The reserves are coming!

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest!'" -- Matthew 9:36-38.
As we read newsletters and news reports from around the world we are moved by the willingness of young people to launch out in missionary service to many open countries in a very turbulent and dangerous world.  As we read the call of Jesus to serve Him wherever He leads, we recall our own years of missionary service in post-war Germany, starting less than a decade after World War II.  The task seemed overwhelming in that physically and spiritually devastated land, and the onset of the Cold War made prospects even more dismal and uncertain.  So, we were praying for helpers to come and share the burden of the work with us.  A favorite Scripture passage was Acts 16:9,10, where Paul and his missionary party were challenged to "Come over into Macedonia (Europe) and HELP us!"; that is, "to preach the Gospel unto them!"  We still believe that "the Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16) and many are waiting to hear this message in many places today.  So we rejoice to hear that God has called up more "reserves" for the battle!  This summer we were blessed when Fran Lee called to ask if she and her daughter and son-in-law could stop by for a brief visit.  We first met Fran when she was a teenager in Arcanum, OH, and part of a former Amish family of several children, and we stayed in their home while presenting Germany in their church there.  So what joy to meed Caleb and Melissa ("Missy")
Metzger and little Benjamin.  Caleb and Missy have since then been approved by Baptist Mid-Missions for service in Germany and we hope to see them again as they travel in pre-field ministry.  Then, our granddaughter Rachel Taylor, who raised in Brazil, South America, and graduated from Faith Baptist Bible College and Pensacola Christian College with degrees in Elementary Education, had taught Christian Day School in Memphis, TN, for ten years.  This year the Lord tapped her as a "reservist" for a two-year short-term Ministry to Brazil under our Mission, and she has already arrived there as this is written!  She will be stationed in Sao Jose, Santa Catarina, south Brazil, to help her older brother James and wife Christen and family in the new mission plant - "Redemption Baptist Church" with an outreach to children, youth and families.  So we invite Christian readers to remember Caleb and Missy (with little Ben) to be soon sharing the Good News with German folks, and Rachel now get acclimated to the work in Brazil.  And we expect to hear in the days ahead how that we can expect to meet souls in Heaven one day, whom they have won to the Saviour! "Lord, we thank you for these new reserves, and we ask you to send forth many more to the Harvest Field!"