Saying Goodbye

When Jan and I came to the Philippines in 1986, there were over 100 missionary ‘units’ (couples and singles) appointed to this country by our ‘company’.  As of today, there are only 6 couples and me.  Last week we had to say goodbye to some of our colleagues whose mission careers were cut short for lack of funds.

The Millers came to the Philippines a year before Jan and I.  They learned 2 languages and raised six kids here.  In early November of 2013, Carl and Suzie were in Cebu when word came that a super powerful typhoon was heading toward their town on the island of Leyte.  Rather than play it safe and stay in Cebu, they boarded a boat and traveled to their home in Tacloban to be with their fellow Christians.  Typhoon Haiyan battered and flooded their house, trapping the Millers in their upstairs bedroom.  The receding waters left 5,000 dead and a destroyed city.  The Millers led rebuilding efforts for hundreds of displaced families.

Stan Smith was born and raised in the Philippines by missionary parents.  After graduating from college and pastoring for a couple of years, he returned to the Philippines with his wife, Dottie, in 1980.  Stan was instrumental in developing many of the church planting strategies we still use.  In 1987, as Jan and I were finishing language study, I recall some very encouraging advice he gave me.  As a new missionary, I wanted to know what strategies should I use, how many churches should I plant, what goals should I have.  In 2 words, his sage advice was simply, “just survive!”  For anyone who has assimilated into a new language and culture, such advice is quickly appreciated.

The Clarks were appointed in the same year as Jan and I, arriving in the Philippines just a few months before us.  Robert was an MK (missionary kid) from Japan and Diana was also raised overseas by her missionary parents who, after retirement, continued church planting in Texas.  Robert and Diana founded Cross Train, a ministry that trains Filipinos to be effective and self supporting missionaries in countries around the world.  Because of their efforts, the gospel has spread to countries where Filipinos can go but Americans often cannot.

Heaven only knows of the thousands of lives born into God’s kingdom through the ministries of the Millers, Smiths, Clarks, and others whom we had to say goodbye to last week.  What is sad to think of is the thousands who may not be in God’s kingdom because of their absence.  This December, as the Lottie  Moon Christmas offering for Foreign Missions comes around, please consider that no task is more worthy of your support than “making disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19).  It’s an offering that will pay eternal dividends both in the blessings you receive and in the lives you change.

P.S. If you want to see a handsome groom and a beautiful bride, check out David and Andrea's wedding pictures at http://gallery.theramseysphotography.com/moses