We don't often associate Jesus life on earth with Africa - but the scriptures record that as a baby, following his birth and subsequent visit by the Magi, - Mary, Joseph, and Jesus took an extended leave of absence to Egypt, after things settled down they skipped around Bethlehem and moved back to Nazareth.
Other than Jesus birth in Bethlehem we often skip around the other seldom told stories of Bethlehem - some of which are gruesome (ex. deathly concubine from Bethlehem Judges 19-21).
“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see they
lie…” Though this carol is one that we
have come to adore, there is an extended biblical narrative, a prequel that we
often neglect or forget. The lowly means
to which Jesus was born in the stall of a stable and placed in a manger has
deeper roots than our contemporary nativities – a holy incubation.
Bethlehem is first mentioned in Genesis: it
was the no-name city where Rachel died and was buried as the patriarch Jacob
and his clan were passing through. What
did she die from? Giving birth to a boy
– Benjamin (the full brother of Joseph).
The book of Judges mentions Bethlehem in passing: Ibzan led Israel for 7
years – his means of authority came thru the birth & loyalty of his thirty
sons – born most likely in Bethlehem.
Also during the lengthy period of judges (before Israel had a king) the
book of Ruth records another baby boy of seemingly insignificant birth, born in
Bethlehem: Obed was the son of Ruth & Boaz. A prophetic word was spoken over this birth. “The
LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah,
which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and
be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom
Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young
woman.”
So Obed stuck around Bethlehem
and another baby boy was born: Jesse.
Jesse keeping in line with family tradition had lots of sons born to him
in Bethlehem, yet again it was the youngest, and seemingly insignificant son
that gets our attention: David the shepherd boy, who would one day become the most famous King of Israel...
To be sure there are other times where
Bethlehem pops up in the Biblical Narrative, but I think it is sufficient to
say the stage was set for the prophet Micah to announce, “thou Bethlehem, in
the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of
thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.”
And so Jesus,
the son of Mary, with Joseph as his step dad, was born and incubated in Bethlehem. He came to a seemingly obscure village at the culmination of the ages. In the stillness of
our lives we may not see the incubation of what God has and is preparing for us. Trust Him.
In the culmination of our own linage and heritage He has an epic story
that we get to be a part of.
Check out this letter we received last winter... Christine (from the village of Ndeeba, Uganda) received one of our O.C.C. boxes last year at this time. We are hoping and praying to hand deliver one to her this year. There is a good chance we can pull away for a day and check in on her. She had a pretty serious surgery, last year, on her leg as you can see, and it would be awesome to be on the other end of this delivery. Pray for our team, as we try and pull this off.
Stay Tuned for more of Christine's Story
Christine Story - recipient of one of our O.C.C. boxes last Christmas
Anna leading our team of Faith Student Ministry - O.C.C.
Leaving Amelia behind for a few weeks (while mom, dad, and sisters are in Africa) will be difficult, but we are looking forward to some teachable moments with her as well.
We are confident that she too will be impacted from a distance.
Although she is a pretty concrete thinker, we hope to cultivate in her
a missional mindset.
We are looking to acquire a throw rug with a world map on it so she can follow us in a most tangible way. Over the holidays we will be constructing a Lego Adventure on the map so she can follow our travels while we are gone: Lego airplane, touching down in the Lego cities of New Amsterdam, Paris, etc... and landing at our remote destinations in Lego Uganda/Senegal, visiting Lego Villages, going on Lego Safari, ministering at Lego Conferences, and checking in on the local Lego Orphanages.
Who doesn't like Lego's right -
Arms & Legs are a little sore this morning - but we all got our Yellow Cards,
and our African Departures are just around the corner.
Tetanus,Typhoid, Malaria, Heb A, Hep B, Polio,
Chickenpox, MMR, Yellow Fever and a host of others that I can't pronounce or spell :)
Though we wish to be good stewards of our immune system - we just want to acknowledge that our ultimate protection comes from God, no matter the pestilence we are exposed to. We trust in the Great Physician, and his ability to bring us through the best and worst case experiences.
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I willPROTECThim, for he acknowledges my name.
Phil, Anika(2), & Tori(4) riding Elephant at the Renaissance Fair over a decade ago...
It has been one of our greatest joys as a family to frequent the zoo, be inspired by prehistoric animals, and be in awe at the creative genius of our Maker. Lord willing we will be visiting
Queen Elezabeth National Park (Uganda) - and observe a number of these
"Other Worldly" creatures, in the wild.
