One of the sacrifices we are called to make in mission is separation from loved ones. I had not seen my father for two years and was looking forward to returning home soon. That morning, the students asked me to speak in the university chapel on the death of Elisha from 2 Kings 13:10-25. They wanted to know how the bones of Elisha brought a dead man back to life. I spoke about the God who is reliable to the end, who saved his people in the past, who saves in the present and who will save in the future through eternal life in Jesus Christ. After chapel, I went back to work, preparing a study on the resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15 and was struck by the parallels with the morning talk.  I went home rejoicing, only to receive the news that my father had passed away. I was stunned at first, but soon realised that he had died close to the time I was speaking about eternal life. The next day, I taught my class on the resurrection, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22).  The reality of Paul’s words was tangible, and I found that I could shout with Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory!” (1 Cor 15:54). I knew with certainty that my father was not dead but had eternal life with Christ.