Gaining Perspective

Don Richardson arrived in Netherlands New Guinea with his wife and infant son in the early 1960's. They were missionaries to an unreached people group known as the Sawi, cannibals and headhunters. This tribe had never seen a white person. They had never seen boats or airplanes or lanterns. Growing up in America during the same time, I had seen all these things and so much more. But I didn't know much about the world beyond my backyard. I didn't know or think of unreached people groups. I didn't know of child slavery or witchcraft or torture. Reading the biographies of missionaries helps me to gain perspective on the eternal, to get outside of America and know that our mission as Christians still looms large ahead of us. Let's not forget. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19)