I have been greatly
encouraged lately hearing about young people with a heart for missionary
work. It took my mind back to the time
of Albert Schweitzer and his work in Africa.
In those early days of missionaries, they went simply to serve the
people and help them in their need.
Those like Gladys Aylward who served God in China, totally identified
themselves with the people they lived amongst.
They didn't go out with the idea of some project for the church back
home. They felt God's calling to serve
those among whom they lived.
 |
| Gladys Aylward |
Sadly since those days
the whole idea of missionary work has, in some areas, changed its perspective. Some think of it as a form of outreach to
expand the limits of their denominational empire. It has become more about projects and
programmes, large crusades to increase numbers in attendance. Sometimes it is used as a step on the ladder
upwards in church heirarchy. It has
become more and more about giving a glowing report of what has been achieved
and being able to calculate success in some numeric form. But happily I am aware of other ways of
working. My friends in Latvia are among
those who live among the people as they live.
They don't have mission targets and are not sponsored but live as those
around them live. I have another friend
who goes for 9 months of the year to Nicaragua to work among the families who
live off the rubbish tips and try to get the children into education in order to
improve their prospects in life. I could
mention others around the world, just going where God has called them and
living there and asking God what He wants them to do.
 |
| Working on the land in Latvia |
I am also following the
blog of a local doctor who has taken a 3 months sabbatical and is currently in
India helping out at the local clinic and working with people in the
slums. I am encouraged as I said at the
beginning because God has a way when we mess things up and go off the rails a
bit, he stirs the hearts of others to go out and just do things differently -
simply wanting to serve those who are there without any over-riding plan or
trying to prove that they have been successful.
How can you measure the success of a friendly smile to a child living in
poverty? How can you make a helping hand in a time of need count in some
numbers game? God is alive and at work
but not always in the organisational or denominational plans and projects.
2 comments:
It is really difficult for missionaries these days too if they feel the call. How do you go? Do you go with a job? Do you get sponsors? If you get sponsors how do you keep them giving money?
I really feel that people back home who sponsor missionaries need to ask themselves some important questions too. I can say that here in Latvia the neighbours kids all say "hi" and the youngest ones always give cheery smiles, would that be enough to carry on supporting someone? Would you need a story of one of those little ones "coming to Christ" or is it enough to say that we are connecting with the local people? How big a story is needed to tug on the heart strings or the purse strings?
Yes indeed. It's not easy to keep giving when you don't see results. I just feel that it shouldn't be about expanding the empire of some denomination and going in with colonial attitudes and a sense often of superiority. The focus has to be on the people and the place where we go. I guess there's a need for different types of mission.
Post a Comment