One positive thing about aging is that it gives you a perspective on the experiences of a long life. Without going back too far, there are ceretain things about our parents that they have passed along to us and to you, our children. Missions has been a way of life in our family. Grandma Pierce, you know, was a great supporter of Baptist Missions in the state of Connecticut. For years she was president of what they called the House Party - an organization that was similar to our Alliance Women - for the American Baptist women. Every year she planned a big conference in Hartford and that was an important part of her life. After Dad's dad died, Grandma Pierce also chose to travel overseas. She came to see us in France and she travelled with a Baptist group, seeing some Baptist missions in Europe. She came several times to Africa so that she could see our work there. She prayed for us daily. And later on moved to Shell Point where she was an active member of the Alliance Women there for many years. She was so proud and happy about the fact that her son was a missionary.
My parents were, as you know, Alliance missionaries and were happy that all three of their children followed in their footsteps to be ambassadors for Christ in Africa. I do not ever remember a time when my folks encouraged any of us to go overseas, but when we made that decision they accepted it happily, even though it meant their grandchildren were far from them after they retired.
As parents, we too prayed that all of you children would trust Christ as Saviour. We did our best to make a home for you that would steer you in that direction. Both Dad and I were happy when each of you followed Christ. As, one by one, you each felt called for your life's work, we were pleased with how God led you - some overseas and others working right here in the States, in churches here. People often commented on how wonderful it was that our three girls were missionaries and we were grateful for that. But at the same time we were - and are - pleased that you two boys chose to be Christian businessmen. Our hearts ache for people we know whose kids are far from God, and we know how fortunate we are that all of you are following God's plan in your lives. Nor could we be happier with the choice each of you made in your spouse. We are indeed blessed!
You boys have followed your Grandpa Pierce in being Christian businessmen. He was well know in Connecticut for his business acumen. He built up a large business from small beginnings. You probably remember seeing that first small, hand made egg hatchery that started his buiness! It will be interesting to see what the next generation will bring in the life work of each of your children - our grandchildren!
In a sense, our life of world missions lives on. We pray for so many missionaries around the world. Dad and I have a photo album for our prayer cards of people we know, and we pray for a large number together each morning. And so our involvement in missions lives on. We receive many emails and write to lots of overseas workers.
Facebook also offers a venue for us to keep track of many people around the world, both local people and missionaries, as well as family. We get messages from pastors and others from many countries in Africa. We even get messages - sometimes in Arabic - from great people we met in Kurdistan. God has enabled us to entertain pastors and others from our lives overseas, and this is always a blessed time for us!
The year we were in Mali a Bobo from the Ouroué area, who had been educated in the States, contacted us to see about getting the Bible translated into the northern dialect of Bobo Madare. We talked at length with him and gave him one of our Bibles. And we suggested they work with SIL which they are doing. We also saw a calendar in the northern Bobo language. It was good to think we had a part in getting God's Word into yet another language.
Theological Education by Extension (TEE) was a big part of my life for many years - writing texts, teaching courses and training many others to lead classes. Earlier this year I was contacted from another Alliance field with lots of questions to get their country back into studying by the TEE method again. It was fun to dig out my files on the subject and pass along info that would help these African leaders get a TEE program going again. So the work of our hands in days past lives on....
Since we live close to TFC, we have opportunity from time to time to help out in some missions classes. In this way we are able to pass along to young people some of the principles we learned during our many years overseas, and this is something we like to do. We are already programmed for some courses this Fall.
In addition to teaching some classes, we have contact with a number of students each year, helping them with projects or just entertaining them in our home. Just this week I had two students contact me - one to help her get involved in jail ministry and another to spend some time each week in improving her French!
I guess once a missionary, always a missionary. Although the scope of our field is limited now, through prayer and teaching and entertaining and example, we are able to continue to do what God called us to do so many years ago!
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