Joan Keane, who has carried on the ministry of her father, Rev. Nathan Meyer, in leading study trips to Israel and the Holy Land, asks prayer for the February 22-March 8 trip in which the 412 Commission students will be participating.
Dr. Randy Smith (pictured with his wife, Dottie), pastor of the Sebring, FL, Grace Brethren Church, previously lived and taught in Israel and will be the Bible teacher for this trip. Here are some edited excerpts and explanations from Joan’s letter, and some specific requests on how to pray for the trip:
BACKGROUND
This study trip with Dr. Randy Smith is included as part of the 4:12 Commission program. That group has 24 post-high school students who have spent six+ months studying the Bible and ministry in Grace Brethren churches in Sebring FL and Akron (Norton) OH.
Also joining us are a minister/missionary friend of Randy, and his people from Hawaii. Other participants are from various parts of the USA, plus two men from South Africa who will be filming for “The Word on Location” project.
There will be 76 people on two buses with Randy doing morning and evening lectures, and meeting with each bus separately at least once during the day. I am responsible for the logistics for the group.
Randy’s wife Dottie is in charge of the car needed to get Randy between meeting places. She will also use her Hebrew and shopping skills to put together picnic lunches every day for the students.
After preaching for two morning services this Sunday (February 19) Randy & Dottie drive to Orlando for their 5 p.m. flight. The students from Sebring will be leaving early Wednesday morning to drive to Orlando for a 9 a.m. flight. The Akron students’ flight leaves Cleveland at 11 a.m.
I leave Columbus at 11:30 a.m. We all meet in Newark, NJ. People will also be coming from other parts of the country. Most of us are connecting with the flight leaving Newark at 3:50 p.m. We arrive in Israel at 9:15 the next morning.
PRAY NOW
I met with Randy and all the students two weeks ago. God is doing some very special things in their lives. Whenever God is at work, Satan attacks. Please pray for Randy’s protection, and the ability for him to stay focused on God in the midst of overwhelming pressures.
If one person comes with germs, we will all share them! Pray that everyone stays healthy.
There are always many things to be done before we leave. Pray for the process of pulling together everyone’s loose ends, both at home and at work.
Everyone comes with expectations, some realistic, and some unrealistic. Pray that each of us will have attitudes of cooperation and flexibility.
We each have our own personal struggles. Pray that God will customize this experience to minister uniquely to each one of us.
Rain is seen as a blessing in the biblical texts, and Israel always needs rain. Since this is the end of the rainy season, pray that the rains come at night, and not while we are touring during the day.
More information on the 412 program is available at http://www.fourtwelvecommission.org/