September 2018 Partner Letter

Dear Partner,

Years ago, a friend in ministry told us a story that I never forgot.   Today – 40 plus years later – that friend is still serving God today!  May it give you the same “eternal perspective” in life that it gave me when I first heard it.  Glory!

An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years and were returning home to New York to retire. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President’s arrival.  But no one noticed or paid any attention to the missionary couple. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President’s entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man.  “Something is wrong”, the missionary said to his wife.   “Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us.”

“Dear, you shouldn’t feel that way”, his wife said.  “I can’t help it; it doesn’t seem right”, he replied.

“Well”, his wife said, “why don’t you go tell that to the Lord?”  A short time later he came back, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, “Dear, what happened?” “The Lord settled it with me”, he said. “I told Him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said;  Son, …you’re not home yet.”

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (Phil 3:13-14)

We are so grateful for you, dear partner!  Thank you for helping us continue the work of God.  And Remember …”you’re not home yet”!

Because He first loved us,

Cindy, Lois and Ray