BRAVE

I've just had a chance 

To have another conversation 

With a seasoned American 

Woman of faith.

A peer. A bit older. A mentor. 

A trooper.

She confides in me...

About how much she misses her kids.

About how she's afraid to get on an airplane.

About how she is often awakened from nightmares 

and has to pray until she finds peace enough to fall asleep again;

If sleep comes.

And yet.

She's obedient.

Long ago she sensed God ask her to leave her comfort zone.

She did more than raise her hand, come forward, or fill out the card.

She left

Her comfortable middle class life

As the wife of a middle manager

In the mid west

And headed out white-knuckling

On an adventure that's taken her to 4 other continents (so far).

In her small day-to-day life she shares her faith

with neighbors, with the people God puts in her path, 

with the local ladies she invites for English

[or craft, or cooking] classes once a week.

The kind of things all typical good Christian women 

Everywhere

Can do.

Or should do.

Her missionary "job" is in a support role

To her husband and team who are in a support roles

To even more in support roles to

those of who are front-line Evangelists in hard to reach places

And actually proclaiming the Gospel to multitudes.

Behind the scenes isn't exciting.

But she doesn't need [or want] exciting.

Her husband's travels include enough excitement for both of them.

Giving her more reason to stay on her knees.

But his "work" also means she must live in places where 

The Super Bowl isn't shown on TV.

She can't buy clothes that fit.

Heart friends are hard to find.

Where she'll never get really great at the local language.
And yet, she's still here.

Before meeting her, 

The missionary women I have had the chance to know

Were all the fiercely independent gutsy women for the Gospel.

But this gal;

Despite the worry, and fears, and anxiety as she has,

She's really another kind of hero. 

Perhaps because of those things that keep others from 

ever stepping out in faith to leave

father, mother, sister, brother, friends and comforts

of what is familiar and feels safe.

I want to build a statue to her

(and then maybe get her a prescription for some valium).

THIS hero, 

Despite her irrepressible fears.

Has paid, is paying, and will pay

A great price for her obedience to Jesus' last command:

"Go ye therefore into all the world..."

I want to be there when Jesus welcomes here "home" and

hear him say those words to her, 

"Well done, good and faithful servant.

Enter into the joy of your Lord."