As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, ACCTS has been holding weekly virtual meetings for fellowship, encouragement and inspiration. Our coordinator for Interaction-Rocky Mountain High, a military Christian leadership program for cadets and young officers, has been inviting graduates to join us electronically and share now they’ve been applying their training.
A 1997 graduate from the Czech Republic was the first from his nation to attend. One of the I-RMH leaders taught him a lesson he’s never forgotten: “If a huge ship is in a harbor, it cannot move without tugs to get it going in one direction. But imagine that ship in an open sea -- then it’s a powerful thing that can move in every direction. Even if we aren’t sure what the next step is, sometimes it’s better to take one step in the direction we believe is best rather than wait and do nothing.” He also remembers how excited the group was to climb a 14,000 foot mountain during the program. They were young, in peak shape, and had no limitations. But just when they were about 300 feet from the peak, their leaders saw a storm moving in and decided to turn back. It was a hard decisions, but taught him that the objective isn’t as important as the people. When he returned to the Czech Republic he was prepared for ministry, and today, the Czech MCF is one of the few where Roman Catholics and Protestants meet together. They also minister to military Christians in neighboring Slovakia.
A 2012 graduate from Madagascar, attended while a cadet at the Air Force Academy. He noted that His father has been a pastor in Madagascar for 35 years. After he came to the USA in 2012, there was a coup in Madagascar, so he couldn’t go back home. He became a U.S. citizen in 2013, and met ACCTS staff who introduced him to I-RMH. The program played a key role in re-directing his life and pointing him back to Christ. He became a youth pastor at a church in Colorado Springs, using the tools he learned at I-RMH (inductive Bible study, conversational prayer & personal testimony). Some fruit of his youth ministry work; one student is a Christian camp director, and another joined the Navigators to work in collegiate ministry
A 2019 graduate from Ivory Coast is a Navy Lieutenant who spent 2018 in Monterey at the Naval Post Graduate School and then went to DLI in San Antonio, TX, where he interacted with ACCTS staff who suggested he attend I-RMH. After completing his Masters’ degree on a Fulbright Scholarship, he said that I-RMH was a good experience for him. Both the activities and the people he met there changed his life. Among the instructors were flag officers who spoke about spiritual warfare, a very important topic for him in Ivory Coast. Another participant was a captain from Uganda who was able to discuss this topic in very practical ways. In Ivory Coast, there are separate chaplains for Protestants, Catholics, and Muslims. Last year, the Protestants went to France and Israel. He has asked his chaplain to sponsor someone to the I-RMH program. He hopes to establish and lead an MCF in the Ivory Coast, and would like to return to the US as an I-RMH instructor, perhaps in conjunction with a PhD program after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Another 2019 graduate was an ROTC student from the US, along with 4 internationals (Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Romania), a USAF Academy grad and 2 Navy lieutenants. He remembered a lesson on Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave. People could roll away the stone, but only Jesus could raise him. We are to be obedient to do God’s work as He leads, but only the Holy Spirit can bring sinners to Himself. He then served as a volunteer with the virtual 2020 I-RMH, where they studied Daniel 1 – 6. Daniel trusted and worshipped the Lord, and earned the respect of his captors as he placed his faith in God.
The 2019 Romanian graduate is currently serving her nation in Afghanistan. She noted that she had learned how to see life through a spiritual lens and how God works in the lives of His children. She appreciated the support and friendship of her teammates, and was ready to move forward in life. Following I-RMH, she volunteered to help at the ACCTS language camp in Moldova for military children. Enroute to Afghanistan, the I-RMH experience helped her understand God’s call on her life, and she desires that all young military personnel might have a similar experience In Afghanistan, God has provided opportunities to share her testimony using the techniques learned at I-RMH. She would also like to organize a similar course in Romania. She closed her presentation noting that God has a plan for each of us, and that we need to listen to His leading so that He can shower us with blessings.
Pray for all of these military Christians as they continue to integrate their faith with their careers, view their service as a calling from God, and minister to their nation’s uniformed services.
(The ministry of the 2019 Ugandan I-RMH graduate was reported in the October edition of God at Work)
