CQ

Originally Written for the Westside Way on 11.14.05

In the past few months I have been challenged to honestly examine the ways that I am responding to Christ. Do my choices reflect Him working within me? Am I willing to listen to God’s calling and move when He says go? This year we have talked about being intentional about developing the hearts of our students through modeling principled decision making, partnering strategically with parents, and providing opportunities to practice what we are learning.

I am inspired by people who authentically seek to practice being like Jesus. It is so easy for me to rationalize my decisions to fit my relatively cozy life. It is easy to overlook the things that God loves, flirt with the things He hates, take on causes that don’t matter, and ignore the things that do.

Over the past year, our Spiritual Life Committee has conversed with each other, local pastors, and various missions organizations about ideas for creating an experience for our students that could challenge them to see the world more clearly through the heart of Jesus. One of the possible ideas we have discussed is providing an opportunity for our students to apply their faith and education in a practical way by serving others in an overseas mission/vision trip. This type of trip has the potential to provide perspective and cast a lifelong vision. It can provide them with a sense of compassion for others in whatever calling they find themselves looking to fulfill. Over the past year the idea of this Compassion Quest has not died or faded away, as so many ideas do. God seems to be leading us to continue to investigate the possibilities.

If we move forward with this idea we want to develop a long-term partnership with an overseas missions organization. One possible partnership, that seems to have progressed faster than others, began over the summer when I felt God’s nudging to notice more closely the horrific tragedy surrounding child slavery and the sex trade. With a new burden on my heart to learn more about these children, I eagerly followed up on a potential link with a businessman named Carl from Ohio. Carl has responded to God’s calling on him regarding this issue by starting a non-profit organization called Remember Nhu. (Nhu is the name of the child that first touched Carl’s heart and drew him to respond to this issue). One of the functions of his organization is to link lay people from the states to missions organizations in Thailand and Cambodia that are strategically working to eliminate the use of children in the sex trade.

In July, I had the opportunity to meet with Carl, and I told him I would be very interested in learning more about how a high school could link with his ministry. Carl began to describe a missionary in Thailand named Charles who was saving children before they were sold into slavery by their parents. It is common for parents to sell one of their children as a sacrificial lamb so that the rest of their children can survive. Charle’s innovative approach to this problem is to provide a home and a Christian education for these children through college so that they will have the skills to earn a professional wage. These children grow up in his care being educated and saved (this term has tremendous depth of meaning to them) to the Glory to God. They have the skills to support their families and end the cycle of slavery. Harvey’s vision is to start more homes like his that are run by Thai graduates of his school.

About a month ago I became aware of a vision trip to Thailand that Carl was planning in December. I felt a nudge to call him and learn more about the trip. When I called I described to him the vision that our Spiritual Life Committee has to link closely with a ministry overseas. It was at this point that I learned that Charles was visiting Ohio and listening in over the speaker phone. Charles expressed an excitement and enthusiastically felt the impact that a high school from the States could have on his ministry. Carl shared a desire for us to think about sending people on the vision trip at the end of December to learn more about what Harvey’s ministry and others are doing in Thailand.

This is one of those moments where I felt a powerful leading to respond. After checking that leading with the school board and receiving the blessing of our Spiritual Life Committee and my wife, I made a commitment to join Carl on his trip. Steve will be partnering with me. We will travel throughout Thailand visiting various ministries. We may have the opportunity to visit a location where the tsunami hit. It has been reported that there are still thousands of orphans as a result of this disaster that are at risk of becoming victims of the sex trade.

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