bible into the Tibetan language as told in the EBT published book, God Spoke Tibetan. God Loves Kids sponsors send poor Buddhist children to the Christian school Elijah runs, where they get a free education and exposure to the gospel.)
Since the 1970s, my parents have been traveling to check on the orphanage schools. Usually they visit East Africa one year and India the next. It is important to check in on the schools to insure that the adults in charge of God Loves Kids’ sponsored children are doing what they have agreed to do, and to lend assistance where it is needed. It is good stewardship to, as Ronald Regan said, “Trust, but verify.” In the entire history of God Loves Kids ministry, no one has ever visited all the schools in one year.
You may be asking yourself, “What is so hard about visiting 11 schools?” Well, think about your local elementary school, a couple hundred screaming, yelling, fun-loving kids on the campus right? Imagine that school as a Christian boarding school for orphans. Now imagine having the job of taking inventory of every kid at that school, meeting with the staff and reviewing records to insure they are taking good care of the kids. You are there to ensure each child is getting a good education, nutritious meals, medical care, and an ample dose of Christian love. Now imagine doing this 11 times, at 11 schools. Imagine them spread all over India and East Africa, where wars, disease, and poverty are a fact of life. Imagine doing this sleuthing with a lot of people who speak English, but it isn’t quite the same English you are used to. Now imagine there is no tax base to support these schools, just the money you raise from your friends and family. Imagine you are doing this when you are over 70 years old. Now the hard part, imagine being absolutely thrilled to be doing this job. Now you can imagine being my mom and dad.
There are a lot of child sponsorship ministries that seem similar to God Loves Kids. Most of them do a pretty good job. Famous actresses and musicians lend their charm to programs too. They have big budgets and big boards. My mom can’t sing, can’t act, and she has six unfamous people on her board. My mother can pinch a penny so hard numismatic enthusiasts should unite against her for cruelty to coins. She can get on planes, pass out a lot of stuffed animals and candy, give hugs, flash her pearly smile, and get quietly to the bottom of things she thinks are fishy.
Now imagine you are a 10-year-old African AIDS orphan. Your life isn’t so sad anymore. You are getting a great education, enjoying church, friends, loving teachers, regular meals, music, dancing, and ample play time. You know you have new parents in the USA who love you enough to sponsor you. They send you letters and photos, and gave you this happy new life. Imagine once a year, your American family sends “Mama Lovie” to visit you. She brings hugs, kisses, toys, letters, photos, and candy. Now you can imagine being one of our sponsored kids.
I joined my mom and dad on one of their trips and witnessed the scene of bedlam they bring. You have never seen a bunch of happier people than when you see my blonde haired, blue-eyed mom take the last step of a long trip out of a beat up African van into a sea of African kids about to explode with excitement to see her. What ensues is a riot of hugs, smiles, and shrieks of delight. “Mama Lovie” has returned! The kids enthusiasm is only matched by the width of my mom’s smile. She is back, just taking a little time to visit her grandkids again.
Please help keep this essential aspect of the God Loves Kids ministry going by giving to our travel fund or volunteering to join us when we go.
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