Why We're taking our own kids to Young Life Camp Overseas

My youngest daughter, bottom right, is upset because she doesn't think her shirt matches her outfit!

In 2012, my wife and I went to Hawaii. 

In 2013, my wife and I went to Bermuda. 

In 2014, my wife and I are going to the Bahamas. With the kids. All five of them! 

Young Life Commonwealth Region asked me if I would go to the Bahamas this summer to work at a Young Life camp for the students on an island in the Bahamas. 

After praying for a month, my wife and I said yes ... if the kids can come, too!!! 

Here's why! 

1.  We want our kids to have a bigger view of education. Not all education occurs in the classroom, as so eloquently stated by Propaganda in the song Bored of Education. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our kids to get an experiential education on cuisine, culture, geography, ministry, travel and other things. 

2. We want our kids to have a bigger view of family. In the midst of my career switch to nTelos (on Twitter at @nTelosLass), my summer is much more structured. In bringing our kids along, I wanted them to see that family is so important that we would jump through all these extra financial and logistical hoops so that we can be together. 

3. We want our kids to have a bigger view of the world. I believe it was Mark Twain who once said, "I've never met a well-traveled racist." 

4. We want our kids to have a bigger view of service. With our Young Life kids at Lee, we always talk about servant leadership being described as "taking initiative for the benefit of others." Although this trip will likely have some vacation-like aspects for our kids, they will asked to serve, too! 

5. We want our kids to have a bigger view of the gospel. At the camp, I will have the privilege of sharing the greatest story ever told with the kids on the island. I want my kids to be part of seeing that story change lives just as it changed mine and prayerfully changes their own lives one day. 

So here is are two things you can do to help us. Share this blog by e-mail or by social media with friends. 

Help us raise the $7,000 it will take to get to the Bahamas. Young Life is picking up the expenses for Emily and me. We are picking up the expenses for our kids. The trip does cost some money, but we believe it's worth every penny. And, speaking of pennies, every one counts. We need donations great and small, and you can give a tax-deductible gift online by clicking here. 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), and dad to these five crazy kids we see pictured above. His first book You're Grounded was released by Moody Publications in July of 2013. You can read about it here. 

Placing Paperbacks in Prison Populations: Please Help Me!

Note: Please watch the 3-minute video before reading this blog.

My prayer is that two types of people would read this blog: 

• people who love someone who is incarcerated (juvenile or an adult correctional facility)
• people who would love to help someone (or the family of someone) who is incarcerated

If you fit in either category, keep reading! 

First, if you love someone currently incarcerated, I fall into that category, too.  Many times over. Whether it's being a friend, a family member or a mentor of young people, the sad reality is that many people I love are currently incarcerated. 

If that's your situation, there are two things I'd like you to do. 

1. Write down the name and current address of the person if you think they would like a copy of a book I wrote called, You're Grounded (you can learn more about the book with this video or this Web Site).  

Send me the address info by replying to this blog or by e-mail (lassiterfam7@gmail.com). You can google Virginia Inmate locator or Federal inmate locator if you need help finding the mailing information.  

2. Share this blog with friends you know who are in the same situation. 

If you clicked here because you wanted to help, here's what I'd ask you to do. For anyone individual, business, ministry, group, church, etc. that would be willing to help, contact me by responding to this blog or by e-mail (lassiterfam7@gmail.com) and I will pair you up with people who wrote in and requested a book for a loved one. The books have to come directly from the publishing company, and you can order directly from www.shopmoodypublishers.com 

So far, I've heard back from four of my friends who have read the book in a correctional facility. All of them seemed grateful for the book and also passed the book on to friends within the facility. I'd love to hear 400 stories like that, but I need your help to do it.