We were driving out of the farm when the tears began to flow. The pressure of life change and difficulties had finally gotten the best of our missionary friend. Cathy turned to take her hand while I reached back mine. Cathy began to pray.

I spoke to another missionary friend on Friday and recognized that his heart was overwhelmed. All I can say is that I have been through hell. We have to get away! The signs of burnout were in his voice.

Still a third missionary talked last week of the political issues he faces in his missionary agency. I am so tired he stated. The issues seem to never end. There is no resolution to the problems that have been created. Those problems he spoke of have been going on for almost a year.

I called a missionary friend who ministers to women and she burst into tears on the other end of the phone. She said, I heard your voice and the tears just came. She has lost a large portion of her sight in a mild stroke. The change in life has been devastating. She had not cried much before that call.

Cathy and I found our hearts overwhelmed when her father fell down the stairs at home. He was in the hospital in what could best be described as a stupor. Questions swirled about a potential return to America for her to help her family. Faithful prayer by many of our support team brought us through the crisis and he came out of the stupor a few days later and sent us a message to not come home.

There is a key question that must be asked when the tears come. What do those tears say? Tears are a cleansing agent for our heart and mind. God says, I have heard your prayers and seen your tears. (Isaiah 38:4) Not one drop passes his notice!

On Saturday I visited the home of an Afrikaans vineyard farmer with a missionary.  I asked him about the vines and how they take care of them. It was one illustration that caught my heart and imagination. He said at certain times of the year you can cut a branch and it begins to drip. We call it the weeping vine. The branch has cells that look similar to human veins. The nutrients from the vine flow through those veins to the produce the fruit on the branches. When you cut it the branch weeps as the nutrients come out.

It made me marvel at the illustration used by Jesus of the vine and branches. He says remain in me and I will remain in you. But apart from me you become like a branch that has been cut.

Tears are a great cleansing gift from God and healing agent. Thank you for lifting us up to touch the lives and wipe the tears of missionaries in faraway places. Their tears say so much. The need for encouragement is enormous.

Cathy and Danny Sartin



www.deeperstillmissions.com

Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved.

This on the field report is written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and our goal of missionary retention.

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This past week we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience of coming along and watching the capture of some wild zebra. A veterinarian was flown in a helicopter so he could dart and tranquilize the animals from the air. Once they were sedated we would come in and net the animal. We would then lift and transfer them into a truck. It was an exhilarating experience! But I will never forget the look in the eye of the tranquilized animal.

What I discovered this week is that God has done the same thing with me. God has never stopped pursuing me in unique ways. He had to slow the pace, quite the distractions and create space in my heart and mind for His truth. He has captured me again with His Word. He has caught and taught me in ways that I never expected. I’m sure the look in my eye is similar to the zebra.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to live among us. Literally that means he pitched his tent for a while in our world. That is very descriptive of a primary strategy of Deeper Still Missions. We want to come and pitch our tent in the backyard of missionaries. We want to meet them in their world and encourage them.

We have now crossed a key threshold of our eight months stay in Africa. At the beginning of August we completed four months on the dark continent. We can now look back and reflect on the missionaries, pastors, ministry staff and their families who have crossed our path.

During the last two months Cathy has come alongside Lizzie Weichardt and served. That has included cooking, laundry, cleaning, gardening and frequent prayer walks. She’s given counsel to a young couple dealing with marriage and cultural issues. She has also given counsel to a young 21-year-old lady about God’s will for marriage.

I have done the same with a 13-year-old son of Rolf and Lizzie. Mikhail had voiced his excitement to me about the life application Bible. It had opened his heart and mind to biblical ideas that were unclear in his native language. One of our discussions centered around the four Greek words for love. Yesterday Mikhail shared with me as I picked him up from school his experience in class that day. The teacher had read a story that used the word agape. Then Mikhail said, I was the only one in the room who knew what it was and I explained it to them. His excitement showed in his big smile. He was pumped.

In this past month I’ve spent many hours writing and studying God’s word. I’ve also spent time with Rolf debriefing the ministry transition he has gone through this year. He stepped down as the national director of youth for Christ South Africa. But his burning desire for ministry has not dimmed even though he has stepped out of a key leadership role.

At the end of August 5 new volunteers arrive from Germany to live on the game farm for a year and conduct ministry in farm communities. Rolf is busy converting a former garage into living quarters for his new workers. Together where are planning the orientation and Bible Study training for that group when they arrive.

It will be fun watching their eyes as God captures them with His Word. I can’t wait!

Cathy and Danny Sartin

www.deeperstillmissions.com



Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved.

This on the field report is written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and our goal of missionary retention.

Re-Prints
Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this email in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.

To unsubscribe from reports just reply to this email with the subject unsubscribe. You can contact Deeper Still Missions at P.O. Box 343370 Bartlett, TN 38134.

A Kingdom Leader has a commitment to be obedient to the directions of his boss. Obedience that may seem difficult and irrational at times.

Do you follow the directions given by God in His Word? Are you committed to living a life that reflects the character of God? Do you wash away the commands of God claiming that you are now an adult? Is an excuse your first response to a correction?

Abraham was told to go and kill his only son in Genesis 22. But his remarks reflected his beliefs when he said, We will worship and then we will come back to you.

Hebrews 11:19 says, Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

We are praying for your obedience to our Lord.

Cathy and Danny Sartin



(1) The Holy Bible: New International Version. Electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Hebrews 11:19; Genesis 22:5

Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved.

Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world.

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Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this email in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.

To unsubscribe just reply to this email with the subject unsubscribe. You can contact Deeper Still Missions at P.O. Box 343370 Bartlett, TN 38134.