"I never made a sacrifice."
David Livingstone (1813-1873)
Scottish missionary, doctor and explorer to Africa

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Dear family and friends:

We returned recently from a wonderful (if too-brief) visit to California, where we lived from 1995-2004.
In 2004, Emily was 5, Luke was 3, and neither remembers visits to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, or even church or our homes in Yorba Linda or Diamond Bar. We showed them Placentia-Linda Hospital, where they were both born, and reunited them with old friends they played with. (See link for photos.)

It was easy to wonder what it would have been like if we had stayed, because everyone was so hospitable to us that it felt as if we were picking right up where we left off.

I’d be lying if I used the David Livingstone quote above to say that we are so focused on our mission that we don’t miss our friends, our house, or all the great things California has to offer. And I don’t think he meant it that way either.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no-one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or 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--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30, emphasis mine)

Have you ever noticed the promise of 100 times as much in the present age? I’ve thought about that promise a lot—in our experience, it’s not quite as simple as a claim of extreme wealth and popularity in this age. I think it’s what we experience as you welcome us into your homes as your partners in ministry. It was exemplified by this trip. Friends shared their homes with us, shared their car with us, shared their meals with us, cared for our children, prayed for us, and helped us in every way possible—even sacrificing time they may’ve wanted to spend with us so that we could try to visit everyone who wanted to spend time with us.

Our prayer letter usually focuses on the joy we’ll share when we’re in the Lord’s presence together with those reached by this ministry. But I just wanted to use this space to express our thanks to God for the koinonia of His agents. If we had never followed His call, we’d be much poorer because of it—both in this life and in the next!

Love, in Christ,

P.S. Please see our latest photos!

Mike and Cindy Skinner

“One Day Closer!” (Romans 13:11)