Thank you

I often pray at dinner, "Thank you God for all we have.  We recognize that everything we have comes from You."

For us, as missionaries, the temptation is to see our ministry partners as the source of our provision.  For those in "normal jobs," it may be easy to think of an employer or employment itself as the source of provision.  But when my head is clear and my heart is right, I realize that God is the source of every blessing.

So, our thanks goes to the Lord.

But it also goes to you and all of those who give to the Lord and His work.  Your heart yielded to His Spirit is generous.  Your desire to invest in His kingdom is a great encouragement.  He uses so many who invest in our family and our work to enable us to serve Him.

We do not feel alone.  In fact, your gifts reflect your concern for us, your heart for the Lord, and your desire to see people come to know Him.

So thank you.  I doubt my ability to ever convey how grateful we are to the Lord for you, and how grateful we are to you for your support as we walk by faith.

May you have a joyful Thanksgiving Day as you reflect on all that He has blessed you with as well.

With love and thanks,

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

        “Does anything bad happen with Cru?  Or with you?”

A friend and ministry financial supporter asked me this question last month.  I stared at him for a bit, thinking about how to answer that question.

Much of our work related to Human Resources has involved things I would not, and could not write in one of these letters.  Some of them are bad things that have happened in Cru with our staff.  Sometimes our staff mess up, and sometimes leaders mess up!

Our staff, like those you work with, are flawed people.  Even leaders I admire have deficiencies that can make them hard to work with!  I have deficiencies that make ME hard to work with!  We’ve experienced frustrating work relationships like that.

Sometimes we get frustrated with organizational dysfunction, and politics.   It can be hard to understand why there can seem to be a lack of accountability for some behaviors, or with how certain decisions are made.  Cru is not perfect, not even close! 

And our family? we have issues too.  The result is, there are times where things are just plain hard, and they stink!  So, yes, life is hard sometimes.  I know your life is hard sometimes too.  

I taught Sunday School this past Sunday and was encouraged by 1 Peter 5:10,  “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”

In the context, the suffering was related to persecution, but I believe it’s true with many of the hard times in life…He will restore us, make us strong, firm, and steadfast.  There is hope!

Thank you for the support you have been to us through good times and hard times.  Your kindness and faithfulness are a great encouragement.

         With love and thanks,

A Puppy!

He loves his Mickey Mouse!

For 30 years we said no to a dog.  Too much travel, life was already too crazy, allergies, all kinds of reasons. 

But this summer, we changed our minds and in September we adopted a Vizsla puppy. Before he arrived, we had a referendum to choose the name, and “Brexit” won!  Here is the video Aubrey made about choosing the name and meeting him for the first time:

Oh my.  We are exhausted.  Yes, he is a lot of fun, but sleep comes at a premium now!

He’s potty trained already and Macy has trained him to sit, stay, shake, and lay down!   

He loves to run too!

We don't talk about that...

Over the last 30 years, there are many things we have done with Cru that we don’t write about in our monthly updates.  

Sometimes we are working with situations where security is a concern, or HR investigations that are confidential, or things in the ministry that are frankly not pretty.

But both of us feel that it’s those things that we don’t talk about that have been the most important work we’ve done.

I'm going to talk a little now...

• Earlier in our years with Cru (and sometimes still now) I reviewed applications for staff.  I loved reading how God brought people to Himself, how they were growing, and why they wanted to serve with Cru.  However, sometimes the growth was recent, and struggles with sin (pornography, sleeping with a girlfriend) were still a problem that would keep them from being in a place to minister to others.  Sometimes I'd be the first or only person to talk to the applicants about a struggle like that in their lives.  More than once I'd get a call back with thanks or a report about their growth.  Many times, after an initial "no" about joining Cru, they'd be back a year later having seen significant growth.

• Cru is a large organization with over 6,000 staff.  We try to provide training on workplace sensitivity because at times, behavior can be inappropriate, and we want people to know what to do about it.  I've had several instances where I've had to intervene in behavior that was causing problems or was absolutely wrong.  One time it was quite unintentional and resolved easily.  Two others resulted in the termination of the staff. 

• There have been several instances where marriages of our staff were in deep trouble.  We've been able to provide assistance, time and space to help them work through issues that were threatening their marriage and as a result, their ability to minister to others.  There have been some exciting success stories, and some sad endings as well.

