Diary and Confessions of a Donor Ministry Trip---Day Seven

Stately photos of Civil War heroes Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson hang in the home of one of our partners.

Great day yesterday! As I left a giving partner’s home she slid an envelope across the table “for my work.” I thanked this lovely widow friend for her giving for over 15 years—her husband died five years ago. I visited them every 2-3 years and they came to our President’s Conference once. She has a great heart for the Lord and for missions. We always talk about walking intimately with Christ.

After leaving her house I hurriedly consulted my map and google-phone-map several times to make sure I was on the correct curvy back-roads cutting cross country to the interstate so I could make it to the funeral on time! When I got to the interstate and relaxed, I opened her envelope—$5000! Wow. I expected max $1000 which is what she has given the last two years and she has told me she will have to cut back. Thanks to the Lord and to this wonderful fellow follower of Christ.

I had a wonderful four hours driving across the mountains to the funeral in Tennessee, thanking and praising God for his creative beauty and provision. Turned the radio hymns up loud. Made it in plenty of time and spent the next six hours at this home-going celebration of the 90-year-old mother of my friend, Dave.

Even though I had to cut my visit to the widow and her family short by a day, I saw everyone I hoped to see. The funeral minister recalled an old song, “Every promise in the Book is mine.”  How true. Dave took a few of us on a tour of the home he grew up in. Nice.

Tomorrow: A quantitative analysis summary of the trip and an honest analysis—are donor ministry trips worth the cost and time?