Happy Thanksgiving! Holidays on the mission field are
interesting. Depending on the holiday (like Thanksgiving), it may be a holiday
that is not even celebrated in that culture. It can be hard, if not impossible,
to find items you are used to having - like turkey or Christmas trees. And on
the upside-down part of the world or in tropical climates, the seasons don't
match up with what you are used to!
Because so many holidays are celebrated somewhat uniquely in
the U.S., it is common for missionaries in a given area to gather together at
these times. The fellowship can be special, as the co-workers take on the role
of family while providing a venue for celebrating together in familiar ways. I
pray that God will give you something special this week and that you will be able
to truly rejoice in God's goodness to you.
I remember one Thanksgiving in Mexico. One of the missionary
families was hosting several other families, and I was invited. Each family or
individual was contributing something to the meal. Since I didn't have a
reputation for cooking much, I was asked to bring the rolls. The missionary
wife specifically asked for a particular style of roll that I planned to
purchase the day before.
Wednesday was a day for running errands after school ended.
I picked up a bookcase I had ordered and a pair of glasses. Additionally, I
probably stopped at the post office and got some groceries for myself, as well
as looking for the rolls for the next day. I went to three different stores,
trying to find the requested style of roll, but without success.
As I left the third store, I pulled into a center turn lane
where I waited for the traffic to clear. Suddenly, a car struck my driver's
side door. I was able to move across the lanes of traffic to the side of the
road, and the offending driver made the turn also before speeding away. I
couldn't open my door, and the window was shattered, with bits of glass all
through the car. I was uninjured except for a small cut on my leg and some
whiplash. A couple bystanders came over, and one of them stole a pair of
sunglasses from my car while "helping" me.
Needless to say, I gave up on my quest for rolls and made my
way home. At the Thanksgiving gathering the next day, I had an unexpected item
for which to give thanks - God's protection. Driving in many countries is an
adventure, and Mexico is no exception. With all the miles traveled and the risks
inherent to that country, I had just one other incident, which caused even less
damage than the Thanksgiving accident. There certainly were opportunities for
more serious incidents, but God protected me.
There is a commonly-given statement, with perhaps some
variations, but the basic idea is this: You are safer on the mission field in
the will of God than you are at home out of the will of God. While I appreciate
what that teaching wants to emphasize (that being in the will of God is most
important and that God can protect under any circumstances), the statement is
not entirely accurate. Some mission fields are quite dangerous. God certainly
can protect and often does, but sometimes mission fields are dangerous even to
the point of death.
This was recently true in the life of Charles Wesco. I
assume most if not all of you have heard his story. After less than two weeks
in the war-torn country of Cameroon, he was shot and killed, leaving behind a
widow and eight children. My heart was so burdened for that family and
overwhelmed with the enormity of what had happened. It was too much to try to
comprehend. I was sensitive also to those of you serving on foreign fields. If
I briefly entertained the thought that it could have happened to me while I was
abroad, I'm sure some of you also considered the potential danger for your
family.
Wow, I didn't intend to make this letter so somber! My
intent is not to overwhelm you with negative feelings or fears, but rather to
remind you of what you already know. First, it is worth it to follow God's
leading. There is always a cost in following God, and we don't know what that
cost will be, but we will not regret any of that cost when we stand before our
Savior. There is also a cost in not following God, and none of us want to pay
that. There is also reward in following God, and your ministry is motivated by
that reward. What you do today matters for eternity. We have no way of knowing
all that God will do through us, but there is no better option than to follow
His plan and allow Him to use us.
Second, God can protect. I suspect you have your own stories
of protection - both first-hand as well as stories that have been related to
you by others. God is not limited. He can protect young men in a raging fiery
furnace, a man in a pit of hungry lions, and people surrounded by attacking
armies. True, some have died for Christ, but that is never because of God's
inability to protect.
Third, God uses all things for our good and His glory. This
is hard for us, because we are human. We feel loss and pain, sometimes very
deeply. Also, we can't see eternity, so we can struggle when we don't see the
purpose. We can trust God, however, that He is using everything for His good
purposes. He says He is. Even if we suffer and even if we do not see the good,
God is doing His work.
Don't be afraid. Trust the Almighty God who is always
watching over you. You are safe in His hands, both now and in eternity.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holtmember at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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