Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,
Just recently when a dear brother shared how heavy-hearted a congregation became over a last Lord’s Day’s parting of a pastor and wife who had served long and well, I was reminded again of the hymn, “Blest Be the Tie that Binds” and how times have changed. Partings had become so much a part of my early life that for many years I could not sing it without breaking down.
In our times now with International travel so common (no blinding ticker-taping from ship to dock) anymore, and with Skype, such sweet sorrow in parting is almost something of the past. As you can imagine from this 20th Anniversary Celebration with our Centurions Ministry report, we have bonded with so many as close as family, and overagainst parting in “sweet sorrow”, we look forward to the next meeting (March 2018 J). Knowing them all from before marriage (except for one couple) and all but Gantumur, Tugsuu and Bayaraa from the time they were cadets, we have lost count of the number of their children. There were over 40 children at the 20th Anniversary Celebration and Staff Conference—many babies J.
So many years ago now, 1999, Hongorzul (pictured herein) was a lovely young lady translating for the Dr. Hugh Ross, (Reasons to Believe) seminar, and today a lovely mother of four. She showed her tiredness on the platform translating—later she said she had had a sleepless night with her children. How we delight in her, her husband and so many others as they have so faithfully served and continue to serve in the Kingdom year upon year from the times of Warren and Diane, Floyd and Lynn, and now Bataa and Ganaa.
Our three CM Directors beginning with Gantumur are all Timothys. Centurions Ministry has been used of God in an exceptional way! Let me share just a part of the why—God’s chosen leadership first, and second, Mongolian. Gantumur’s graduation class now includes two generals. On our China border sortie (2005), the Commander and Major (at that time) who with Gantumur had both graduated at the top of their class, spent the night trying to recruit him back into active military service.
Our CM staff members all continue to serve in the Mongolian military reserve. They remain frozen as Lieutenants in rank because of their commitment to ministry with Centurions. We have been with all our staff since they were cadets, except for retired senior officers, and their peers who have remained active are Captains in rank or above. A buddy to one of the other directors when they were young, today, owns two major Ulaanbaatar hotels and restaurants. This level of commitment and quality of leadership in Centurions Ministry accounts for the blessing of Mongolia through this Kingdom ministry which has become a model for the International Association of Christian Military Fellowships. “Raising Leaders for Christ: Raising the Nation for God” (Centurions’ motto).
I thank God for my Chaplain Col (Ret) Douglas J. Nelson for seeing in me someone worthy of wearing the Green Beret so long ago now, but for the GRACE of God—and my mentor Dr. James D. Strauss would say, “It is all about GRACE!”
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (Philippians 1:2-5)
BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Unto Him,
Paul and Rickie Clark
Osaka, Japan