LBC Echo Fall 2022 - 12

By Christina Coder ('23)
ven before moving to Saint Croix Island in
2015, Raymond Keim ('24) knew he wanted
to be involved in ministry. Originally planning to
become a successful businessman to financially back
missionaries around the world, he began to pursue a
degree in business at Millersville University.
While his mind was still set on spreading the gospel,
an opportunity to help host a summer camp in
the U.S. Virgin Islands began to shift how he would
accomplish that goal. He had previously visited with
Youth With a Mission (YWAM) during a week-long
trip in his senior year of high school; however, at
that time he had left, saying " it was a cool place,
but I never thought I would go back. "
God continued to work in Keim's life, and not long
after he returned from his second trip to the Virgin
Islands, he found himself on a plane heading back
for the third time-now to attend a six-month
discipleship program hosted by YWAM. After training,
Keim decided to join the full-time staff and has been
serving in Saint Croix ever since.
YWAM is a worldwide organization with bases in
over 180 countries. With the universal goal to know
God and make Him known to others, ministries
within the organization vary greatly from one culture
to the next. On Saint Croix Island, Keim and his
crew recognize that within the Caribbean culture,
hospitality and relationships are paramount.
" It's about how well you know people, " Keim
said, " learning what they have been through and
understanding them through and through. "
While most people think of crystal clear water and
palm trees when they picture the Caribbean islands,
Keim is regularly reminded that this is a one-sided
perspective of the area he now calls home. Some
days truly do feel like paradise; within hours, however,
this peaceful island can become ground zero for
some of the largest natural disasters. In 2017, the
island was demolished by Hurricane Maria, spreading
tremendous hardship throughout the community
and impacting the people both physically and
economically.
While these disasters are heartbreaking for everyone,
they have provided YWAM the ability to share the
love of Jesus while working alongside communities
to rebuild. In this relationally based culture, these
shared experiences build relationships that carry
far more weight than if the staff simply preached a
sermon or led a Bible study.
12 ECHO
22 ECHO
LBC Echo Fall 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LBC Echo Fall 2022
