David Loftis - Lead vocals & acoustic guitar
Carol Loftis - Soprano vocals
Jessie Loftis - Alto vocals
JD Loftis - Lead/Tenor vocals, violin, & bass guitar
Bethanie Collins - Piano & background vocals
Josiah Loftis - acoustic guitar for teen sessions (& drums for 5 concerts in Scotland)
THE FIRST WEEKEND
We arrived on Friday morning, after flying all night from New York - everyone was bombed. So we rented a car and drove to Edinburgh to see the sights and stay awake, so our bodies would adjust. It is always powerful to me to observe history up close. So many powerful images - Edinburgh University, with John Knox' statue, the Scottish Castle, where kings and queens served and defended their country, and the beautiful St. Giles Cathedral. We also had a taste of the city on the streets, before heading to our host home in the Ayrshire.
Stephenston was a welcome site when we arrived - and what a joy it was to spend time with our dear friends, the Camerons.Our friends, the Dorries were there, as well as Iain, Scott's older brother and the Tuthills. The fellowship was highlighted by the adorable Cameron children - who at 7, 5 & 3 gave us a taste of family in Scotland we'll never forget. Delightfully behaved but buoyantly playful, they joined in romping with the boys and teasing with the adults until bedtime took them away. A long overdue time fellowship followed as we caught up with all God had done since our last visit two summers before.
Saturday after a good sleep we prepared for the evening ministry, setting our game plan, and thinking through the set list for playing. Then our hosts took the girls shopping while we men went off to a Scottish League Football (soccer for you untrained . . . ) match. We saw the Kilmarnock Squirrels play the Mighty Rangers from nearby Glasgow. One of my dreams from childhood - to hear a British football stadium filled and singing their chants - I was not disappointed by this crowd of 10,000 plus who were lusty and full-throated in their support of "the boys." A great time, no doubt. Many thanks to our hosts for the day, Iain Cameron and Ian Dorrie. Then off to set up in the hall, rehearse through the set and share in a quick dinner and prayer before singing to a precious group from three combined churches who came to this night of praise. We sang a mix of familiar songs and some new tunes as well. JD gave his testimony, sharing all God did for him coming out of his illness. A blessed evening for all. After the worship experience, we had a time of tea and biscuits (Scottish cookies). I had a time with a young man named David - full of doubt and frustration over an abusive background. We prayed together, and I directed his heart to encouragement from Scripture.
The next day we served the sweet people of the High Kirk of Stephenston - the family led in song, and then I spoke the Word . We talked that day about the prayer life of Paul, and how God calls us as believers to pray more specifically for the individuals under our influence. Of course that prayer included comments about the worthy walk - which is only possible through the work of Christ. HE makes us worthy - He provides strength to love - so know Him and the worthy walk begins. Precious time.
We immediately hopped in cars and headed for the Edinburgh airport, where we flew Ryanair for the first time from there into Faro for the conference. A unique experience, no doubt! I read the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan on that flight. Excellent musings by my brother - a strong one-two punch challenge that goes along well with the concepts in "Radical." I had heard that the younger generation was not at all into our materialism - and that is a good thing. However, these two are bent on having us all give it away, for the sake of the kingdom. That is a dangerous, but really good thing! The commitment level called for by the young men in our generation is extremely convicting - and frankly is pressing me in new ways toward Christ and His deeper calling upon me.
Arrived in the evening, to have supper with dear friends from Portugal. Jon & Marilyn Rust have been friends of our family since our early ministry days in Milwaukee. They came on as missionaries there just over 26 years ago - so we have grown up in ministry with them and their family. God has blessed them as well - and they are just now entering a new phase of ministry as empty-nesters. I watched Jon throughout the week, serve our team tirelessly - what an example to us all.
THE WEEK IN FARO, PORTUGAL
Each day in Faro began with a time with the Lord, prayer together, and breakfast at the large buffet. We always had wonderful cappuccino and fresh bread for each meal - not the best direction for the diet, but delightful for a change of pace. Then we'd go and rehearse for the opening session, have prayer as a team and greet people until the session began. Our portion of the morning was about 30 minutes of focus upon God, to set the hearts of the group for their upcoming training. As a part of that time, each day the field leader honored a missionary couple who had been serving the Lord faithfully. Many had been 25 years, 30 years, and one couple had been serving for 37 years. Very humbling and motivating to see all God had done for them.
