A CREATIVE LIFE

 

"If I should die before I wake..."

Just two weeks ago, Dave Berger lay down for a nap and woke up in glory. As a fellow member of the board of the Missionary Retreat Fellowship for many years, he will be missed in that role. His final act that morning was to arrange for the purchase of an excavator for MRF.

But Dave will also be missed on a personal basis. I shared an earlier blog post of accompanying him on one of his many trips to France to transform an orphanage into a youth camp for Word of Life. His creative expertise in areas of construction went beyond anything I had ever known. The camp operates today mainly because of the efforts of Dave and his family.

Dave loved music. At the MRF board meeting just days before his home going he led us in two of his favorite hymns. He and Lorraine sang in the One Accord group which my wife directed when we ministered in Pennsylvania. After seeing Carmen's interest in a dulcimer, he personally created one for her as a gift.

"I pray the Lord my soul to take."

All who knew Dave will miss him greatly. But all who knew him also knew of his faith in Christ. I don't know if there are still any building projects left in heaven. After all, it has been two thousand years since Christ said "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). But if there are, I am confident Dave will be the first to volunteer. He will be there with a hammer in hand, and a song on his lips, waiting to welcome all of us.

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