Missionaries in Camouflage

I had the most odd experience today. I had an original "Whopper and Fries" for lunch at Burger King. There is not Burger King here though. I had a chance to purchase genuine American products in the middle of the land of counterfeit. One can even use $'s and all the goods are like anything you'd have in a US supermarket. You see, I was invited onto the local NATO base by a friend. It's like a little slice of America inside those gates. I lived here for 3 years and never realized what was just up the road.

Even though the BK was nice what was even better was the conversation I had with an officer on the base. My friend introduced me to Tom (not his real name) who was pleased to see us. Tom cannot easily leave the base and is encouraged when he meets new brothers. Tom is on a 6 month tour in the Balkans, in his words,"a holiday after Iraq and Afghanistan". What was even more extraordinary to me was that Tom sees himself as a handsomely paid missionary. He never shies away from an opportunity to share the good news or talk of what really matters in life this side of eternity. He was talking to us about inviting colleagues to read the Word and getting copies for them in their native tongue; how amazed and thankful they were. Tom recounted us with many such stories, stories of how he helped men like Ohmar in Iraq with Parkinsons disease or inviting Musa to a local gathering of believers. Today I was proud to witness how my taxes are working help the hurting and expand the kingdom.