Missons Week, Day 2

Today, continuing our missions week, I invite you to visit the blog of a missionary wife and mother of five. This family is supported by our church, and my family has had the pleasure of meeting and fellowshipping with them on a few occasions. We were so excited for them when they reached the field in February this year!

Please get to know this family a little bit, through Ms. Nina's blog, then pause and pray for them. Being new in Portugal, they have special challenges; new language and culture being only two.

This year my family was able to get to know a German family that was spending some time in the states, and when I tried to share my testimony with the mother of that family, I realized for the first time what a hindrance language barriers are when you're trying to witness.

I had learned three or four German words, and the lady had learned a great deal of English. She was really quite good; but secular language school apparently doesn't teach words like "grace," "atonement," "substitute," "wrath," "judgment," "court," and "salvation." How does one present the gospel message without using religious words? It was practically impossible.

But cultural and language difficulties are minor compared to the biggest spiritual needs of a missionary - or any Christian, for that matter. They need spiritual strength. They need grace and wisdom. Just like me.

So take some time to think about the missionaries you know. Pray for them. Pray also for the souls of the people they talk with; that their hearts would be prepared to seek the Lord.