Thursday, June 18, 2009

Change of field

Living in Africa is difficult. It is exhausting. Sometimes a two-year term seems like an eternity. Staying here for 15 or 20 years is no small accomplishment. But Dan and Peg R. have served the Lord in Tanzania for 32 years. They have shared the Gospel, discipled new believers, supported personnel in the field, and taught new missionaries how to survive in the African wild. Dan set up all the tents and created the bucket showers for 40/40 bush camp, and Peg showed me how to kill a chicken. (I hope not to need that knowledge any time soon!)

Dan and Peg are retiring after working in Tanzania for as long as I’ve been alive. After walking untold miles, hosting countless guests, and mentoring so many of us, they’re going home to be grandparents and to rest. But they’re not stopping. Last week, Dan was sharing his plan for retirement. Being a big-game hunter, he wants to go to rifle-shooting competitions and tell people about Jesus. He wants to be a WalMart greeter and tell people about Jesus. He wants to hang out in breakfast restaurants, drink coffee with people, and tell people about Jesus. This man has a passion for the lost, whether they’re in Africa or America. The primary purpose of Dan and Peg’s life has been to share Jesus, wherever they are. Even though Dan and Peg are retiring, they are still missionaries. They’re just getting a change of field.

1 comment:

David said...

Alissa, David Crane here. I really enjoyed your "punch line" about how it is hard to normally be very spontaneous. My home town is Cherryville, NC, about a 1 hour's drive from Greenville. I know the FBC of N. Spartanburg real well. It's a small world.