It has been my experience, not personally but through people I know and love, that it is just an uphill journey trying to raise support to do missions work inside the US borders. I'm not talking about short term, I'm talking about long term, lifelong ministry. It's just not easy.
I guess there's some kind of feeling like life is too cushy in America to be a missionary, or maybe that if a missionary is in America, they should just be paid like every other American, not have to raise support. I'm not exactly sure why Christians feel that missionaries overseas are more needy than the ones who minister in our own backyards.
T and I currently know personally a few families who minister in our community, either on college campuses or open air or just to communities. They were placed here by reputable mission's organizations and told they needed to raise X amount of money to survive here with their families, and I kid you not, I honestly don't know how they survive on X. The truth, unfortunately, is that they actually receive around 50 - 60% of X, which is around or below poverty level, especially around here. How do they do it???
For one friend in particular, it's a daily struggle with trusting God. I imagine it's difficult putting a child through college, raising two younger children and not know each month whether or not you can put food on the table. We have raised our children together, I know her and her husband well - I honestly have never met a person I so obviously know that God has given the gift of evangelism to. This man was born to evangelize, and I don't doubt for a minute that they are doing exactly what they are called to do in exactly the right place. I just cringe when I find out after the fact about how hard a certain month was for them, how their kids didn't have any pajamas in the winter (for real!), how they passed on grocery shopping because there was no money. You see, what this particular couple has against them that other missionaries may not is the fact that before they became Christian, they had both gotten divorced. They have been turned away from even being "qualified" to raise support at a lot of churches. Churches won't even meet them, recognize what God has done through them. It's very disheartening. And I wonder...
Why do US missionaries continue to minister in this state of limbo?? My cousin was a full time US missionary with no history of divorce. He even married the pastor's daughter, adopted a son, had 2 sons of his own, was an Army vet, you name it, he was it. While he served here in the US, his biggest struggle was raising support. Why is this??
Now, I'm not saying stop supporting missionaries overseas - NOT AT ALL!!! I'm just saying, if you feel led to support a missionary in the US, please do this, and do it consistently. There are people all around us who serve God full time and as a Christ's church body we should support them and their families. I know money is not everything, but it's our way of life here and necessary to survive.
A family member of mine from a different generation once told me they felt that missionaries should sacrifice and that the amount they are paid, if it's reasonable, is too high. Now, I almost hit the roof, but I respect my family members from a different generation. I did kindly disagree. I challenged her: why should missionaries sacrifice and not us? Shouldn't we feel the burden so we can better minister to them? She didn't like my answer - and I'm not that surprised. Fortunately, she still loves me!
As a woman myself, I honestly cannot fathom the suffering that goes on in my friend's heart each month. I'm sure, as she watches all her neighbors living as though they don't have a care in the world, planning their next vacations to Disney, Hawaii or some ClubMed somewhere, buying brand new cars each year, putting their children in soccer, karate, ballet AND gymnastics, going out to eat she's just praying to have enough food for her kids tomorrow. The worst part about it is feeling like she is a beggar for even mentioning that they might have a need. Feeling so insecure, so abandoned and probably secretly wishing God had never chosen this life for them... or maybe not. I don't know.
I'd make a terrible US missionary. I just wouldn't stand for this. I wouldn't be able to face the people who decided to skip a couple months of support for a family vacation or new car or piano lessons. I would honestly have a bitterness in my heart from the built up hurt piled on top of me by my "friends" who avoid me so they wouldn't have to explain why they won't or can't support us anymore. I would crave true friends who weren't afraid to hear about my pain and wouldn't always think I was begging them for money. I would just be downright bad! God would be so not proud of me. At least that's what I think I would be like.
If you made it this far in my rant, offer up a prayer for the many US missionaries who really need your prayers. They are doing a difficult work and I rarely hear a complaint from any of the ones I know. It's a pleasure to work alongside them, to support them and befriend them. If you haven't already, find one in your community and see how you can encourage them. They really aren't that bad!! and you might just find out that you really like them!