In 2014 we embarked on a unique study with our student ministry, exhaustively combing thru the scriptures to surface details of prehistoric creatures. We spent a lot of time in the book of Job, enamored by the biblical record of creatures then and now, and dumbfounded by accounts of:
Leviathan & Behemoth, and dare I mention the Unicorn of the bible [ unicorn study link ]
Faith Student Ministry - Field Trip to Science Museum "Ultimate Dinosaurs"
We retreated in the spring, for a few days in the Twin Cities marveling in the Science Museum @ Dinosaurs both from Northern Hemisphere, (which we are accustomed to) and the touring display from the Southern Hemisphere, (different species unaccustomed to our studies) - to which a portion of their collection came from Africa.
Documission - Faith Student Ministry
We followed up with a summer Documission Trip across the Great Plains, up the Rocky Mountains, and settled on a Dinosaur Dig Site up on a plateau. To our amazement we unearthed a number of prehistoric bones/fossils; turtle shells, fish teeth, femur bones, neck bones, horns and a number of "other worldly" unknowns... What a fantastic journey to lecture thru the scriptures, acquire real time fieldwork, experiment in the laboratory, and come away with a more firm foundation to our faith.
Documission - Dino Dig Expedition - Neck Bone Extraction
So... on to the Adventure that lies before the Campbell Clan in 2016 - putting our faith to the test - lecturing thru the scriptures among the natives of Uganda, acquiring real-time fieldwork in the wilds of Africa, experimenting in the laboratory of another culture, and refining the foundations of our faith. Regardless of weather we see rhinos charging our jeep, hippos surfacing in the river, elephants jostling thru the underbrush, giraffes elegantly trimming trees, or the lion king on pride rock - we are anticipating the maturation of our Faith in Jesus to soar.
In nearly every adventure to speak of, be it the ancient stories of scripture or our present day testimonies in the west - we are not so naive to forget that the refinement of our faith comes through fire. There have been, there are, and there will be difficulties ahead. After all, this is not a zoo we are headed to. This is not a domesticated mission field. Africa has a dark history, steeped in survival mentality, and a spiritual warfare beyond the visible terror. So again we are not flippant when we petition you for prayers. What may seem to some as a "glorified vacation", will no doubt be a test of character, a challenge to our faith, and a seemingly impossible cultural/language barrier - to which God again must exceed our anticipations. For sure there will be some blood, sweat, and tears as we pray for the transformation of souls. Exhausting will be the lectures, difficult will be the translation delays, and disheartening will be those that reject the Gospel. But the savannah grows ever more greener where the Gospel rains down, and the light of Jesus brings new life to a land/people. After all Jesus is the ancient of days... predating the prehistoric. (Daniel 7:9,13,22)
- Phil grew up canoeing the murky banks of the West Fork River, West Virginia - which meanders backwards to Stonewall Jackson Dam - and flows forward into the Monongahela River which joins up with the Allegheny River combining at "Three Rivers" (Pittsburgh) to create the Headwaters of the Ohio River.
- His summers were spent biking the C&O Canal, running parallel to the Potomac River (also headwatered in West Virginia) and flowed into the famous Chesapeake Bay (then on into the Atlantic Ocean), after passing thru the capitol of Washington DC.
- Having biked from the West Coast to the East Coast in the late 90's we spent an extra day exploring the Grand Canyon - with the powerful Colorado River cutting its way through the gorge...
- Currently the Campbell's live just South of the Headwaters of the Mississippi River (Itasca Park) - via... kayak or canoe he has done a fair # of kilometers on the northern most stretches of the Mississippi. (eventually it makes its way thru the Twin Cities, and beyond - into the Gulf of Mexico).
- Cliff Jumped into Glacial Water in the Rockies, Soaked in the medicinal Hot Springs of Flathead Lake Reservation, Floated down the New River Gorge, and Bathed in the Yellowstone River...
- Northern vacations have brought us to the Northwoods of Minnesota many summers, Phil had the privilege to white water raft the Superior River, the source of the Great Lakes for a couple summers.
- This past summer on our way home from Upper State New York we jumped in at the headwaters of the St. Lawrence River, and then followed the Great Lakes backwards (Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and finally Lake Superior)... what an adventure - of course we paused for a day at the infamous Niagara Falls.
- But none of this compares to the Iconic Nile River... In a couple of months we may be given the chance to see the headwaters of one of the most famous rivers in the world - The Nile River - sourced at Lake Victoria, (by far the Largest Lake in Africa, & second largest freshwater lake in the world)...
*what an opportunity to see the Nile - another one of God's incredible & natural wonders of the world... amazed & in awe of the Life it brings to the Delta in the North, Irrigating the Nubian Dessert, Precipitating Rain & Snow into the Highlands of Ethiopia, spreading green growth into The Great Rift Valley surrounding Lake Victoria in the East, separated by the central jungles in the West. A variety of wildlife like no other Continent on Earth, sustained largely on the banks of the Nile River.