Our young people fit in well with the 22 young people - all MK's - who were in attendance as well. Josiah and JD led worship for them, while Jess & Beth sang. Carol and I used this time to meet with various mission leaders for consultation and connection. Then we would complete our planning for the evening services, pulling music together and any other elements necessary to make it just the right touches. Onto lunch from there, followed by a short time of rest or recreation for about two hours. Then we would gather the team, have an afternoon rehearsal of the evening's music, as well as the morning songs, if any were new. We would then have supper, participate in the activity before service, then lead an extended time of praise before the evening speaker. When finished, the night broke out into fellowship for the adults and games & fellowship for the younger ones.
The worship leading team was very well received- can't find a better environment for praising the Lord than a group of servants of the Lord. However there was a wonderful dynamic in the room - with many of the national Portuguese and Irish ministry partners in attendance for the sessions as well. Many of them (the Portuguese in particular) sang along in Portuguese, since their English was not that strong. It was wonderful! We sang a mix of familiar songs and new ministry songs for them - and left a set of music with the missionaries as well, so they could use them with their church plants. Bethanie was the "rock" on keyboard - kept us all in place for rehearsals. Jess ended up being the "vocal coach" to keep us on parts and in the right "groove" for our songs. Carol and JD are so steady - just get them in the right place and away we go. My task was not to cry through each session - even now reflecting back upon it, I tear up with the joy it brings me to sing with my international partners, considering the truths we share when
Our speaker for the night was Jacob Reynolds, from the Irish Bible Institute. I thoroughly enjoyed partnering with Jacob - he did so well in bringing very culturally challenging messages to the team based on the stories of John in John 1, 3, 4 & 15. Strong connection to the missionaries, being a European himself, and also a partner in seeking to draw men and women to Christ. We developed a friendship as we worked through the week together.
Several of the mornings after the sessions Carol and I had a time of connection with mission leaders Tuesday morning we had a delightful time with my brother and his wife. Michael & Jo Beth Loftis are dear servants of the Lord, who God has blessed with an uncanny sense of mission and strategic initiative for this generation. They poured into our lives for a couple of hours on Tuesday in a precious way, before leaving for their next mission field. Wednesday we met with Jack & Cheryl Shifflett - long time missionaries in Spain, now the director of Europe and the Middle East. Jack has proven to be a good friend through the years, and is a great encouragement to me as well. Thursday Carol met with Leina Zairgirdar. Leina and her husband are East Indians who serve in England. She blessed her with stories and prayer and her sweet spirit that God is using to bring Muslims to Him throughout England. During that time I had the joy of a lunch time with Dale Marshfield, veteran church planter and missionary trainer with CEIM (ABWE's Center for Excellence in International Missions). Dale was very encouraging to me and shared some eye opening information about international church planter training.
Friday it was Jacob Reynolds - who shared of the work he is doing in Ireland, and encouraged us on our journey as well. I have always been impressed to be involved in the lives of people with whom I minister, but found myself particularly blessed by those who poured over our lives through this week.
We also saw our young people dive into the lives of those God called them to serve through the week as well. The boys immersed themselves into the youth program, simply "hanging out"with the younger and incredibly gifted MK's who made up the group there. Josiah hooked up with Dino - Leina's son - who had returned for thanksgiving with his parents from a new ministry he has just started in Chicago for the downtown youth there. He and JD were also a blessing to a few of the younger MK's - 9th & 10th graders - who looked up to them. The girls spent quite a bit of their time with six single gals who were on ministry teams in Ireland and Portugal. They had some amazing fellowship - sharing life together and encouraging one another.
A SPECIAL THANKSGIVING
Thursday the team left the daily format and spent the entire morning in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. The format was simple - we would lead in 10-15 minutes of praise through song and Scripture, then a different field of ministry would come up and give a praise report of all God has done on their field. It was truly a moving time. By the end of that morning we were all drenched with tears and thoroughly blessed - a wonderful reminder of why Paul says to "give thanks in everything." The rest of Thursday was dedicated to family and team fellowship and refreshment. Our team had a long lunch and rest, then went over to the small island park by ferry across from Faro. There we found a beach on the Mediterranean, volleyball and soccer fields and a wonderful time of play. I participated in two soccer matches - one with the younger MK's and the other with the older MK's against the missionaries. Of course I dressed Jamaican, dreads and all - and had such a blast! Fun times of fellowship and refreshment are important - we all need reminders that God created us to serve Him and enjoy Him forever. Tastes of heaven, no doubt.
