Those who are serious about serving the Lord overseas are under no delusion that it is a vacation. They often feel forgotten when their email updates are not replied to promptly. They usually have no-one to take over from them when they are feeling burnt-out. During their struggles, they wonder who has remembered to pray for them. God never forgets them, and he is grateful for all the hard work that has been put in when nobody else was watching and nobody else knew.
They know good works don’t earn anyone a passport to Heaven – they are doing it because the love Jesus has put in their hearts for others compels them to share the good news about salvation.
Thank you
You knew it wouldn’t be cosy,
Sleeping on a hard floor.
You heard the scuffle of cockroach legs
And they slid under your door.
You knew you’d need some tee shirts,
That could handle getting wet,
From all the sudden downpours,
And a shoulder drenched in sweat.
You knew you’d lie awake,
Listening to a cricket,
But nothing put you off
Buying a one-way ticket.
It was never going to be easy,
Leaving it all behind.
Flying to a country,
Not knowing what you would find.
You’ve been learning the language,
Each day and every week,
Yet the locals collapse in laughter
Every time they hear you speak.
Often, it’s hard to swallow
After taking a small bite,
Of your host’s funny-tasting,
Gastronomical delight.
It’s cost them a week’s wages
To cook this for you, and yet,
You can’t help wondering
What happened to their pet.
But this is your calling,
And there’s a smile upon your face,
For you know without a doubt,
That you’re in the right place.
Thank you for your sacrifice,
Forfeiting your own will.
The path you chose was narrow,
The gradient, a trek uphill.
Your loved-ones were left behind,
So was your ambition.
Knowing there’s more pleasure
In going on a mission.
Your colleagues thought you were mad,
Saying, your holiday was displaced.
To go and serve the needy
To them, seemed such a waste.
If you’d stayed at home,
By now, you could be rich.
But you preferred to hold a hand
And pull it from a ditch.
You preferred to hug,
Though the smell was unbearable.
You ditched your fancy jeans
For clothes that were unwearable.
Others who could not go,
Stayed behind and prayed.
Others still, gave finances
Because they were not afraid.
They knew the funds would multiply
And where desperation was rife,
They knew that God would use it
To save another life.
You all have sacrificed,
Your personal goals.
You good and faithful servants
Have a heart for people’s souls.
You did this for Jesus
And one day you’ll see,
The rewards that await you,
In eternity.
Thank you.
*****
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How then, will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, ‘How beautful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14-16)
