Archive for December, 2011
Farewell to Indian Country
The fields that surround the farm house where I grew up are known to my son and his cousins as “Indian country.” My dad was always fascinated by Indians and in his make-believe play as a boy he would often run among them as a young brave. One day as my dad led his grandchildren on a walk through the field he thought they’d enjoy this imaginary world from his childhood. He sat down on a flat rock and began to tell them stories about the Indian chief that would gather his braves around him at that very spot. The Indians always seemed to be just beyond the horizon, but sometimes dad would say if the kids squinted their eyes hard enough they could see them in the distance. And so Indian country became a part of Isaiah’s childhood… and he loved every minute he spent there with grandpa as his guide.
Yesterday was Isaiah’s last walk into Indian country before we leave for Italy. From the outset I knew that one difficulty of ministering on a foreign field would be leaving behind pieces of our lives that we would not normally have set aside. On this day Isaiah would leave behind Indian country. The finality of seeing my son walk quietly beside his grandpa in a place that has held such magic for them both was sobering and once again I was reminded how greatly my calling affects the lives of those I love.
Today was the last day we would visit my parents’ farm for quite some time. Isaiah hugged and kissed both his grandparents good-bye and his smiling face told them he loved them and would miss them. As we got in the car he could no longer hold back the tears and he began to weep. I drove silently. Sandy consoled Isaiah. Pearl slept. Isaiah wept some more. He said, “I didn’t want to cry around grandma and grandpa. I didn’t want to upset them.” Grandpa’s little “Indian” was trying hard to be brave.
I entrust Isaiah to his Saviour and fully believe he has an incredible life ahead of him filled with many adventures. As he looks back into the shadows of his mind the “Indians” that always evaded him on his exploits with grandpa will only grow clearer with time. And for dad, as he imagines our new life in Italy, in his mind there will always be a little blonde headed boy running around in Indian country.
Our Lethargy in Heathendom
While packing this week for Italy I came across two poems by Leonard Ravenhill I had copied some time back that were lost amidst some papers in my filing cabinet. I’ve reproduced them here to express in a way that only Ravenhill can as to why we go…
In Heathendom by Leornard Ravenhill
Millions are waiting yet
in heathendom
Will they the Gospel get
in heathendom?
Who will arise and go
out to this sin, this woe,
And Christ the Saviour show
to heathendom?
The sun will soon be set
o’er heathendom.
But they are waiting yet
in heathendom.
Lost in the fog of sin,
will none these wanderers win
For Jesus Christ our King
from heathendom?
Will someone lead the way
to heathendom?
Will others join the fray
in heathendom?
Lord, raise a holy band
with hearts empowered to stand
All that You will demand
for heathendom.
Our Lethargy by Leonard Ravenhill
I walked down the steaming jungle path
‘mid exotic flowers and trees,
There were streams and gorgeous butterflies,
but my mind was not fixed on these.
My head and my feet were burning,
but my heart burned hotter with shame
As I saw the diseased and degraded
who never had heard His name.
I thought of our stately churches
and their softly cushioned pews,
And I wept for the sin-damned millions
who never had heard the News
Of the spotless Christ of Calvary
who died their souls to save.
Unless there’s a change, that heathen mass
will go Christless to the grave.
God, pity our empty fullness;
God, pity our barren tree;
God, pity our long-range blindness;
God, curse our lethargy!
Turn our much-used words into action,
change ease into Spirit-born care,
Baptize us with Thy compassion
that puts feet under our prayer.
Oct/Nov Prayer Letter – Our Mission is the Great Commission
The desire of our heart is that the Italian people might know Christ and the power of His resurrection. After 100,000 miles, 27 States, 261 churches, 54 mission conferences, 15,000 prayer cards, 151 different beds, we are ready to begin our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ in the land of Italy.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Thank you for partnering with us to reach Italian souls for Christ! We are so thankful for the supporting churches the Lord has blessed us with that makes it financially possible for us to minister in Italy. We only lack 8% of our needed support but trust the remainder will come in from churches who have expressed their intentions to partner with us as well as others we have visited in the past that are unknown to us as part of God’s plan for provision.
Today was a happy day for Sandy and me as we received our visas in the mail from the Detroit consulate! We praise the Lord all the paperwork was processed without difficulty and we received our visas within a week after we first submitted the required documents. There is conflicting information of what is required for our kids. It seems the “worst case” scenario is that we would eventually have to fly back to the States after receiving the appropriate certificates for them in Italy to submit them in person to the consulate in Detroit. After speaking with other missionaries in Italy we’re not too worried about it. Our next step will be to apply for our “Permit to Stay” (Permesso di Soggiorno) in Italy within a week of our arrival. Please pray we all receive this very important document without any difficulty.
Two weeks ago I flew to Italy to secure an apartment for my family. Our future co-laborer in Rome drove me around to the twenty-plus appointments he had set up. We are so thankful for the Homan family and especially the hard work Brother Jamie put in on our behalf in order to help us obtain an apartment. Thank you so much for your prayers in this matter. God provided wonderfully with a beautiful apartment! It is in a great location and we are all very excited to move into our new home. We are looking forward to the opportunity of ministering in our neighborhood which is only a 10-minute ride from the church that Brother Homan has started.
On the first leg of my flight to Rome from Cincinnati to Charlotte I had the opportunity to witness to a Chinese graduate student seated next to me named Fei. Not long into our flight we began discussing the meaning of life. In spite of the ancestral worship of his youth he was open to the existence of a God but was not sold on the “escapism” he saw among Christianity. We began at creation and ultimately examined through the scriptures how God has reconciled sinful man to Himself by Jesus Christ. It was apparent that I wasn’t going to change Fei’s philosophy of life in an hour conversation; however, his parting words did encourage me. He said, “I search for peace. Maybe someday I can have what you have. I need to buy me a Bible and study this further.” Amen. Please pray for Fei’s salvation.
Our departure date of December 28th is fast approaching and we still lack $21,825 of our start-up fund. This money has been set-aside for things such as deposits, shipping a container, furniture, a vehicle, expenses for the apartment search, etc. If you feel impressed to help, please send your love offering to Mount Abarim Baptist Mission with the note “Planck Start-up Fund.” We are so thankful for those that have already given.
Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.
Yours in Christ,
Stetson, Sandy, Isaiah, and Pearl Planck