May/June 2005
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“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33) At Kirt’s memorial service, Pastor McKeown affirmed, “We have all lost a dear friend and a great fellow servant of Jesus Christ. In unison, we have asked the question of each other and of God, “Why?” Yet we have asked in faith, nothing wavering…The truth remains that our brother, Kirt, used every moment in serving Christ…We now have the opportunity to act in pure love and motive to continue those things close to Kirt and Debbie’s heart.” In response to Pastor McKeown’s appeal, the outpouring of love and support for our family has been tremendous, and we thank you. One example of that sacrificial love and support is that of a very good friend of Tim’s, who is also a university student with a full-time job and assorted ministries at his church. He gave time he really couldn’t afford to capture Kirt’s memorial service on video and configure it, complete with the Power Point presentations, in DVD format. If you would like a copy of the DVD for reviewing the irreplaceable words and expressions that flowed at Kirt’s memorial service on April 9, 2005, please send your mailing address to debbiemellberg@gmail.com

No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets

When William Borden, millionaire heir to the Borden Dairy estate, finished high school in the early 1900s, his parents gave him a trip around the world for his graduation gift. During his travels he was convinced that he wanted to prepare to invest his life in the mission field. In spite of opposition to his decision from his family, peers and professors, he penned in the back of his Bible, “No Reserves.” William’s purpose and determination continued during his years at Yale University, and after finishing his program of study, he was offered various high-paying jobs. Nevertheless, he had his sights firmly fixed on his target and passion. He recorded two more words in his Bible journal, “No Retreats.” After graduating from Yale, William went to graduate school at Princeton Seminary. When he had finished his studies there, he sailed off toward his goal of reaching the people of China. En route, William stopped over in Egypt to learn to communicate in Arabic. During his first month in Cairo, he came down with spinal meningitis from which he died. He gave away his wealth, his prestige and himself, but he never wavered from his passion nor lost sight of his goal. His final journal entry reads, “No Regrets.”

William Borden’s story reminds me of Kirt’s interaction with Paco in the hospital, three days before Kirt went to Heaven. I had left the hospital on Sunday afternoon to go home to unpack our vehicle and send out the Urgent Prayer Request regarding his first heart attack, while Paco stayed in the hospital room with Kirt. As they were talking, Paco shared with Kirt the irony that God, in His sovereignty, chose to bring Kirt, a “despised gringo,” into his life to lead him to Christ. He related how God had worked a miracle in his life to bring him from darkness to light, to mend his broken family, to heal his wife’s chronic illness, to help them in raising their children to young adults who serve others and seek to glorify Him, and to convert Kirt, his “worst enemy,” into his “best friend.” Kirt beamed his inimitable smile as he looked into his friend’s eyes and said, “Paco, none of us knows what tomorrow will bring, but whatever God has planned, I want you to know that there is nothing I would change. I have done what God called me to do; I have experienced the joy of walking with Him; and I have no regrets.” “No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.”

I will be returning to Mexico, accompanied by my children and their spouses, the first week of July. When they go back to the States for school and work, I will stay behind in Mexico to continue where we left off. Obviously, I will not be able to perform all the tasks Kirt and I did together, but I have many ministries of my own there, and I am prepared to work along with the current Mexican and Huichol leadership through encouragement, motivation, and obtaining and administrating resources made available to us. Please pray that we will be able to run the race effectively and in unity, that we will be able to withstand the fiery darts that Satan surely has aimed at us, and that God will continue to give us the grace and strength to stand firmly.

As Kirt always concluded our prayer updates, “We are forever grateful for your love and care that allows us to be here sharing God’s love.”