**The words below were written by 2 of our amazing Mount Hope Missionaries. Because the nature of the work they are doing this amazing young couple wishes to remain anonymous.**

The cost of missions is like the cost of discipleship, it’s hard and can leave you lonely at times. If a life dedicated to Jesus was only hard though, how could we make the claim that Jesus is closer to us than our closest friend? Though Jesus was honest with us in that we will face hardship in this world on account of His name, He was also clear that we would receive a hundredfold if we left everything behind for His name sake.

“Truly I tell you no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father of children of fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” Mark 10: 29-30

There is eternal hope in Jesus and when we turn to Him we begin to experience Heaven on earth. There is a real cost to giving up your life for the work of overseas missions work; You give up the comfort of living in your home culture, you say goodbye to family and friends, sometimes you give up adequate health care, easy to cook food, transportation, internet, running water. Jesus promises though that if we leave everything behind for His name sake, we’ll receive a hundred times as much. After living in the Middle East for just a year so far, the joys surpass the sorrows. There is a joy that comes from sharing the Gospel with someone who has never heard it before that I have never experienced before. To have the opportunity to introduce someone to the living water and bread of life and seeing their faces light up in amazement is a treasure I will never let go of.

God is worthy.

Why do we go to the hard places to preach the Gospel? Because Jesus is worthy to be praised by every tribe, nation, and tongue! In Revelation 5 we read about a mighty Angel asking, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” No one was found worthy to open the scroll except the slain Lamb of God. God is worthy of our lives as a living sacrifice because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and we are not above our master. Why would we go to the hard and dangerous places to preach the Gospel? Because Jesus left His eternal dwelling place in Heaven and came to our broken dangerous world to reconcile us to Himself.
Let us join the Moravian slaves in saying “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.

Sheep among wolves.

We will not be surprised when we are rejected by men as we seek to glorify Jesus’ name among the unreached. At the heart of unreached people groups (UPG’s) is the center of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Animism and Atheism. We will not be shook when we are rejected, persecuted, or slain for Jesus’ sake. We will use wisdom and love, like serpents and doves.

We will not seek out persecution, but we will not shy away from proclaiming biblical truth or compromise His message for safety! Jesus promised the Kingdom of Heaven to those who are persecuted for righteousness. How will we muster up the courage to move beyond fear? By looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.