The Cost of Encouragement

Stationed at the bottom of the world, 59-year-old Dr. Ronald Shemenski was the only physician available to provide medical care for researchers at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. In April, though, Dr. Shemenski himself developed gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas, a life-threatening condition if he didn't get out of there quickly and receive the treatment he needed.

Ordinarily, no planes fly in or out of Antarctica from February to November because of darkness, frigid temperatures, and blowing snow. But without any other way to save the ailing doctor, authorities decided to attempt a hazardous April rescue. No plane had ever landed at the South Pole during the polar winter. The pilot of the eight-seat propeller plane sent to rescue Dr. Shemenski faced some challenging questions: How far will you go to save a life? How much will you risk to bring someone back to safety? To the relief of a watching world, the rescue plane made the trip safely.

About the same time the rescue flight was taking place in Antarctica, an American-born missionary named Veronica Bowers boarded a pontoon plane with her husband Jim. They were returning to Peru, where they had set up Bible study groups, planted churches, and trained native preachers in 56 villages along a 200-mile stretch of the Amazon River.

But on this April day, they were returning from Colombia where they had gone to get a Peruvian visa for their seven-month-old adopted daughter, Charity. In a tragic error, the Peruvian Air Force mistakenly concluded the Bowers' plane was carrying drug dealers. Soldiers fired at the plane, and Veronica and her daughter Charity were killed. And the questions come again: Were Jim and Veronica Bowers heroes, or were they foolish to risk their family's safety for the sake of the gospel? How much should you risk to bring someone back to God?

Bill Hybels tells about a time when he got the mail from the family mailbox. Walking into the garage, he stood by the garbage can and threw away junk mail—catalogues, credit card applications, and a postcard with pictures of a couple of children on it and the message, "Have you seen me? Then call 1-800-. . . ." As Bill watched the postcard float down to the bottom of the garbage can, the thought crossed his mind that if those were his kids, he wouldn't consider that postcard junk mail! If his kids were missing, he'd be handing out those postcards to everyone he met. He'd be doing everything in his power to get the message out. And then he thought, How does God feel about his missing kids?

The Lord traveled a long way to find lost people and bring them back home. The greatest Encourager of all left the comfort and safety of Heaven to come alongside sinsick people at the bottom of the world and offer them hope, forgiveness, and grace.

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). No more encouraging words have ever been spoken. What are we willing to risk to carry that message to the world?