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I love
the story of the old missionary couple. A couple went to
Africa to serve as missionaries right after they were
married. They had planned to serve only a couple of years
and then return home. They soon fell in love, however, with
the kind people they had come to help. They stayed on year
after year setting up a clinic and a school, helping the
people build a sanitation system so they could have clean
water, teaching children to read and learn, and sharing
their faith and love daily with the villagers that they
cared so deeply about.
Finally, after over 50 years of faithful work, failing
health caused the couple to decide to come home again. They
wrote to their hometown community and church to let them
know when they were coming. After sailing several days they
arrived in the port community that they grew up in. They
smiled when they saw a large crowd cheering the boat as it
anchored. Their smiles and hearts fell, though, when they
saw that the crowd was there to cheer a local politician on
the same ship. The old man told his crying wife that he was
going to ask God in prayer why after so many years of
service not one person was there to greet them when they
arrived home. He went into their cabin for several minutes
then came out with a peaceful and joyous smile on his face.
His wife asked him if God had said anything to him as he
prayed. "Yes," he replied. "He said ‘You are not Home yet!’"
This
is something we all should remember as we journey through
this life with all of its challenges, pains, and struggles.
We are not Home yet. Home is the place where our loving
Father awaits us. Home is the place where our true reward
lies. Home is the place where the love we learned, the good
we did, and the joy we shared will reside in our souls
forever. Rejoice in your life here then. Love, help others
and be happy. The lights will be on when you get home.
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