Like Son, Like Father

 Like Son, Like Father

One of my favorite students and his dad! This s from May 24, 2011.
Phillip became my FACEBOOK friend this morning at 5:22. Normally, I don't notice stuff like that but that's very early for a young man who just finished his freshman year in college. It made sense, though, when I realized he was in Europe on a mission trip and they are slightly ahead of us, time-wise. He's an interesting young man. I taught Phillip in both eighth grade and his sophomore years and although he was very bright, I never saw any more than normal interest level in what I was teaching. He was just a very polite and quiet kid who was an excellent soccer player on our school team. All that changed sometime last year. His senior year Bible teacher at WCS was very involved in mission work and lit a fire in Phillip's heart to tell the gospel on far flung continents. And now, he's across the Atlantic, talking about the Savior. At the risk of a copyright violation, here is his last FACEBOOK post :
Phillip Zamora
Good day today! Had a reading lesson with a woman who is Hindu; she told me that this was the first time she has read about Jesus.
You know, I wasn't spanning the globe telling the lost about the Lord when I was a teenager. We did not have the same opportunities young Christians have today but I can't truthfully say how much I would have embraced the missionary call back then. I also wish I could say I was the Bible teacher that sparked Phillip's interest in being a soul winner but I can't say that truthfully, either.

I can tell you that Phillip was the center of one of the happiest Mom moments in my recent memory. Phillip's wonderful mother, Mary, is one of my fellow teachers. Several weeks ago on a Monday morning, she told me she had the best news ever. Her husband had never become a Christian while Phillip or his older sister, Nicole, were kids. On that Sunday morning, Mary's significant other took the biggest step any of us will ever take and took Jesus as his Savior. Guess who had the honor of baptizing Phillip's dad? Phillip!! I don't think I have ever witnessed that scene in all my years where a son baptizes his dad. Now, Phillip not only has the parent-child relationship with the man who raised him, he has the brother-brother relationship with a fellow believer. His family is now totally complete and united and let me tell you, Mary is one thrilled and proud momma/wife/sister in the Lord. Jesus taught that His family is comprised of those who do the will of the Father. Phillip will be helping expand THAT family in Switzerland tonight while we are sleeping back home in the USA. God bless you, Phillip: go with God.

Applicable quote of the day, # 1:
"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God."
  John Stott

Applicable quote of the day, # 2:
"Here am I. Send me."
Isaiah

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1