A message from Dr. Bill Mackey

Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention
Western Recorder, July 2007

Kay and I did not know what to expect when we recently arrived in Lynch, Ky. for Families on Mission week. I knew that I was to be the preacher for worship each evening but I didn't realize how much I would be blessed by the experience.

Families on Mission is a pre-packaged, week-long family mission opportunity sponsored by the North American Mission Board. It allows mom, dad, and grandparents to model an on-mission lifestyle for their children and grandchildren.

Parents and grandparents have the unique privilege to be "hands on" as they guide their family through devotions, missions awareness, mission projects, worship, family small-group discussions, and interaction with resident missionaries and the community. Mission activities include acts of kindness and other evangelism events, light construction and painting, yard work, prayer walking, and others.

I was given the opportunity to work in construction, refinishing the outside of a home for a woman whose husband had passed away. It was an incredible experience to watch parents teach their children how to scrape old paint off the siding, trim and clean up around the house, and even drive nails and cut boards.

The younge st child on our crew was six. I guess I was the oldest crewmember but God blessed me to work six hours each day replacing deteriorated wood siding boards. There were five families represented on our crew and everyone made a meaningful contribution.

The most gratifying moment came when the job was finished and the crewmembers gathered to share testimonies and pray with the homeowner. She had prepared a letter of appreciation (maybe with the help of her daughters) for each family.

Kay had a most enjoyable experience with two families who worked to sort clothes for distribution in the Freedom Center, which is directed by Mission Service Corp missionaries George and Robin Lewis.

The mission experience provided an opportunity to make new friends from numerous states and Canada. Fred and Nicole Smith, their two children and grandma, Theresa Farson, returned for their second experience at Lynch, a nine-hour drive from Greencastle, Pa.

"Going to Lynch gives us an opportunity to be together working for a purpose and serving the Lord and finding others to connect with." Nicole said. "Little did we know that it would be so different than what we expected. We thought we'd go down and help someone else. Instead, the people of Lynch taught us how to be an even more united and stronger family and how to serve the Lord as a family."

When the grandchildren are older, Kay and I hope to accompany them, and maybe their parents, to Families on Mission. We believe it is a great way to experience missions as a family.