• About 13 years ago one of our national staff was kidnapped in their home country.  It didn't last long...maybe 36 hours or so, but it was incredibly intense.  The staff member was drugged, beaten,  and threatened with death.  There a lot of confusion: ransom demands, increased demands, attempted, then aborted payment attempts, and ultimately a release after a very traumatic experience. He and his family required relocation and significant after care.  Frankly, for Dayna and I, it was something that took a while to get over after being so closely engaged with the resolution.

• During the Arab Spring, the middle east became unpredictable.  We had teams in locations where their security was becoming less sure.  Because teams almost never want to leave where they are ministering, we were involved in a lot of intense communication about how to make an evacuation decision and what trigger points we'd use to initiate an evacuation.  This period of time was a test of my organizational communication skills, and I was glad that in the end, decisions were made that allowed our teams to be safe and in some cases, relocated to places they could serve more effectively.

I could go on and on.  

Our feeling is that by stepping into these situations with professionalism, genuine care, and intentionality, we demonstrate God's character, kindness, love and even justice in a time that people really need to know we are with them.  It has been a privilege to enter into these difficult places in our staff's lives.

We don't often write home about these stories.  But your support enables us to be there and enter into the lives of staff when they need help the most.  Thank you for keeping us in a place to serve well.

Interns and Part Time Cru Staff

There were thirty people in the room... all future Cru interns or part time field staff.  All had flown into Orlando from across the country…San Diego, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, etc.  

They were going through a crash course over Labor Day weekend to prepare to serve with Cru.  Much of the weekend was to learn about gathering the partners they’d need for their financial support, and filling out the hiring paperwork.  By the time I was to speak with them, it was already the end of a long day, and after a nice dinner!  Not the ideal conditions for a talk!

I shared with them that the headquarters they sat in, and the people helping to hire them, the training they were about to receive, existed because THEY were the most important people in all of Cru.  The most important activity that happens with Cru is the conversations they will have to explain to students how they can know God personally; that they can have assurance of their salvation; how they can walk in power of the Holy Spirit.

I also talked about how important it is they pursue growth in their heart and character.  We talked about living in grace and truth.  Their own spiritual and character growth will help them be the kind of people who can minister to others well.

One young woman is a softball coach at an Arkansas university who will work part time with Cru’s Athletes in Action.  One man is spending a year reaching millennials in San Diego.  Another couple is spending a year involving people on JESUS Film mission trips.

Over all of our years with Cru, this is what gets me most excited…helping people follow God’s call by faith to reach the world for Christ.  I get excited thinking about all of the people that will support them to show up on their assignment.  I get excited about the body of Christ together reaching the world.

Thank you for joining us on this great calling.  Together we are impacting the world with the message of grace and truth that Jesus preached.  It is an honor to serve with you.

With love,

30 Years of Memories...Elephant Dung

As we celebrate 30 years with Cru, we are recalling fun or significant moments we got to experience.  
Staff in East Asia had their mid-year conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand in the late 90’s.  As a treat, one year they brought an elephant for the families to ride.

I was there interviewing short term stinters who were applying to serve long term.

As we had finished one interview under a gazebo, we watched an elephant walk by.   The elephant paused, backed up, and deposited an incredibly large pile of dung just next to where we were talking.  

I don’t remember the interview, but I remember the elephant!  Here's the movie...

Missionaries FROM China

China was only 6 years removed from the cultural revolution in 1982 when Dayna and I ended a mission trip with a one week visit.   There weren’t many cars, but thousands of bicycles.  We were restricted on where we could go, who we could talk to, were warned to be careful about what we said, and were isolated in a tourist hotel.  That trip was at the beginning what God was doing in China.  I found some pictures Dayna took of our time in Guangzhou and Beijing.

A children's choir in Guangzhou

Tiananmen Square

Tour guides who were always with us.

A guard on the Great Wall

Over our years with Cru, we have seen the ministry across East Asia grow.  In fact, one of the best things we’ve had a part of was sending thousands of students and staff to serve in East Asia in the late 90’s.  We helped open campus ministries in about 50 new locations by sending summer projects, one year stints, and long term staff. The church in China has grown exponentially during the last 35 years. 

It all came full circle here in Orlando this summer.

