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August 7, 2017

Finding the Pearl

Dear Friends,

Is it really worth the cost?

Think about the last time you moved or changed your job. Obviously, you had to weigh the cost against the gain. Will the new location be better for you and your family? Will the change in work advance your career, create better conditions for growth, or bring in more income?

Now imagine that you are being asked to quit your job, sell almost everything you own, and then raise all the money needed for both your salary and your work expenses. You and your family will be moving not just across the country, but across an ocean, to a foreign place where you don’t know the language and culture. You will be far from family and friends, and limited in your ability to communicate with people around you. On top of this, the work may be slow and difficult.

Why would you willingly choose an assignment like that?

I recently talked with a family in Seattle, and another in Chattanooga, and a third in Los Angeles who are all enthusiastically choosing this kind of calling over many other attractive options. They are not being forced or manipulated. In fact, they are thrilled and excited about the choice they are making. Are they seeing things clearly?

Shortly after that I spoke with a successful businessman from Prague. He had just quit his job, sold his house, and taken such a low salary that he had to ration heat in his apartment in the winter and forgo his family vacation. All this to free up his time to train Jr High youth leaders in churches across the country.

“When people are young we can totally change their life in just two or three years,” he told me. “They can come to faith in Christ, grow into a leader, and reach their friends in such a short amount of time. I dream of revival in my country, and work with young people is the fastest way to make this dream a reality.”

A movement of God. Jesus said that the pearl of His Kingdom was so precious, that the merchant who found it would gladly sell all he had to gain this great treasure. The price is paid with joy when the gain is much more than the loss.

Thank you for helping us find the pearl,

Dave Patty, President, Josiah Venture

Dave Patty President

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