We all have heroes --- don’t we? We just celebrated Veterans Day and how we praise God for every brave man and woman who have fought (and are fighting) for our freedom!
There are another group of “veterans” --- brave souls --- sacrificing souls --- who have given the best part of their lives in a different kind of battle --- and they are called Retired Missionaries! They have fought for the souls of men and women. Each time I visit our "NTM Homes" (This is NTM's Retirement Center), I am reduced to tears as I look around that room of white heads and try to fathom the amount of years of sacrifice and courage, and love that each one of these dear people represent. THESE are my heroes! These precious soldiers could each write a book! There are 158 retirees at our NTM Homes and it is estimated that they have served approximately a total of FOUR THOUSAND years with all their years combined together! THAT’S hero stuff!!! Wouldn’t you say? Isn’t that AWESOME?
How many Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations did they miss being with their families? How many years have they laid in hammocks and beds in far away places with disease and fever wracking their bodies? How many hours of language study and translation have they invested? These are the ones that many times waited for months for a letter from the "outside", they traveled days on end by canoes on rivers no ones ever heard of. There were few airplanes --- no emails --- months of isolation --- heat and bugs --- living in humble little houses with mud floors or bamboo slats.
But look around at these faces! I see no regrets etched into those lines --- I see no sorrow for the years of sacrifice and hardships! What I DO see is joy --- an absolute joy to be alive --- to have been a part of this great job of reaching the lost with the gospel of Christ --- JOY for living in this wonderful place --- for having Godly servants ministering to them. We sang together “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and I wonder what memory --- what incident came to their minds as they sang those words? I can only imagine the smile on God’s face as He heard that group of veterans raising their voices together in praise and adoration!
And by-the-way --- you are our heroes also! How we praise God for your lives and for your faithfulness in supporting and praying for us! God bless and keep you, dear friends.
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