During June and July we had two Chinese students serve as accounting interns in Cru’s finance office.  When they arrived, they shared their testimonies of how they came to Christ in China, and how they got involved with Cru as they studied at U.S. universities.

I was honestly amazed that we had two Chinese missionaries serving at Cru’s World Headquarters!  From our experience 34 years ago to now, it is just awesome to see God raising up laborers to send into the harvest from all countries!

Isn’t that cool?  Thanks for being a part of reaching the whole world with the gospel of Jesus.

Mourning the loss

Our fellow Cru staff and good friend Matt Guilford is an artist.  He was processing his response to the shooting and created this piece, and allowed me to share it with you.

The orange O represents Orlando, the ribbon represents the LGBT community that was targeted, and the drop of blood represents the graphic violence experienced.  

The names are those that were killed in the attack are listed with their ages.

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May God’s love, grace and truth bring healing to our city.

Thoughts on the Orlando Shootings

The day we wrote our last update, Christina Grimmie was killed in a theater 5 miles from our home.  The next day 49 people were killed and 53 injured at the Pulse Nightclub shooting, also 5 miles from our home. 

In October we will have lived in Orlando 25 years.  We love this city.  Our hearts are broken over the terrorist attack/hate crimes that happened here last week.

What most people know about Orlando is Disney World.  Orlando has a relatively small downtown and we live in a close suburb.   We drive past Pulse several times a week.  It is a very popular club.  We consider the area part of our “neighborhood.”

Last week in our Target store an announcement came over the loudspeaker asking for a moment of silence honoring the lives lost.  Two of their employees had been killed in the mass shooting at Pulse.

The victims of this crime are people we shop with, walk past, etc.  Downtown Orlando has a relatively large LGBT community that is very much a part of the everyday life of the city and our lives.  Friends of our kids’ friends died in the attack.  It is horribly sad.

We also are extremely proud of the way the city has responded.  We have friends who are first responders who were involved.  They have done an incredible job, especially considering the size of our city!  Orlando churches have responded with kindness, offering free funerals, counseling, and other resources.  The city of Orlando created a fund to provide for those impacted by the shooting.

When we heard about the attack I was surprised by the feelings I had.  I had a huge sense of sadness, but also a resolve.  We were going to do what we could to help, but part of that was going where we normally go and doing what we normally do.  Some of us tried to get tickets to the Orlando City soccer game (which was sold out). We went to Disney.  We shopped our regular stores in the area.

Please join us in praying for Orlando, especially the victims and their families.  This really is a great place to live.

With love,

Tell me the truth!

Coming out of the ocean, I ran up the beach and met my friend Pam.  I didn’t know as I was walking up to her that an unsightly “thing” was hanging out of my left nostril .

Pam didn’t know what to do.  So, she said nothing.  She kept talking to me, hoping that by chance I might notice and wipe it away.  I did not, and so we kept talking with this “thing” sitting under my nose.

After about 5 minutes, Dayna joined us, and immediately said, “Hey, you have a big “thing” under your nose!”  

“Pam! How could you not say something?”  

Pam said. “After the first minute passed, it just got too awkward to say anything about it!”

It can be hard to tell someone something they need to hear.  In fact, we often don’t even tell truth that would be pretty easy to tell, like telling someone they have done a good job. 

A few years ago I helped create a process that asked Cru supervisors to have conversations with each staff to establish expectations and give helpful feedback on how they did.  It sounds simple, but it just had not been happening much. One staff member said, “I’ve been on staff 24 years and no one has ever given me feedback on my role.”

The process works so that the final conversations take place during the month of May.  All over our HQ, you could see staff sitting together talking about their jobs and their growth.  It is a beautiful thing to see. 

It’s not perfect, but it’s becoming more the norm that our staff are getting feedback.  It helps us as Cru be better stewards of those He has raised up…everyone’s role matters.  It’s one of the things with Cru I’m most pleased to have been a part of because it helps us be more effective in all we do.

Thanks for your partnership,

Be careful what you joke about

Thirty Years of Memories
As we celebrate 30 years with Cru, we are sharing fun stories that have happened during that time.

Our office team moved to a more open cubicle design.  My desk was at the end of a row and  was open to the walkway.  As people turned the corner, they’d often walk right through my office.  As the director, I wanted to model adjusting to the open plan by taking the most "exposed" desk area.

