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IN JUST THE RIGHT PLACE
Dave Thomasson
Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, I had the privilege to grow up in a Christian home
and went to Riverside Baptist Church. I drifted far away from the Lord as a teenager, and the
Lord used several things to get my attention as an eighteen year old. Some wonderful people at
Fellowship Baptist Church in Durham reached out to me and helped me greatly. The summer
of 1991, the Lord called me to ministry and directed me to Crown College in Powell, Tennessee.

After finishing college, I had the great opportunity to work on the staff of Lancaster Baptist
Church in Lancaster, California, from 1996-2001.

During that time, the Lord continued doing many things in my life that would change me
forever. One of those was to lose my first wife, Lori, after her battle with melanoma cancer.

Eighteen months later, I lost my dad to lung cancer. God certainly gives sufficient grace to each
of us, but I also believe He gave me a greater heart for people and a better understanding of the
suffering people endure. I believe the Lord was using everything for future ministry.

I met Brother Baughman in the early 90s while I was a college student, though I only knew him
from a distance at that time. But in 2002, I attended CAMP BIMI I, and the Lord knit our hearts
together. He was a great encouragement to me both personally and ministerially. We both lost
our first wives in death early in our marriages and ministries. I was now remarried to Elisabeth
Burchell, a missionary’s daughter, and some people assumed that we were a perfect fit because of my interest in missions. It was a great
idea, but it was not the will of God for us. It was CAMP BIMI that the Lord used to reassure me of my calling to be a pastor. During the
week, I heard this statement that summarized the benefit of attending CAMP BIMI: “It is just as important to know you are not called
to missions as it is to know that you are.” I have recommended CAMP BIMI to many young people who have a desire to serve the Lord
because I know first-hand that the Lord can use it to give them some clear direction. I am grateful to Bro. and Mrs. Baughman for their
investment in others!
MY PUZZLE PIECE
Elisabeth Burchell Thomasson
The Lord used CAMP BIMI and the SMART trip to increase my burden for missions and
to give me a greater understanding of missionary life in different countries. I also gained a
greater understanding of God’s will for my life and how I fit into missions. I learned that each
puzzle piece is uniquely created to complete the puzzle. No two pieces are identical, and God
created me with a unique purpose to fit into His master plan of spreading the Gospel around the
world. God has called everyone to be a piece of the puzzle in some way.

Dave (CB I ’02, CB II ’08) and Elisabeth (CB I ’93, SM ’94, CB II ’02, CB III ’08) Thomasson
serve at Troy Baptist Temple in Troy, OH, where Dave is the pastor and Elisabeth, a missionary
kid who grew up in Japan, ministers in music, children’s, and ladies’ ministries.

NOTE: CAMP BIMI Reunion Week was Elisabeth’s idea back in 1994!
Tiramisu 24 Ladyfinger cookies
250 grams (9 oz) Mascarpone cheese
2 eggs, separate whites and yolks
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup cold coffee (leftover is fine)
Unsweetened cocoa
Mix together 2 egg yolks, 9 oz. Mascarpone cheese and 2 T sugar in a mixing bowl. Set
aside. In another bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites gently
into the yolk, sugar and cheese mixture. Set aside. Pour 1 8 oz. cup cold coffee into a
shallow dish (make sure coffee is cold) and gently roll ladyfinger cookies one at a time in the
coffee. Place a row of 12 cookies on serving plate. Then spread half of the cream mixture
over them. Add another layer of the ‘cold coffee’ Ladyfingers on top. Then spread the
remaining cream mixture over them. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least
8 hours or overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the top with unsweetened cocoa powder. A
sifter works great for this step. You can even sift the dry cocoa over a paper doily placed on
top of the Tiramisu. Gently remove the paper doily to reveal a fancy lace look.

Serves 6 large or 12 small portions BON APPETIT!
NOTE: Our SMART 2017 team hosts in France enjoy this delicious and easy to fix dessert.

One of our French cooking classes was taught by Julianna Abbett, their daughter, who makes
incredible desserts! Although Tiramisu originated in Italy, it is enjoyed in countries around the
world!



Rick Demastus
These last few years have been such a great adventure! We first heard about BIMI in a
college chapel service. Brother Don Sisk was preaching, and he spoke about a camp where
you could go to learn more about missions. It wasn’t until after we graduated college and
were married that we decided to attend CAMP BIMI. God had called me into missions,
and I wanted to see what BIMI was all about.

In the summer of 2014, my seven-month pregnant wife and I came to CAMP BIMI not knowing
what to expect. We were greeted with friendly faces and welcoming smiles. They treated my expectant wife
like royalty and with so much kindness. Throughout the week, we got to go to classes and glean from those
who had formerly served on the mission field. We had fun playing games and making new, like-minded
friends with a heart to serve in the ministry. We learned how good it is to stretch ourselves and to come out
of our comfort zones to meet new people and try new things. We loved getting to know the different field
directors at BIMI. They were so genuine, personal, and real with us. It was so encouraging to hear all their
unique stories of how God called them, how God directed their paths, and how God blessed them. After we
attended CAMP BIMI, we knew that BIMI was the organization we wanted to serve with while preparing
for and serving on the field.

We were approved as missionaries in December of 2014. They helped us in so many ways and gave us
resources in preparing to go through deputation and in getting and staying on the field. Deputation has
been an exciting journey in which we’ve learned so much! It opened our eyes to things we never would
have contemplated before. It was a time in which the Lord used to grow our faith and show us the power of
prayer, to see the God of the impossible work. In every step of the way, the Lord always took care of us. Many
times God’s provision came in miraculous ways.

We are excited to finally be going to the place the Lord has called us, but we know that it is not that excitement
that will keep us there. What will keep us there is strength from the Lord and His Word, the faithful prayers
of those who remember us, and the encouragement and support of the churches and individuals who have
committed to help us while we serve there. We are so thankful that God called us into missions and we are
thankful that the Lord led us to be a part of BIMI’s mission family.

Rick and Sarah Demastus (CB I ’14b)
are serving as church-planting
missionaries in Scotland.

Why is it that some Christians cross land and sea,
continents and cultures, as missionaries? What on
earth impels them? It is not in order to commend a
civilization, an institution or an ideology, but rather a
person, Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be unique.

— John R.W. Stott
CAMP BIMI
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