Can I tell you a little secret? One of my favorite things to do at work is talk with parents and family members of CTers. They’re often skeptical about Campus Target when they first hear that their loved one wants to go overseas, and somewhat regularly they wind up calling me to see if we’re legit or not.
We recently had a guy join our team who asked his uncle for a significant financial gift. Before giving the gift, his uncle had questions, and we talked on the phone:
“So, tell me who you guys are.” I explained our history: over eight years in Asia, 180 young adults mobilized for missions, 25+ long-term workers in Asia, hundreds of students saved, church groups forming on the campuses.
“What about the government and security?” I explained how different the security situation is now than it was 30 years ago; persecution is much more rare, localized, and sporadic; we train our people to be careful and wise, but not paranoid.
“How about funding? Can you raise a family on your income?” We all raise our support, and God provides all the time in miraculous ways. I shared about our director, his wife, and three kids living in Asia, and about Buttercup and I just having our first baby and being as committed as ever to serving in CT to see the campuses reached for Jesus.
I could feel him warming up to Campus Target throughout the call, but it was his last question that said the most: “So, where do I send my check?”
I couldn’t help but smile and be grateful when I hung up the phone that afternoon. I’m thankful that God put me in a place to help tip the scales in favor of people giving their lives to missions — potential recruits apply to go, parents release their kids to serve, and donors feel confident in what we’re doing and decide to give. It’s such an honor!