This
post from Adam Mosley has been making
the rounds online, spreading like wildfire. I appreciate the honesty within
this article. There is really a lot of truth to it. Although I cannot say that
I agree on every point, it does bring to light some of the many difficulties we
face on the mission field.
Being
a missionary is hard work. Everybody knows that. But the things we think of as
the hard parts—lack of modern amenities, exposure to disease, and the like—only
begin to scratch the surface of the difficulties of real missionary life.
Often, it is the things left unsaid that really begin to erode the passion and
soul of a missionary. Here are just a few of those things…
1. THEY DON’T HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO
WRITE… BUT THEY DO IT FOR YOU.
WHAT THEY SAY
Have
you read my latest newsletter?
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Newsletters,
blog posts, website updates – all the “experts” tell me that I need to be
sending you fresh content on a regular basis so you won’t forget about me. But
here’s the thing…writing is hard, especially for those who aren’t natural
writers. You know what else is hard? HTML, CSS, PHP, and a bunch of other
tech-geek stuff that you have to learn about just to make a decent-looking
website or email. I really want to tell you what’s going on, but it’s hard to
turn out gripping narratives while I have a sick child asleep in my lap. And if
I have to look up how to code a “mailto” link one more time, I’m going to
scream!
2. FACEBOOK “LIKES” DON’T PAY THE BILLS.
WHAT THEY SAY
Thank
you so much for the encouragement!
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
I’m
glad that you liked my Facebook status. I really am. The thing is, when I say
we need $1,200 by the end of the week to pay the school fees for orphaned
children, I’m talking about actual dollars and actual need. Contrary to the
rumors, Bill Gates doesn’t donate a dollar for every Like. That part is up to
you. So, the next time you Like my status, consider sending a few bucks my way
too.
3. THEY ASK FOR MONEY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.
WHAT THEY SAY
I’m
trusting God to provide, and I’m so thankful for our donors.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Lest
you think #2 sounded a little whiny and money-hungry, you should know that I
truly despise asking for money. I always have. And now I have to ask
for it almost all the time. Even when I’m not asking for it,
I’m thinking about asking for it. There are never enough funds to do
all the good I’m trying to do, and I live with a nagging feeling that the one
person I don’t ask is the one who would have written the big check.
So, when I ask for money, know that I do so with fear and trembling.
4. YOU’LL NEVER HEAR ABOUT THEIR
WORST DAYS.
WHAT THEY SAY
Please
pray for me. It has been a challenging week.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Things
are pretty bad here. If I told you what’s really going on, you would either
come rescue me, or think I was exaggerating. If you heard some of the things
I’ve said out loud, you might question my salvation. If you knew some of the
thoughts I’ve had rattling around in my head, you might question
my sanity. Sometimes good days are hard to come by, but I don’t dare tell
you the worst. If I did, you would probably tell me to throw in the towel.
5. THEY NEED A VACATION…BUT WON’T TELL YOU IF THEY
TAKE ONE.
WHAT THEY SAY
I
just need a time of refreshing.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
After
2 or 3 years of hard work, most people feel like they deserve a little break.
Take the family to the beach. Visit a theme park, a national park, or Park
City. I would love a vacation, but honestly, I feel guilty
“pampering” myself, rather than putting all my time and resources into the
ministry. On top of that, I know some people will judge me if my vacation is
“too nice.” If I scrape and save pennies for 5 years so I can spend a week on
an exotic island, you’ll never hear about it, because I can’t handle the
snarky, “It must be nice” comments (the ones you’ll say to my face), or, “My
donations paid for your vacation” (which you’ll think, but not say out lout –
at least not to me). So, I keep some great stuff to myself for fear of being
judged.
6. HOSTING TEAMS IS A NIGHTMARE.
WHAT THEY SAY
I’m
so excited about your team coming!
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Bless
your heart. You think you’re doing me a favor. Thirty people show up at my door
and expect me to provide transportation, food, lodging, sight-seeing, and a
list of service projects a mile long. You’re here to “help.” The thing is, the
other 51 weeks out of the year, we manage to do what needs to be done here just
fine. That is, except for the time we spend working on the logistics for your
team. You come over and want to help build a fence, when I can hire local
workers to build a fence for a tiny fraction of what you spent to come here. I
appreciate your desire to help, and I even love having visitors, but consider
the size and expectations of your group before you plan your trip. A team of 3
or 4 highly skilled people is much more valuable to our ministry than a gaggle
of mission tourists.
7. “GOING HOME” IS A LOT OF WORK.
WHAT THEY SAY
It’s
great to be back home.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Please
understand, I now have two homes. When I’m at one, I’m away from the other, and
there is a lot of emotion involved in that. On top of that, my life is
absolutely crazy when I go “home.” I have to see relatives and
friends, visit with partner churches, and take care of any number of issues
that have arisen with my health, my electronic devices, and my government
paperwork. Whether it’s a few weeks or a few months, I spend my time living out
of suitcases and hustling from one appointment to the next. Is it good to be
home? Sure. But when I get on that plane to go to my other home, I
breathe a sigh of relief that life is almost back to “normal.”
8. IT’S EASY FOR GOD TO TAKE A BACK SEAT IN THEIR
LIFE.
WHAT THEY SAY
I’m
not very good at self-care.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Let’s
face it, I’m no saint. I’m not any more spiritual than you are. I don’t start
my day with three hours of devotional reading and prayer. I typically just get
up and get to work. And there is a lot of work to be done. In fact,
there is so much need here that it’s really easy to become so focused on
doing things for God that I lose sight of God himself. In
pursuing my calling, I’ve somehow forgotten about the caller. My spiritual
life is almost nonexistent, other than the occasional desperate cry of “Why
God?”
9. IT’S HARD TO TRUST PEOPLE.
WHAT THEY SAY
I’m
just looking for some good strategic partners.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
There
are good people here, there really are. But I have seen the worst of humanity
in my work here – much of it from people I worked with and trusted. Other
missionaries and pastors can be the worst. Just when you think you know
someone, they stab you in the back, the front, and both sides. I’ve gotten to
where I simply don’t trust anyone. My guard is up, and it’s not coming down. I
refuse to get burned again. If that means I have to do everything myself, then
so be it.
10. THEY ARE LONELY.
WHAT THEY SAY
I’m
OK – just really busy with the ministry.
WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY
Having
neglected my relationship with God, and given up on people entirely, I’m left
with just me. I hate it. I want to quit. I have dreams about what my life would
be like if I went back to my old home town, to my old church, and my old
friends. I could get a normal job earning a salary – with healthcare
and paid vacation. I could shop and eat at normal places. Most of all, I
could have normal relationships. But here? I’m all alone. I don’t know if
there’s anyone like me here, and I know no one back home understands.
I want to feel wanted, invited, and loved. I want someone to pour into me the
way I’m pouring into others.
