As I watched the domestic workers in the movie get on and off their buses that were taking them 'across town' to the 'other side of the tracks,' I could not help but reflect on our weekly bus trips -- first on the old YMCA bus, then later, on our refurbished Greyhound bus.  But we didn't get on and off the bus as a segregated group.  Nor did our Black members ride on the 'back of the bus!'  We traveled together as an enthusiastic group of young people who were on a journey of falling in love with the Lord Jesus and with each other!  And most of those covenant interracial friendships exist to this very day and hour!

We musically invaded every venue that would open its doors to us from 'Maine to Miami!"  We traveled and ministered in all of the bastions of racial segregation from West Point, Mississippi…to Charleston…to Myrtle Beach…Lynchburg, Virginia.  We also penetrated the ghettos and inner cities of the North.  In most places we traveled and ministered, we were the very first integrated group to ever be in that town…church…school…prison…mall.  Frankly, it is a wonder that we did not get arrested or killed!   God was gracious beyond our comprehension -- even to this very day!

So as Patt and I watched 'The Help,' we did so with both pain and praise.  We still are pained by the lingering scars of those awful decades of prejudice and segregation.  In those earlier days, none of us fully realized just how radical and revolutionary we were!  We were definitely 'ahead of the times' we were living in.  As such, we often found ourselves out-of-step with parents, siblings, friends and church members -- Black and White.  But we were in-step with a great spiritual and cultural wave of the Holy Spirit!

So if you haven't seen 'The Help.' I hope you will do so.  And while the language is very raw at times, I would recommend that you take your teenage children to see it for their edification.  Sadly, their generation is almost totally ignorant of the horrible realities of that era in American history.  And as we often preached: "He who is not aware of his history is condemned to relive it."  Because millions of Americans today have still not honestly dealt with their racial prejudice, our nation still struggles with the legacy of latent racism -- always lurking just beneath the surface and ready to raise its ugly head of hate!  And it seems to especially do so during times of political activity leading toward congressional and presidential elections.

Finally, watching the movie only strengthened my desire and resolve to try and capture some of the history of our ministry.  It is not 'my story' -- but 'our story.'  Each of you wrote significant chapters through your months or years of involvement in the NDs.  So if you have not sent in your 'ND Memories,' please do so.  We have already received so many encouraging ones that have blessed our hearts.  And we want 'His Story' through 'your story' to be written down for others to read, be blessed by and learn from.

Thanksgiving Blessings to each of you for being on the 'cutting edge' of interracial reconciliation…JL & Patt

PS:  One of the things Patt and I look forward to this time of year are the many “Family Christmas Cards & Pictures” we get from so many of our ND Alumni with children—and now grand children!  So PLEASE make sure to send us ones we can post on our special ”ND Alumni Page” on our website.  We would also love to post pictures and reports of other special events in your life like vocational updates…weddings…birthdays…anniversaries…travel…military deployments…retirements, etc.  Also, we would be privileged to know about special needs and prayer requests.  So in good ol’ ND style: “Keep those cards and letters coming!”  Jane Turner Fraser is helping Patt and me keep this updated and Randy Durham is doing the web site. - JL

Many of you in the “Class of 69” were in those early Bible Studies I led for students in the various high schools around the city and county.  Some of you also were an active part of The New Directions during your high school years and traveled with us to countries like Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Haiti and the Grand Caymans.  We never imagined that God would grow that ministry from “Alamance County to around the world,” as I often describe it.  And like you, we have been celebrating 4 decades of God’s faithfulness.  For Patt and me it has been an ever-expanding ministry to the poor and needy in the Two-Thirds World in the love and compassion of Christ.

Little did I realize that one of your own, Lewis Lucke, would be on a parallel track helping to empower the poor through the USA Government.  As you can see from his attached picture and resume, Lew held prestigious and powerful positions with USAID in a number of underdeveloped countries.  He also held Ambassadorships along the way as America’s highest representative where he served.  Unfortunately, Lew and I were largely unaware of each other’s work to uplift and empower the poor – often in the same countries at the same time!  I am thankful and honored that he was also a musician for the NDs his senior year at WHS.  So he is also one of “our own” also.

Our loss of touch with each other all changed recently when Lew and I met in Haiti for a long weekend – the very days immediately following your Class Reunion!  We had a great time re-visiting a country that both of us passionately love – even though it continues to hold the sad title of: “The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.”  To this day Haiti continues to be the country that NDI has had the most involvement in – leading groups there multiple times a year.  Some of you receiving this email went there on the very first trip in 1969.  Lew and I plan to meet there again sometime in 2010 – and would love to see some of you go with us.  Your classmate, Dan Apple has already signed on!

I have attached a few pictures of “Ambassador Lewis Lucke” in Haiti with me right after your Class Reunion.  Hope you enjoy them.  Lew is also a very gifted author and wrote a great book I highly recommend: Waiting For Rain; Life & development in Mali, West Africa.  Patt and I especially loved the book since we have traveled and ministered in the fabled city of Timbuktu, Mali, that Lew also writes about.  Order it through Amazon if you can find it.  It is a timely read by one of your classmates who has really “made a difference” – and continues to do so for the disenfranchised and marginalized peoples in Underdeveloped Countries.  His book will make you “proud to be an American!”

I also included some photos of Dan Apple and his family.

If you would like to be on my general email list, you can sign up on our Contact page.  I would love to keep you updated on my on-going travels and ministry around the world in behalf of the spiritually and physically poor.

Again, congratulations on your historic “Class of ’69 Reunion.  Hope I will be in town for your “45th Reunion” in 2014…

In His Faithful Love,
JL & Patt

PS: When you many of you receive this email blast, I will be traveling and ministering in India, Nepal and Bhutan from Jan. 6 – 23.  I would covet your prayers for this first trip of 2010 which will be very intense, diverse and fast moving.