July 26- Perspective from Phil Bishop

To provide a bit of perspective, I am a professor of almost 30 years who has made well over a dozen foreign-mission trips all over the world.  I have had some great trips.

From experience, I know that soon, people will soon begin asking me, “How was that trip to Haiti?”

I’ll say something like this, “Haiti was fantastic, but this was an unusual trip for me.”

If they are really interested, they’ll say something like, “How so?”

And I’ll say, “This trip was different for me, because, for me, being in Haiti wasn’t the key factor.  The Haitians were wonderful, kind, welcoming people, who, as Holly observed, made eye contact and kept it.  The real key factor for me was the 60 students and staff who let me tag along.  These college graduates, undergraduates, and one pre-college student, and Campus Crusade leaders, were among the finest bunch of people with whom I have ever associated, and I have been at it for 60 years.  They were enthusiastic, considerate, encouraging folks.  A pretty large group of them were even enthusiastic for prayer!  Go figure!

They sweated night and day in the dusty, hot, humid environment; they rode a bus for two hours in the heat, they didn’t complain and continually looked for opportunities to minister.  They sought out kids to play with, and on one occasion carried kids over two miles to and from Flamingo Lake.  They happily met for hours on end, they waited, they sang, they prayed, they played, they ate, and a few would even sleep a couple of hours at night.  They seemed to even enjoy talking to the staff!

I was blessed to be among them, to watch them interact, and to learn from them.  We could have been in Alabama, or Texas, or anywhere, and the trip would have almost as good for me.  Just being around these folks has done a lot to make me want to be a better Christian.  So I guess I was just one of the many folks to whom they ministered.”

Thanks, Team 3, for being an inspirational group!

Phil Bishop, Professor