Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Best Supporters in the World

This is a blog I have been meaning to write for several months. You may guess that everyone in my position says this, but they don’t. The sad fact is that many people like us are under supported financially. Many people don’t like to go on home-leave because it’s draining. Some feel as though they don’t have support, that they are all alone on the field. What is even more common, though, is others in our line of work who go home to unwelcoming supporters who are ready to send them back out immediately or the opposite extreme, supporters who just try to convince them to stay home.

That hasn’t been our experience. We have all the support we need. You all are so generous and give so sacrificially. When we are on home leave and visit all of you, we are so energized to hear that people are praying for us, thinking about us regularly, and invested in our work. We don’t feel alone on the field. You communicate with us. You tell us how your praying, and you think about our needs. You are happy to have us home, and make us feel a part of your congregations. At at the same time you know our calling is not in the U.S., and you always send us off well.

We have the best supporters in the world. You have welcomed us into your homes for meals, taken us out to restaurants, let us borrow your cars, given extra special gifts to take care of specific needs, made us feel at home in your churches, surprised us with your thoughtfulness, prayed regularly, loved on our kids, and sent us off well with us knowing that we are just the visible parts of a much larger team.

Thank you.