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young lady—Shawn. She had served faithfully for many years as a Christian school
teacher. It was immediately evident to me that God had actually been preparing her
for missions! Since the first emails and phone calls, my life has never been the same.

I am so grateful God added a much better half for the work that needed to be done.

As deputation began (Thankfully, I believe it was much easier as a second generation
missionary!) the hurdle of COVID-19 interrupted us right at the start. Our deputation
came to an immediate, indefinite stop, but God was faithful yet again. Within a few
weeks, God enabled us to be back on the road, filled our schedule again, and still
allowed us to complete our deputation in two years. We were learning the beauty of
Romans 5:3b-4, Knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience;
and experience, hope. During deputation God also brought sweet little Clare into our
lives. She is yet again another reminder of His goodness.

God’s blessing, preparation, provision, and opportunity entrusted to us now requires
us to be faithful to His calling. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found
faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Our next hurdle, one we have begun to encounter already, is the hurdle of faithfulness.

Having recently returned to Ireland, we were able to attend a fellowship of the
many like-minded Baptist missionaries with whom we are privileged to labor. Our
hearts were challenged by their examples of faithfulness. Most of the families I have
known my whole life. New Testament churches are being established and souls are
being saved. I cannot think of anything more exciting. One great benefit of being a
second generation missionary is one can see firsthand that real ministry growth and
effectiveness always takes time. As a Missionary Kid, I also saw that mere time on
the field is not necessarily faithfulness in itself. We must, by God’s grace, abandon
ourselves to the work to which He has called us and then continue in that work.

As we now enjoy being on the field, we are anxious but hopeful. We are anxious
because our ability is so lacking but hopeful because God’s great faithfulness cannot
but continue. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will
do it. W
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