A ROCKY FOUNDATION

           In 1519, at the very last moment, the governor of Cuba revoked the charter of an expedition to Mexico after a fierce argument with its leader. But the defiant Cortés set sail with 11 ships and 300 men anyway. By July he had worked his way along the coast to Veracruz. There, eager to march inland to the capital, Cortés destroyed 10 of his 11 ships, cutting off his men’s only hope of retreat. He left them with no option but to head inland. The expedition ultimately destroyed the Aztec Empire and began the process of colonizing Mexico. Cortez understood the price of commitment and he was willing to pay it for a temporal, earthly treasure. Paul in contrast was willing to give up the earthly for the heavenly. On the Damascus road he had the unspeakable privilege of seeing the glory of the risen Christ (Acts 9:3). From that moment on all other glories seemed like nothing in comparison. Paul left his old life and burnt the bridges. He moved for...

                         In 1921 two young couples from Sweden answered Gods call to be missionaries to Belgian Congo in Africa.   When David and Svea flood and Joel and Bertha Erickson arrived at the mission station, they literary hacked their way with machetes into the interior. In the villages they were told “we can’t allow any white people here, our gods will be offended”. The weary families had no choice, they settled in the jungle and build mud huts. Because of diseases and loneliness, after six months, the Ericksons decided to return to the mission station. Svea could not travel because she was pregnant with her second child and had malaria.   For several months Svea endured raging fever. During that time, she witnessed to a little boy who came from a nearby village to sell chicken and fruits to the family. As Svea spoke to him, he simply smiled. She di...