I live in the country, rural Missouri. No, I really live in the country! Twenty-two acres in the middle of the woods. When we first moved here, we thought it would just be for a few years until we could get some teaching experience, but God had another plan. So, 45 years later here we are. Still in our country home.
I love the sounds of the country especially in the spring. The country is not quiet as some may think. There are always sounds. Dogs barking, birds singing, frogs chirping. Yes, they chirp, we call them may peeps. Sometimes so loud in the evening you can’t even hear yourself think. These sounds are what makes my home special. They become part of who we are and the experiences that form us. No matter where life may take us, we can always close our eyes and hear those sounds. It is fun when our kids come home to visit. Two out of the three do not live in the country so we have fun explaining to the grandkids what the various sounds are. Sometimes they don’t buy any of it! They think frogs are only supposed to say “Rivet”!
My mind goes back to the time that we spent in Honduras. Oh, the sounds……Birds singing, crop dusting planes, young boys from El Barro leading their cattle down the road, boys laughing as they chop brush with machetes, children playing. And the list goes on. I hope I don’t burst anyone’s bubble when I tell you that missionaries get homesick. For me it usually hit first thing in the morning. I would walk out of our house ready to begin the day. The heat would slap me in the face. The smell of smoke and dust in the air would be thick. My prayer would be “God I need you today”. Then it would happen. The sound that I will never forget “Veeeki, I love you!!!(spelled phonetically to get the full impact) My reaction was always the same. My eyes would fill with tears and I would say “Thank you
God!”. Once again you have met my need. Even now when I close my eyes or doubt if I am really doing what God desires me to do, I can hear those words.
I am sharing all of this because each one of our missionaries who are serving now have replaced familiar sounds with those that many times are unfamiliar. I can guarantee that each of them at some point get homesick. They long for familiar sounds. God calls some of us to go. Praise God that people are still listening and obeying. Not all of us are called to go but we are all commanded to be senders. Romans 10:14-15(NLV) says:
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard of him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Not all can go but all can be
Senders
. Pray about what your involvement will be. Individually, as a church or as a Women’s Ministries group. Senders are needed so more can go!
