The Life of a Missionary
(Despite views like this in Ho Chi Minh City, most Vietnamese are animist or atheist, not Buddhist)
This month, my husband and I had the opportunity to work with missionaries in Vietnam for a week. I have loved missions since I got saved. I look forward to missions conventions and hearing missionaries speak. I read books and articles about what's being done around the world and how people are reaching others for Christ. It is beautiful to know how God is impacting people in different countries! I have been on mission trips to England before but this was my first time working with missionaries. Seeing the work being done in Vietnam gave me a new appreciation for the work and the sacrifice missionaries put in to fulfill their calling.
In Luke 9:23 (GNB) Jesus said, "Anyone who wants to come with me must forget self, take up their cross every day, and follow me." His disciples were charged with taking the Gospel to every nation. In Matthew 28:19 NLT, He said, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." While we are all called to this standard and given this mission as Christians, there are so many more challenges that come with being a missionary to a foreign field. We can help bring the Gospel to other nations by supporting missionaries, using the internet, and going on short-term mission trips, but missionaries are actually leaving to do the work.
They sacrifice so much and work diligently to reach a people group they often don't belong to. They make their home in a different country, learn the language, eat the food, and embrace a new culture all for God. If that isn't forgetting yourself (as Jesus claimed was necessary to follow Him), then I don't know what is! These people are daily putting in the work to follow God's call and raise up disciples. I have so much more respect for what missionaries do after getting a glimpse into their lives while on my mission trip.
In Vietnam it is illegal to proselytize. You can be a Christian, but trying to get others to come to Christ will get you into trouble. The missionaries in Vietnam that we were with primarily worked by building long term relationships with people through a coffee house ministry. We got to help people who came into the coffee shop practice their English (one way the missionaries build relationships with people) while we were there. It wasn't outright preaching; we just talked and as the opportunity presented itself (people asking us questions about it or bringing up the topic) we shared what we believe with them.
It is a ministry that requires patience and self-esteem. The missionaries don't see immediate fruit. They have to let their lives speak what they can't openly say and wait for people to desire to know more about God. It isn't as simple as a Vietnamese person accepting Christ. These people have to really consider the cost. They can lose their family, job, and more. There is a great deal at stake. This isn't a decision the Vietnamese take lightly. In fact, after a long time of what appears will be fruit, the person the missionaries invested their time and energy in will sometimes decide they are unwilling to pay that cost.
If a person is looking for affirmation and praise, they won't be successful in the mission field. A lot of times (especially starting off) they are not going to have stories that will impress or inspire others. The missionaries we worked with have seen fruit because they have remained steadfast for 9 years. They've worked in the same community and are committed to the long haul.
A friend of mine once shared with me that a missionary told her how difficult this kind of evangelism is because the people who sponsor missionaries expect great results for their investment. Because of that, the person shared that they often felt pressured to embellish what was going on in the field in order to ensure they continued to be supported by donors. It sounds terrible, but think about it, people will be more excited to support the missionary who has walked 10 people through salvation in the last few months than someone who has planted seeds of trust and openness without seeing anyone come to God. (Now, please don't think all missionary testimonies are embellishments. They are not. I believe God is using people to do great things but we need to give it time to flourish.)
I know many people who say they want to be missionaries without understanding the sacrifice involved. Missionaries often leave extended families and social support behind. People will attempt to keep in contact but realistically not everyone will. They have to develop new relationships (either with other missionaries or people from the country they are working in-this one may take years if they aren't allowed to legally minister in that country because they have to be careful they talk to about it). Plus, they experience times of feeling disconnected (with their home culture, their relationships outside the field, and with what is going on back home).
There is the challenge of learning to live in a different country and culture. Also, they may have to work hard to disprove any negative impressions the locals might have of them because of where they are from and the negative press or interactions the locals have had with people of the same nationality. Everything has to be intentional because they are working to build trust and relationships.
Then there is the fact that missionaries need to prove to others that what they are doing is important and that God is moving through their work on the field. If the person has a hard time asking for things, they are going to have a hard time being a missionary. They will need to learn to share their needs. That in itself can be a traumatizing experience because people may scrutinize what they see missionaries spend money on. Being with the missionaries in Vietnam just reminded me that of course missionaries are normal people. There are times when they desire to get something they want but don't need. There are times they want to be pampered. We all have times like this, but it becomes difficult when donors/financial supporters forget that missionaries have a life and personal needs that go beyond the ministry done in the field. Obviously, there should be wisdom in how money is spent, but being a missionary is already difficult, so let's not make it more difficult by expecting these people to give up caring for themselves. This will only lead to burnt out and less effective missionaries.
Added to all this is bringing children into the mission field and learning what it looks like to be a family in that culture while still maintaining their family values. The missionaries we were with do an amazing job of keeping their kids connected to the people and culture back home, but it would be foolish to think their kids don't get homesick or feel lonely sometimes. Often times these children are viewed as foreigners and so they have to learn where they fit in. Seeing their children hurt or know they want to go home at times can be an extra stress on the missionary family. It is easy for them to question during these times whether this is truly what God called them to.
Many times we romanticize missions (and I have been guilty of that), but there is real pain and struggle in this work. That's not to say that there aren't great experiences (there are a lot!) and that it is a miserable occupation, but I wanted to share with you all that I learned on this trip in terms of the sacrifice missionaries make. I gained a new respect and appreciation for what missionaries are doing to fulfill their calling to reach other people groups. I am determined to let it make me a better supporter to missionaries. Let us honor their sacrifices and support them (through finances, prayer, encouraging messages, etc.) so that they can continue to do what God has asked of them without hindrance or distraction. The reality of their daily lives isn't as simple as a newsletter or series of social media posts. These are people, like you and I, who have chosen to be obedient to God and enter into a field where it is necessary to have the support of others. Let's honor our part in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) and make sure our missionaries are taken care of.
Comments
Post a Comment