Most of you are aware of the economic crisis that has severely affected missionary work around the world as the American dollar suffered continual devaluation over the last four or five years. Appeals were sent out and many churches have responded by increasing monthly support or by giving a one-time special offering to help keep their missionaries on the field. Given the current economic situation of unparalleled spending and debt in the United States, I would have thought that the dollar would be in even worse shape. However, relief has come at least for us European missionaries, from a very unexpected source: the crisis of the euro. Less than a year ago it was being touted as the strongest currency in the world with talk of its replacing the American dollar as the universal currency.

Then Greece found itself in bankruptcy. And Spain who was one of the first countries to "promise" money to help bailout Greece, has been told by both the IMF and European Union to get its own deficit under control. While the government is passing austerity measures to reduce its defiict, the unions have already staged one general strike and there will be more before summer is over. To make fiscal matters worse unemployment in Spain continues at 20%.

Once you factor in other countries like Portugal, Italy and Ireland who are in similar circumstances to Spain, the inevitable result has been the fall of the once mighty euro! We missionaries are having a hard time believing that the dollar has recovered so much against the euro. In fact, the current exchange value has not been this good in the last four years. We don’t know how long this situation will last, but we thank the Lord for the economic relief that He has given to many of us missionaries.