[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[House]
[Pages 35997-35998]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 PAYING TRIBUTE TO YOUTH WITH A MISSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, Youth With a Mission, 
or YWAM, and the rest of the Nation grieved over the tragic Colorado 
shootings that resulted in the death and injuries of YWAM's staff and 
former students. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family and 
friends affected by this terrible tragedy. I rise to honor and 
encourage YWAM as an international ministry whose largest North 
American training facility is located in my district at Garden Valley, 
Texas, where I visited numerous times.
  YWAM trains Christians of many denominations and ages with their 
express purpose being to know God and to make Him known in obedience to 
the Great Commission which says they are to go into all the world and 
preach the good news to all creation. YWAM currently operates in more 
than 1,000 locations in over 149 countries with a staff of nearly 
16,000. I have also had the opportunity on multiple occasions to meet 
different YWAM staff and students when they have visited this beautiful 
city here in Washington, D.C., before embarking on short-term mission 
trips.
  When I speak with these individuals, I am overwhelmed by their 
passion for their ministry and sincere love for people they have yet to 
meet. They truly strive to follow the example of Christ by offering 
themselves as selfless, humble, and loving servants.
  The Declaration of Independence says that we are endowed by a Creator 
with certain inalienable rights. Our Creator endowed this Nation with 
these individuals who have now been killed. Each of these dear people 
were a gift to this Earth and to this country. And although we are very 
disappointed that we did not get to keep those gifts as long as we 
wished at their Earthly location, we can still thank God for each day 
that we had them.
  We are not promised life without hardships. To the contrary, those 
who take up their individual crosses, especially for the sake of 
Christ, can expect to face greater trials and persecution. For this 
Nation's entire history, until now, Christians have had a place, a 
country, where they were not persecuted. But that unique time is 
changing. In this day of political correctness, often Christians are 
the only groups it is acceptable to verbally assault. The Apostle Paul 
reminds us that we should consider everything a loss, including our own 
lives, compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. 
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage the staff and students at 
YWAM during this difficult time.
  C.S. Lewis had kept a journal of sorts after his precious wife, Joy, 
had died.

[[Page 35998]]

In one entry, he said, in effect, that he missed her so much he wanted 
her back. But he realized how very selfish that was. His wife was in 
heaven. She was in paradise. It was not in her interest to return to a 
land of tears from a land where there is no sorrow. Lewis went on to 
say that we are told Stephen was the first martyr. But he said, as I 
think about it, didn't Lazarus get the far rawer deal? If you review 
the Bible looking for quotes from Lazarus after he was brought back 
from the dead, you will not find them. I will bet he was not a happy 
camper.
  In any event, we can look forward to the day when we can be reunited 
with these friends from YWAM. But may those at YWAM find strength and 
encouragement from friends, from each other, and from these words: may 
God bless those at YWAM and may He continue to shine His face upon 
them.

                          ____________________