Gone Too Soon

With this being the beginning of 2017 I am sure you have seen the list of "Famous Faces Gone Too Soon" or "Celebrity Deaths in 2016".  We heard that a "princess" died.  I have also been seeing people getting awards for Bravery, and for exemplifying Inspirational Courage.   Last week on December 26th, 2016 this world lost a Super Star, Princess, amazing woman of the faith, my hero and friend Margaret Jank.  Most of you will not know her.  But Marg had been a missionary for over 50 years.  I first met Marg as a new missionary in Venezuela.  I am very language challenged and for the second half of my time learning Spanish she was my Spanish teacher.  She not only tried to get me to become fluent in the language, but she wanted to pass on a love for the Venezuelan people, the Venezuelan church, and to help me grow deeper in my faith.  

Marg had worked for years with her husband and family in the remote jungles of Venezuela with the Yanomami people.  But due to some health issues she needed to be out of a high malaria area so she helped new missionaries learn Spanish.  (Her husband died over 30 years ago and Marg continued serving the Lord as a single missionary.) During my time in the Spanish study I can still remember Marg sharing how she felt God was leading her back to the jungle to continuing ministering to these dear people.  Even though it could have greatly affected her health, within a few years Marg was back living in the remote jungles of Venezuela.  Although we worked on the same field I did not often see Marg.  However, several years ago Marg moved back to Canada and onto the campus here to make this her home base.  During her years here she joined our training staff and helped out in many different ways teaching, disciplining, and impacting all of our lives.  Every semester she also shared in our ladies chapel and was our guest speaker for many events.  There was one theme with Marg's messages which was: to put off anything hindering you in your walk with the Lord and to fall deeper in love with the Lord.  She encouraged us that as we here in Canada, dress for the weather, especially in the winter, we need to daily get dressed for the spiritual battle and put on the armor of God.  

All the time Marg was here she was still making trips back to Venezuela to continue to invest in the Yanomami people.  Both here and in Venezuela she was continuing to write up Bible lessons for the people.  During these last years she also was dealing with cancer.  Each time she had a check up she tried to get the doctors to ok another missions trip.  Marg's hearing was starting to go so when I called down to talk to her, she often would say how she was having troubling hearing me.  I would then go to her place and talk to her in person.  (This was always a treat to sit and have coffee with Marg.)

Marg had hoped to make it back to Venezuela again in December, to continuing to ministry there for another few months.  God had other plans and welcomed Marg to her  forever home, in heaven.

So my 2016 Woman of the Year goes to Margaret Jank who exemplified Inspirational Courage, who was a true servant of the Lord.  She lived a sacrificial life and made it her life goal to walk faithfully with the Lord and to reach people with the gospel.  Although this world will not recognize any of her accomplishments, we know that as she entered heaven she received great riches.   She finished strong, loving and serving the Lord till the end.  I thank the Lord for this Godly woman and for the privilege I have had to know her.  She has greatly impacted my life.   May God use her testimony to encourage us to keep pressing on in this race and to finish strong.  "Well Done, good and faithful Servant."