June 2006

Dear friends,

I changed a baby diaper for the first time. I came to Berlin with the desire to love Kurds and show them Christ’s love in whatever way possible. God has flooded me with opportunities to do just that, though many have been utterly unexpected and unorthodox—like changing a diaper.

I guess it went as well as an inaugural diaper changing can go. My Kurdish friend and I were sitting in his living room at 11:00 p.m. on a Wednesday when he dropped the bomb on me: he needed me to baby-sit his two- and four-year-old for the next two mornings. At the time, his wife was in the hospital with a difficult pregnancy, and the family member who had been helping them out was pregnant herself and couldn’t handle it anymore. I received a greatly abbreviated crash-course in child-care and before I knew it, it was 7:00 a.m., my friend was out the door, and I was left alone to dress, comb and feed two little girls. At this point, I had three feelings.

I was petrified. The worst scenarios kept playing out in my mind, and I was quite afraid that I was going to misplace at least one of the two girls.

I was honored. The fact that my Kurdish friend trusted me, a 26-year-old white single male, to care for his most precious possessions was proof of the deep friendship we have developed and a confirmation of my acceptance by his family. 

I was awed. It’s flabbergasting, what kind of challenges the Lord has in store when we open ourselves to his will. This is something I’ve learned again and again.

In the summer of 2002, I went on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa. I had no idea what to expect; I put my summer in God’s hands. The experiences and things I learned on that trip revolutionized my faith and the way I view being in God’s service. He breaks, He builds, He spins you around and draws you down into the valleys. Then He lifts you up to give you a blinding glimpse from the mountaintop. I was reminded of this truth as I stood at the changing table in my Kurdish friend’s apartment with an unnecessarily large wad of baby-wipes in one hand, a mangled diaper attempt in the other, and an increasingly impatient two-year-old in front of me. No matter how chaotic the situation, if you’re following God’s will, you’re right where he wants you to be.

That’s exactly what I’m clinging to right now: God’s steadfast guidance at all times. Our ministry to the Kurds in Berlin has entered its most busy time of the year. The first U.S. Leader for English Camp 2006 arrived about 20 minutes ago, and the two-week English Camp marathon has begun! Started in 1993, this is the sixth time that English Camp is taking place, and the fourth time that I’ll be a part of it. It is essentially a week-long Summer Camp with English lessons that we offer to Kurdish and other international and German youth that have contact with our ministry here in Berlin. Since the main purpose of the camp is to help the kids learn English, most of the leaders are folks from supporting churches in the United States, who have a heart for youth and serving the Lord. For example, Fred Schiess from Hollywood First Presbyterian Church is a passionate septuagenarian, who over the past three summers has gained the love and trust of many of the young campers who affectionately call him “Dada.” A group of Chechnyan teens, who were very reserved and intimidated at EC 2003 specifically requested to be in “Dada’s” group at EC 2004.

The relationships that we build with the campers are truly the most rewarding aspect of English Camp. Many of the youth that I meet with on a regular basis started as English Campers. A 20-year-old Iraqi I met at EC 2003, whom I had not seen since that time, called me out of the blue about seven months ago and wanted to speak with me urgently about a difficult family matter. Since then, I’ve been blessed to able to share the gospel with him and become one of his closest confidants.

However, many things that are in God’s plan are difficult and can be extremely frustrating. How enervated I was, when my second diaper-changing happened approximately 15 minutes after the first. I thought, “Again? God, this isn’t fair!” The same is true of English Camp; it never goes just as planned. Last year, two campers slipped out and had a couple beers after dinner. One year, a leader broke a tooth when an angered camper head-butted him. I’ve had to break up fights and suffer hurtful insults from aggravated kids. And yet, God is both just and loving. When I look back, I smile ear-to-ear, because all the conflicts and problems at camp have served to bring the leaders and/or the campers closer together.

After English Camp, things don’t slow down for a second. On July 21, I fly to the New Wilmington Missionary Conference in Western Pennsylvania with Robert, a young guy from my youth group. After NWMC, I begin looking for a seminary to attend when my term in Berlin ends in December 2006. I’ll also be visiting some churches to talk about the subtle and colossal things God is doing in Berlin.

The closer I grow to the Lord, the more He reveals His plan to me, and the more humbled I am by the immense financial and prayerful support that you all have provided me. I ask you to keep English Camp, the U.S. leaders, the campers and me in your prayers and ask that God would draw the campers’ hearts to Him. I recently had a dream, in which two non-believing campers who have been active in our ministry, put their faith in Christ. When I woke, I was almost in tears, because I realized how much my heart burns for these kids, and how I long to see them come to Jesus. If you continue to pray with me for this ministry, I know that no challenge, whether it be reaching hearts hardened towards Jesus or just some dirty diapers, will be too frightening, dirty, or outrageous to fit into God’s perfect plan.

In Christ,

Kyle

p.s. Check out these Web sites to see some of the stuff I’ll be doing this summer!

New Wilmington Missionary Conference
English Camp 2005/2006

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 178