Oh, the Joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalms 1:1-3)
Many of you have been willing to experiment with us through an
emboldened prayer this past fall – helping us determine specific direction in our lives –
namely – not one but two invitations to Africa in the next 6 months, where I
would have the opportunity to be the Keynote Speaker, and Anna would assist in
Leading Worship
Uganda –
Young Adult Conference 2K16
January (14th - 26th)
Senegal –
Missions Retreat 2K16
April (March 30th - 6th)
With such
short lead time, and after seeking what God would have us do – we both had an
overwhelming peace about NOT SOLICITING FUNDS from our network of friends,
family, and extended church family. God
impressed it upon our hearts to rather – SOLICIT YOUR INTENTIONAL PRAYERS –
that God would provide for this trip and confirm His Invitation for us by an
unconventional method – where He would be lifted up – to get the full glory –
especially in the funding of this endeavor if it truly was His Will.
Ironically
we were given both African inquiries about a week apart, and they both wanted
us to give them our reply (Yes or No) by the same date – October 31st. You can see why we were a little fuzzy as too
what do you do with such invitations?
Our hearts wanted to say yes to both, but discernment got the best of
us, under the conviction that missions should operate debt free, so that we can
concentrate on the mission at hand rather than the stress of raising support. Besides all that, we are very confident that
God has already given us the go ahead on a few other initiatives that will
begin in the next 6 months – what a conundrum.
So rather than fret over it and be anxious, we believe God called us,
and by extension you to pray for clarity.
Thanks you
for your prayer base – although we have been content with our current
initiatives heading into the next 6 months.
God has made it unequivocally clear that we are to go to Africa not once but
both times. The abundance of His
provision will also underwrite the missional possibility of one or more of our
kids ministering alongside us in the fields of Africa, which many of you are
aware - has been a longing for Anna & I from the beginning…
In Short God provided for us through the seed money of a few (individuals, home church missions,etc), but by and large, He overwhelmingly confirmed His Will by an unforeseen easement settlement from a new power line crossing our property - Pretty Amazing story that Anna & I would love to share with you sometime (please ask)...
So both missions to Africa are fully funded and we can concentrate on the mission(s)
So now we are turning our attentions towards Passports, Immunization Shots, Airplane Tickets, and Travel plans. We would love to continue partnering with you in prayer. Here are a few significant petitions.
* The Uganda Itinerary looks like a pretty tight schedule. Phil will be sharing the load (team teaching) with a pastor from Colorado (Mark & Heidi Kraakevik) Pray for the preparation that goes into their talks as they collaborate together and that The Spirit takes the lead.
* Pray that we will be quick to internalize the customs and cultures of those we will be ministering to, so that we can illustrate, and administrate the gospel without offense.
* The Uganda conference reaches out to the southwest region of the country. Generations of war torn refugees brought together thru the initiative of 70+ churches networking together for this week of revival.
* Pray for our kids (immediate and extended family) as we determine to what degree they are included, used, and engaged in mission. Lord willing Tori will be joining us in Uganda, and we are unsure as to the schedule of Anika or Trey joining us in Senegal... Amelia will be staying stateside, entrusted to family & friends.
- We will update the prayer list as we find out more details ourselves. In addition Senegal in April will have it's own unique concerns
thanks again for your partnership,
Phil, Anna & the Campbell Clan
There is a God size story behind this picture :)
Unbeknownst to us our neighbor negotiated a
financial deal with the Power Company to move multiple Electric Lines.
The deal was pending our confirmation. These two Telephone Poles
which are technically not even anchored on our property...
Brokered us a near $20,000 nest egg...that allowed us to say YES to
ALL the Africa Invites & bring our oldest kids along as well.
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Campbell Clan Story Update: the above story was the genesis of our extended ongoing Saga of Missions prompted by the miraculous funds over the past few years... We have made multiple trips overseas since, and we are pressing into the Next Steps. A couple steps are to prioritize the trips, update our support teams with upcoming opportunities, and to keep you informed as to where the Lord is leading the entire Campbell Clan, aka the kids as well. Tori, and Anika, have already picked up the pace on missions and Trey and Amelia are not too far behind. Thank you for your ongoing prayer support, and financial investment, in the Campbell Carrier Mission at home & abroad. -----------------------------------------------
In addition, our students have staffed as full or part time (Jr. Staff, Sr. Staff, Music & Media Leadership, LIT, Maintenance & Sweat Teams at multiple summer camps locally and abroad (Northern Pines Camp, Camp Joy, Camp Jim, Camp Oak Hills, Camp Shamineau, Camp Owen, Miracle Bible Camp, Lake Geneva Camp, Pine Haven, Clearwater Camp, Trout Lake Camp, Camp Forest Springs (WI), Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je (CO)
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