The whole open concept was new to all of us, so I talked to the whole team that we'd need to get use to it, and we would have have "office norms," like not going up and talking to anyone just because you see them.   

And then, as a joke, I announced that another office norm would be that we don’t walk through people’s desk areas.  Since no one else had my same desk setup, I was obviously sending a clear message!

This is what I found when I got back to my desk that afternoon.

Thirty Years of Memories

As we celebrate 30 years with Cru, we are recalling some of the significant or funny moments we've experienced.

At church on Sunday, Catelin led the class as we talked about miracles. Throughout the years, we have seen God's hand provide in very specific ways as we stepped out with Cru.

As a young family in Minnesota, we worked with Cru's high school ministry.  Our landlords told us we needed to move out of our little duplex.  I was filled with anxiety about about where we would because we didn't have much notice.

As we drove by a house right next to the high school where we were ministering, Dayna pointed out a moving truck being loaded.  She wanted us to ask about it.

I said, "Look, it is the last day of the month, and they are moving out.  Tomorrow the new renters will move in.  Let's just go."

But Dayna told me to stop the car and she got out and walked up and talked to the people there.  

It was available, more than twice as big, for less rent, and a perfect location.  I mean, Catelin's bedroom window looked out over the football field of the high school.  I had to take 8 steps to be on school property.

A miracle?  It sure felt like it to me.  Another example of God’s surprising provision for us over all these years.

Helping GAIN help others.

The Gain Leadership Team.

Within the last month, I (Barrett) spent a week in Dallas with the leadership team of GAIN (gainusa.org) helping them make progress on clarifying their mission, purpose, and strategy.  They provide humanitarian aide in support of the work of Cru around the world.  The team does amazing work, and I’m getting to help them work more effectively as a team.  

I truly am excited about the growing impact they will have around the world.

Much of their work provides a platform or credibility for our staff who serve in difficult locations, and the needs they meet conveys the love of God and opens hearts to encounter Jesus.

One of the projects they work on is providing wells for water poor villages.  I've shared the story of a village in Tanzania below.

It is an honor to partner with you in helping bring the gospel to people all around the globe.  Thank you for all you do to allow us to serve with Cru.

With much love,

Ikundilo Village, Tanzania April 2016

Latitude: -2.845311  Longitude: 34.156504

Drinking water in Ikundilo comes from either a shallow well or a hand-dug hole. The laborious task of fetching water takes hours each day, especially in the dry season when women and children must wander further from the village to find water. Retrieving water can also involve danger from hyenas living in dens found in the rocky hills nearby. Hyenas commonly chase or attack people getting water during dark hours.

The task of collecting water each day falls to these women. They often wake at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. to avoid long lines at shallow wells or to be the first to find water in the bottom of holes.

The notoriously dry Bariadi area posed challenges for locating a deep well site. According to Dismas Shekalaghe of LIFE Ministry, GAiN's partner ministry in Tanzania, an entire week spent drilling to 300 feet in one location produced no water. Four drilling attempts ended in dry wells. However, by God's grace, three additional attempts resulted in water! You provided this successful well in Ikundilo Village.

Now, 500 families--several thousand people--have easy access to clean water.

When the team from GAiN arrived for the well dedication, people from the village streamed out, shouting, singing, and playing music. Some ran and danced carrying clubs or machetes. The mood was full of excitement and celebration!

People gathered in the shade for the dedication. Kepha Mlugu from LIFE Ministry addressed the crowd. He introduced community leaders and guests from GAiN and Thirst No More, GAiN's drilling partner. The crowd shouted and applauded in agreement when leaders thanked the guests, and you, for the new well!

Children climbed the tree to get a better view over the crowd.  Women brought their buckets to try out the new well!

The well, having been in place for only a few weeks, became a catalyst for a new church. Simon, wearing the orange jacket, serves as pastor of the young church. His work with LIFE Ministry inspired him to plant this church in Ikundilo.

Only one month old at the time of the celebration, the new church in Ikundilo consisted of 72 members--30 adults and 42 children. LIFE Ministry strives to build a partnership of pastors to reach this area using the provision of clean water to share Christ's love. Their plan calls for planting 1,000 churches by the year 2020. Deep-water wells, as part of a bold church planting strategy, provide both physical and spiritual living water to the people of the Bariadi region. Because of the dire need for water in these villages, beginning relationships through deep-water wells opens doors to show people the power of God.