The graduation of James Richard

Well, this post has been weeks in the making. Most of you are aware that we have been conducting our first-ever Way of the Master Basic Training Course, inside the nursing home! It has really been an exciting experience. Whenever you are inside of a facility like a nursing home, where everyone works so closely together, you really have a chance to impact many, many lives. Such was the case while going through this course.

When we met for the first week's class 'James' straightened me out on his name. "My given name is James Richard H., but since I was born I've gone by Richard. After I came into the nursing home people called me James because it is legally my first name, but I am Richard." You know, this was nice to know because I had called him James for over a year. People like to be addressed correctly. By the way, so does God.

Richard has worked so very hard for the duration of this class. The spiritual warfare can at times be grueling. Add to that, physical hardships and environmental stresses. Many times people drop out of the course during the 8 week period. Not so for Richard. Every week, he had his homework done properly and on-time.

He told us right from the beginning that he didn't want to deceive us or give us the wrong impression..."I'm not sure I'll be able to come out on the street with you all." We still laugh at that statement. I told him not to worry about that at all.

"I'm sure in the not-too-distant future that we will no longer be allowed into these facilities, Richard. At that point you'll be our man on the inside, see?" He smiled widely at that. It was only a few weeks later that Richard excitedly told us about his first encounter. He got to talk to one of the new guys about the Lord. He even went down to the on-site library to see if there was a Bible available for him.

This class was conducted by Steve, Dayna, Allyson and me. Richard got the benefit of many teachers, and it worked out to be a good thing. He also got the prayer support of the entire team as well as the physical support in conducting this fishing expedition. Pictured here are Allyson and Richard in front; Mary, Steve, Dayna, Jen, Diana and Dave. Dennis was slated with taking the picture.

We celebrated Saturday with a little party. Richard was very pleased to be presented with a graduation certificate from the class that he so proudly earned. We framed it and hung it on his wall. After the goodies were unwrapped we all went 'fishing'. Richard went with Steve and Dave and had a great conversation with and elderly Irish lady who was Catholic. The rest of us went in different directions in search of lost souls.

Luke 10:2 And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
Richard plans on continuing his education by studying now with the School of Biblical Evangelism textbook. I'm so glad this is offered in a textbook as well as the on-line school from Living Waters

Go ye therefore and make mistakes!!