pictures at the pulpit

This is a great story from Jack Popjes, former CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators in Canada.  Published yesterday, its original title is "It Hurt. But It Was Worth It."

Coming home from the hospital with a wife and her new hip, as I did this
week, is not the same as bringing back a wife with a new baby. But there
are similarities, like being willing to suffer some pain in order to get a
greater joy.
​
It reminded me of an incident in my speaking ministry. A few years ago, in
late November I spoke at a number of Chinese churches in greater
Vancouver. I invited the bright, articulate English speaking Chinese young
people to get involved in cross-cultural missions. And, through
interpreters into Cantonese and Mandarin, I also challenged the older
Chinese Christians to make the sacrifice of giving their children to God
to become missionaries--not easy for any parent.

One Sunday morning, as I was shaking hands at the exit door, a young
mother came with her little son, Elisha*. "Pastor Jack, we would like a
picture of you on the steps in front of the pulpit", she said. (*name
changed to preserve privacy.)
​
A few minutes later I sat down in front of the pulpit with the young
mother, her little son between us. Then the daddy crouched in front of us
and started his video camera. The mom looked directly into the camera and
said,

"Elisha, you are now still too young to understand, but we will show you
this video someday when you are older. Today is a special day. Today your
daddy and I dedicated you to God to become a missionary. This man sitting
next to you was the one whom God used to speak to us."

By this time I was teary-eyed. It is hard for any parent to let their
child go to live and work in some far-off country. But it is particularly
difficult for Chinese parents to give up their dreams for their children.
Not just that they will be well educated, with healthy bodies, and secure
in a career, but that their children and grandchildren will live nearby,
and be financially prosperous. These goals are highly valued in Chinese
culture, but some may not be feasible if the children get involved in
cross-cultural missions.

About a year later, I told this story to a Chinese church in Calgary where
I spoke at their missions conference. After I sat down, the pastor invited
any young people who were willing to become cross-cultural missionaries,
to come to the front of the church and have their picture taken with me.
Fifteen young people joined me in front of the pulpit.

"I will give each of you a copy of the picture to remind you of the
commitment you have made today," the pastor said.

I sent an email to Elisha's mom to let her know how her action had moved
others, and I got back this reply:

"Pastor Jack, thank you for telling me this story. We are so encouraged. A
few weeks ago, almost exactly a year after the Sunday we dedicated our son
to God to be a missionary, Elisha woke me up around three or four o'clock
in the morning. He then told me what had happened to him that afternoon in
kindergarten."

"He was in the playground with all the other little kids when suddenly the
sky above him opened up, and a yellow light shone down. Then a big voice
said, 'I am God, and Elisha is my servant.' Then the yellow light
disappeared and everything was normal again. 'And mommy', he said, 'God
spoke in Cantonese!'"

"After he told me he went back to bed, but the next morning at breakfast,
he told his daddy the same story, complete with full details. That evening
at the bedtime Bible reading, I asked him, 'Are you willing to be God's
servant?' He said, 'Yes!' and we prayed together that God would make him
His child and his servant."

Jo and I never realized what a sacrifice it was for our parents to let us
go to Brazil as missionaries. They sacrificed much more than we did. We
were young, idealistic, and excited about moving to a new country,
learning new languages, and starting a new career. We didn't feel the pain
of separation our parents felt. My parents lost their oldest son, their
only daughter-in-law and their only grandchildren, the youngest of which
was only four months old. Jo's folks lost their only daughter and her
family.

But twenty-four years later, my parents and Jo's mom joined us in the
Canela village to participate in the distribution festival of the partial
Bible translated into the Canela language. After the ceremonies were over,
our parents reminisced.

"We stood in that Edmonton airport," my dad said, "and watched the plane
you had boarded until it disappeared, knowing we would not see any of you
again for four years,"

"Oh, it hurt to have you gone for so long", Jo's mom said.

"It hurt," they kept saying, "but is was worth it. Today, to see the Canelas receive God's Word in their own language. Oh, yes, it was worth all the pain."

"Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the pain of the
cross." (Hebrews 12:2)

May God give little Elisha's parents, and others like them, a clear vision
of the joy they will experience someday. It will help them endure the pain
of separation from their missionary children, the pangs of loneliness, and
the distress when their children and grandchildren go through difficult
times.

"It hurt", they will say, "but it was worth it."

To Bring Him Glory,
Jack
Currently at home in (cold & snowy) Sunrise Beach, Alberta