I guess there's some kind of feeling like life is too cushy in America to be a missionary, or maybe that if a missionary is in America, they should just be paid like every other American, not have to raise support. I'm not exactly sure why Christians feel that missionaries overseas are more needy than the ones who minister in our own backyards.
T and I currently know personally a few families who minister in our community, either on college campuses or open air or just to communities. They were placed here by reputable mission's organizations and told they needed to raise X amount of money to survive here with their families, and I kid you not, I honestly don't know how they survive on X. The truth, unfortunately, is that they actually receive around 50 - 60% of X, which is around or below poverty level, especially around here. How do they do it???
For one friend in particular, it's a daily struggle with trusting God. I imagine it's difficult putting a child through college, raising two younger children and not know each month whether or not you can put food on the table. We have raised our children together, I know her and her husband well - I honestly have never met a person I so obviously know that God has given the gift of evangelism to. This man was born to evangelize, and I don't doubt for a minute that they are doing exactly what they are called to do in exactly the right place. I just cringe when I find out after the fact about how hard a certain month was for them, how their kids didn't have any pajamas in the winter (for real!), how they passed on grocery shopping because there was no money. You see, what this particular couple has against them that other missionaries may not is the fact that before they became Christian, they had both gotten divorced. They have been turned away from even being "qualified" to raise support at a lot of churches. Churches won't even meet them, recognize what God has done through them. It's very disheartening. And I wonder...
Why do US missionaries continue to minister in this state of limbo?? My cousin was a full time US missionary with no history of divorce. He even married the pastor's daughter, adopted a son, had 2 sons of his own, was an Army vet, you name it, he was it. While he served here in the US, his biggest struggle was raising support. Why is this??
Now, I'm not saying stop supporting missionaries overseas - NOT AT ALL!!! I'm just saying, if you feel led to support a missionary in the US, please do this, and do it consistently. There are people all around us who serve God full time and as a Christ's church body we should support them and their families. I know money is not everything, but it's our way of life here and necessary to survive.
A family member of mine from a different generation once told me they felt that missionaries should sacrifice and that the amount they are paid, if it's reasonable, is too high. Now, I almost hit the roof, but I respect my family members from a different generation. I did kindly disagree. I challenged her: why should missionaries sacrifice and not us? Shouldn't we feel the burden so we can better minister to them? She didn't like my answer - and I'm not that surprised. Fortunately, she still loves me!
As a woman myself, I honestly cannot fathom the suffering that goes on in my friend's heart each month. I'm sure, as she watches all her neighbors living as though they don't have a care in the world, planning their next vacations to Disney, Hawaii or some ClubMed somewhere, buying brand new cars each year, putting their children in soccer, karate, ballet AND gymnastics, going out to eat she's just praying to have enough food for her kids tomorrow. The worst part about it is feeling like she is a beggar for even mentioning that they might have a need. Feeling so insecure, so abandoned and probably secretly wishing God had never chosen this life for them... or maybe not. I don't know.
I'd make a terrible US missionary. I just wouldn't stand for this. I wouldn't be able to face the people who decided to skip a couple months of support for a family vacation or new car or piano lessons. I would honestly have a bitterness in my heart from the built up hurt piled on top of me by my "friends" who avoid me so they wouldn't have to explain why they won't or can't support us anymore. I would crave true friends who weren't afraid to hear about my pain and wouldn't always think I was begging them for money. I would just be downright bad! God would be so not proud of me. At least that's what I think I would be like.
If you made it this far in my rant, offer up a prayer for the many US missionaries who really need your prayers. They are doing a difficult work and I rarely hear a complaint from any of the ones I know. It's a pleasure to work alongside them, to support them and befriend them. If you haven't already, find one in your community and see how you can encourage them. They really aren't that bad!! and you might just find out that you really like them!
3 comments:
God will ALWAYS be proud of you :-)
em g.
thanks for sharing...helps me to have more understanding....
Em G. you are wise beyond your years - you are right but it's so hard to understand why, don't you think?
Terry, I wonder a lot how US missionaries survive. Knowing them has helped me understand, having friends from Russia, a country that is sending missionaries to the US!, has opened my eyes to the need here for people in full time ministry.
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