Today in our prayer time, let’s focus on Thailand and Jeri Whitfield, our missionary there. Our church supports her through the Cooperative Program.
We want to pray for Jeri for two main reasons. First, she’s our missionary and we must pray for all our missionaries. But, second, Jeri’s life says a lot about the call and commitment of our missionaries that shape their entire lives.
Jeri first served in Thailand years ago when she was in her 20s. She served two years in the Journeyman program. Then, when she was in her 40s, she returned as a career missionary.
She had a full schedule teaching, visiting mountain villages on a motorcycle and helping bring people to faith in Christ. But at age 55, she faced a bout with cancer. She reluctantly took early retirement. She beat the cancer and became a university professor in California. She was set.
But her call to missions remained. So, a year or so ago she returned to Thailand as missionary — in her 60s — her 17th year of service there.
Let’s thank the Lord for our missionaries like Jeri, who inspire us with their life-long, life-stretching commitment to share Jesus with a lost world.
