Thursday, June 12, 2008

True Warriors of the Faith



Some friends of ours in our Sunday School class decided 3 years ago that God was calling them to join Pioneer Bible Translators as missionaries. Mind you, most of my life I have heard about and been forced to listen to different missionaries talk about their experiences, lives and missions. Honestly, it is usually boring and hard to connect with.

Not anymore.

(In order to help protect this couple they will be known here as Mr and Mrs. H.)
This amazing couple, along with their 3 small children, dropped their lives here in the comfort of America and headed to the Ukraine to study Russian and then prepare to live their lives near Siberia, with a people that live as nomads following buffalo. Yea, at times they are basically gonna be living in tents.

Let me put it this way: Each year, a small group of us send them a box of goodies as a "Care Package" from the U.S. We try to get it there by Christmas. We have to mail it in September!

This is not a two week missions trip to Disney World either.

Their goal is to help translate the Bible for a people that have never had one in their own language. It is dangerous, tiring and complicated. Everyday, they know they are being watched by the Russian government. They are on the front line like no other Christians I have ever known. We are blessed to be able to help support them financially each month. Without financial help from us and many others it might not happen.

Last Friday, they came back to Mansfield for a quick 10 day visit. They get a 3 month furlow back to the U.S. every 3 years. They brought all 5 of their kids with them ....Yea 5. On top of all they are doing, God led them to adopt brothers they met in an orphanage over there.

It was so great to see them, hug them and hear all of their stories. Their Russian is great and their kids are all doing incredible as a blended family. When they go back, their real work will begin and who knows how often they will be able to return to civilization and send us all an email update from around the world and one of the most desolate places on the map.

These people are real warriors of the faith.

Now I have a much better perspective on what all missionaries really do for God and it makes me realize how little the rest of us really contribute.

To support them, simply email Mr. H at honigmatthew@hotmail.com. They need all the money they can get.

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