The Journey of a 4020 John Deere – by Scott Fischer

This past fall, Bob Koopman and I began an unexpected adventure for Amherst Camp. A kind neighbor of the camp offered to give them a 4020 John Deere tractor—a perfect opportunity, since the camp had been looking for a slightly larger tractor for field work and hay making.

There was just one catch: the tractor had been sitting in the timber for seven years. The owner mentioned it had a strange knocking sound when it ran, and since he wasn’t a farmer—he had bought it only to move snow—there was little to go on.

Undeterred, Bob and I managed to drag the tractor to the camp shop. Upon inspection, we discovered the engine was in rough shape. We’ve spent the winter working on it whenever time allowed, determined to bring it back to life. Physically, the tractor wasn’t in bad shape—the hood had a tree fall across it, and it bore the usual front dent that many 4020s get—but it had seen better days.

The story took an inspiring turn when I traveled to La Valle, Wisconsin, to speak at a church about being part of FCFI. I shared how people can use their unique gifts to serve local camps, using the 4020 tractor story as an example. After the service, a gentleman approached me. He had spent 30 years as a John Deere mechanic and had a particular talent for straightening 4020 hoods. I asked if he would like to help with the tractor, and he accepted with joy, sharing that he had never imagined he could use his skills this way to serve the Lord.

This experience is what makes FCFI so special. We see people discovering how their talents—sometimes long-forgotten or underused—can be used in service to Christ. Through this project, God blessed both of us: the camp received a much-needed tractor, and we gained a new relationship and partnership in ministry.

It’s a beautiful reminder that God can take ordinary gifts and talents, even a mechanic’s hands or a farmer’s knowledge, and turn them into something extraordinary for His Kingdom. It was certainly a miracle of God bringing the right talent at just the right time.