The Worth of One

"I don't know why God would have me go to Hungary. I always thought God would have me go to Africa."

Josh had said that to Warren and I only weeks before he was to begin a mission assignment in Budapest, Hungary. I remember the day we took him to the airport. I came home, sat on the couch and stared. This was my first introduction to missions and I was not too impressed!

He hadn't been there long when I received a phone call from him. "mom, I know why I'm in Hungary." He was working in the refugee camps with African people! Amazing!

Right now, Warren and I are at a missions conference in Murrietta, California. Today we were able to meet and share a meal with Argaw and his wife, Rachel. We met them for the first time here but our connection goes back in time. Argaw was one of the young men that Josh had met in one of the camps. When we met them today I hugged Rachel and she said in my ear," I love your son and I haven't even met him. I love him for the difference he made in my husbands life." Argaw had known of the Lord when he arrived in Hungary but he wasn't walking with the Lord. As we ate dinner together he told us how Josh had made a difference in his life. How Josh had discipled him. He had planned to leave Hungary with the rest of the African people that he had arrived with but instead had stayed behind because of Josh's discipleship. He eventually went on to Bible School and then back home to Ethiopia. Right now they are in California working on green card stuff but they are soon returning to Ethiopia with plans to start a church. They continued to speak of their love for Josh and Jodi.

We left them knowing God had used the time with them to not only show us how our son had been used by Him but also to encourage us. I wept later as God quietly spoke to my heart that

it is worth it - for just one.


(sorry if this is poorly written. I am sitting in a LOUD coffee house, trying to think, write and talk. A bad combination for me!)