Hank (standing) with Ray Rising |
Ray's faithfulness to the call of God has impacted me often. He was captured by the FARC guerillas in Colombia and held for more than two years. He later discovered that the man who had ordered his capture was in a Colombian prison. Ray visited him in prison and gave him a Bible. In spite of the horrific experience at the hands of his captors, Ray has returned to South America and continued in ministry.
I'm not sure I could do that... return to the field after such a tramatic experience. It would be so easy to say, "I've suffered enough for Jesus", or "I feel the Lord is calling me back home now". Somehow we think that if I just give enough to the Lord and then He will be happy and let me live a comfortable life. I'm not sure it works that way. What if God gives us trials in order to prepare us to do even greater works for Him? What if our trials are building blocks that purify us and make us more like Jesus?
I hope that I can be as faithful as Ray Rising. I would like to hear my Lord say to me some day "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Wouldn't you?
Doug (& Ruth)