That night Carol and I walked through the streets of Faro, and once again were blessed by another aspect of God's creation as ordered by the people of Portugal through the years. Very simple people and friendly - open to share a kind word with the foreigners. Faro is an interesting town - known for thousands of years as a sea salt manufacturer. They "harvest" salt in large fields, where they allow the high tides in, then block the water from going back out - when it dries thoroughly, they harvest the salt that remains. This apparently was going on at the time of Christ as well - and during the ministry of the apostles. Wonderful to share in such history. Faro is on a river with multiple stone bridges that cross over, so we were able to traverse cobble stoned pathways back and forth across the waterway. At times as we crossed over minstrels had set up to play - some classical music, others popular songs. Beautiful settings for reflection on the work God is doing in our lives right now.
Our team studied through a book while on the trip - called "True Faced," written by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol and John Lynch (NavPress). The thesis of the book is that there are two paths that people can take in their pursuit of God - whether seekers or believers. The first path is trying to please God - through performance based living. The second path is trusting God, by living in the "room of grace" where we come with all our baggage and lay it before the Lord. We learn that this type of living pleases God without us trying - and then we learn to love Him fully by serving out of love, not obligation. Many other excellent thoughts were shared as we tried to take a chapter a day and dissect its truth as well as the accompanying Scriptures. Excellent team building came from that set of exercises. We completed the week by sharing a time of encouragement for each team member - for where God had them right now, and the gifts He had invested in them from our perspective. It was very nourishing.
THE FINAL DAYS
Saturday morning was our last day in Portugal. We led the closing worship time, then were blessed with momentos of our time from the grateful missionaries. They prayed over us and blessed us with their gratitude for the sacrifice made to come, including those who gave to make the trip a possibility. We join them in giving thanks to you for the opportunity to bless these dear ones as God allowed us to do through this week.
The flight back brought us into a surprisingly snowy Scotland. It rarely snows in the Ayrshire where we were ministering, because of the gulf stream alongside the inner channel between Scotland and Ireland. However, this ended up being a foretaste of one of the coldest snaps in recent history. We loved flying over snow covered mountain caps and fields dusted lightly with the beauty of God's ivory glaze. Another lovely evening awaited us with fish & chips, haggis pies (you really don't want to know what is in them - but they tasted lovely, nontheless . . . ) and Dr. Pepper. Pastor Cameron played Wii with JD, Josiah & his children - and delighted in thrashing them all! Then he pulled out his accordian, and we had a song time together as families. Sweet treasured fellowship we'll not soon forget.
The last Sunday took us to Troon - a coastal city right on the sea. Known best for its links golf, and host to the British Open, it is also home to the Seagate Evangelical Church, where we ministered for the morning. This former Brethren fellowship began with a 10:00 communion service - a precious time of confession, praise and celebration of the sacrifice of our Savior. Then a time of fellowship with tea and biscuits (we could learn from that over here, ya know . . . ) followed by the worship hour. We ministered in music for about 30 minutes, then JD spoke to us. This was his first message before a church congregation - and in such a lovely, historical setting! He did well - speaking on the model prayer of Jesus to His disciples. He handled the text well, and spoke particularly to the younger audience. There must have been at least thirty in high school or university in attendance, among the 200 plus congregants. No greater joy - a huge blessing for me, really - to see my children all serving Christ together and in significant ways before the Lord.
Back to Stephenston for lunch and a quick rest before leaving for West Kilbride for our closing service at the parish church there. Because of the growingly bitter cold, there was a smaller turnout for that service - about 35 gathered for our time of fellowship and singing. It was sweet, however - and a special time. By the time we had packed up and prepared for the early morning flight, it was 1 am - we fell into bed exhausted but blessed by the joy of service to our new friends and dear partners throughout Western Europe. An uneventful flight home on Monday brought us weary but delighted to be on "home turf." We don't take for granted being able to get out of Europe either - our flights were some of the last for about a week, after the deep freeze hit Great Britain. When we got home, Pops Ankrom had a delightful supper ready for us at home, where stories were told and loved ones greeted.
THANK YOU IS NOT ENOUGH
Many times in life our words fall short of expressing the gratitude we feel. Being enabled to serve the Lord by ministering to these dear saints by so many of you who gave faithfully and prayed us through flights, meetings, potential illnesses and delays, broken strings and forgotten instruments. None of it happened - it was a flawless trip. And you helped so greatly with your sincere and loving contributions. The words of Paul in II Corinthians 9:6-14 echo in my mind as a backdrop to our gratitude - for many of you gave in this way - cheerfully and openly for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel, and the encouragement of the saints. We will never forget what you have done for us.
David, Carol, Jessie, JD & Josiah Loftis & Bethanie Collins
