An urgent call came from one of our adult daughters living in the U.S. Life was closing in on her. She needed my help, but I was halfway around the world. I tried to console her over the phone, but I yearned to be there in person. I felt a bit like I was trapped underwater—that I needed to breathe but couldn’t. God is faithful, and He worked out the problem.

Now Diane and I are experiencing the opposite situation, as we are no longer living in the countries where we used to serve. Questions and requests come in over the Internet from those who live where we used to live. “What would you do in this or that case?” “I’m really hurting. Can you help?” Again, I yearn to be there, but it feels a bit like I’m being held underwater. I can only be in one place at a time. A phone call is not the same as putting your arms around the person and letting them know they’re doing the best they can, and that Jesus loves them right where they are.

Over the past year, COVID-19 has impacted so many among the unreached in profound and terrible ways. In many countries where AFM works, the recommended masks are not available to the poorest of the poor, many of whom have lost their incomes due to the lockdowns and are experiencing chronic malnutrition. We yearn for the promised day when God will “Wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying; there shall be no more pain, for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

Please join us in praying that Jesus will lead us to new laborers who are willing to answer the Gospel Commission and serve in places that are harder to reach and now even less accessible due to the pandemic.

Jesus is coming very soon. Rejoice!

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