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A SELECTED "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #490)
Missionary Life: Take
a Taste!
In 1968 Art Tarry was visiting Briercrest Bible Institute.
A young lady student approached him and introduced herself, and Art found
out that her parents were members of the church that he had pastored
before going north. They had heard that Art was going to be visiting
Briercrest, and had encouraged her to make herself known to him.
Art and the young lady made arrangements to meet during
dinner in the dining hall. During the meal she told him of her recent
experience as a summer missionary in South America. Art began to quiz her
about the kind of work that she did. She admitted that, as far as making
meaningful contact with nationals, she felt that perhaps the summer was a
failure.
She emphasized, however, that by going, she herself had
received much. She said she now had a broader view of missions. She came
back to school with a greater determination to study in preparation for
the mission field. Her studies, her devotional and prayer life took on a
whole new meaning. Though she did not feel that she had done much in the
line of winning souls for Christ, she knew it had caused a transformation
in her spiritual walk.
As she was telling Art all of this, he looked over the
several hundred students eating dinner that day and he saw potential ...
the potential of young people who were wanting and willing to serve God,
but just didn't know how.
He started to think that there must be a way to help these
young people. The oft-quoted words of former U.S. President Kennedy came
to his mind: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do
for your country. That day Art asked himself, "Am I more concerned
what these young people can do for me and our Mission, or for what our
Mission and I can do for them?"
His experience on the campus that day gave Art Tarry a new
and specific burden. He knew personally of a mission field with the
potential for preparing people for missionary work in Canada and around
the world.
From this burden the "NMTC" summer missions program was born.
Each year it continues to provide practical and affordable cross-cultural
exposure, and opportunities to reach First Nations for Christ.
For more information, check out our Summer
Missions (NMTC) page.
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