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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: JOY (12/07/17)
I was just six years the first time I met Verne and his wife, Martha. When I look at the old picture from their visit, tears come to my eyes. How did Verne and Martha experience that visit in our home? My parents had five healthy kids, in spite of us having gone through illness, poverty and many trials in a war-torn country recently, just as they had done on their mission field.

Verne and Martha had buried three children on their first mission period. They were on their way for their vacation to their homeland. Their youngest child, Martin was with them. The boy had been ill for a few days, but according to a doctor, he seemed well enough to travel. A small boat took the little family to their ship. The sea was rough. As they climbed on board, little Martin drew his last breath. The captain, a Christian, buried the small child on a neighboring island.

One year earlier, just days before Martin was born, cerebral malaria snatched away their two-year-old daughter, Leah, within 48 hours of her first symptoms.

They never had a chance to hold their first child. He died in his mother’s womb.

Instead of the joy of bringing home three children to meet their grandparents, Verne and Martha were childless.

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They were back on the mission field, and a few years later they had two healthy boys. Travel to the capital took several days. Martha was expecting another child.

A missionary colleague who was a registered midwife was prepared to help with the delivery. There were severe complications. Both Martha and the baby died.

---

During all these years of many trials, missionaries from other denominations wanted this Pentecostal preacher, Verne, and his family to leave the country. Verne knew God wanted him to stay on, even though he was promised travel fare by those other denominations if only he would go. Though at times he was penniless.

---

About twenty years later Verne was visiting my husband and me in our home on the same mission field. Refugees were pouring into the camp in our province from the neighboring country. Several organizations and mission workers from various countries moved in to aid the newcomers. We too were partly involved in that work, so we found new friends among the many foreigners,

One of them happened to visit us on some errand while Verne stayed with us. The two men got acquainted. When Verne heard which mission the younger man represented, he asked him about some of their older missionaries. The young man was surprised.

“How do you know them?”

“I’ve been here in this country since 1948.”

“It seems impossible! You look very young.”

“I’m over sixty years old.”

“You must have had an easy life then as you still look so fresh.”

Verne just said, “God has been good to me.”

Verne proved the depth of the words in James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-9.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Larry Whittington
12/20/17
the words in James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-9 tell it all. We don't look at these enough and take them to heart enough to put them to our own good use.

Thanks for your story.