September 2017 Issue

In this Issue

NEW ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS

1. How can I determine if I should stay on another term?
2. Our mission agency told us to expect support raising to take 9-12 months. What should my husband and I do for income during this time?
3. Is it better for our family to ship our furniture overseas or to buy replacements on the field?

ANSWERS NEEDED FOR THESE QUESTIONS

4. How can I be spiritually and emotionally prepared to live and work in another culture?
5. How long does it take to learn another language?
6. I’m a teenager. Are there any specific classes that would be helpful to take in high school for getting into missions after school?

RESOURCES AND EVENTS

7. Article: Dangerous Mission Shortcuts
8. Weekend Retreat: The Journey Deepens
9. Upcoming Mission Conferences and Events

Q: How can I determine if I should stay on another term?

A: Consider these questions and avenues for input.

Answer from Marti, who has served as a mission mobilizer for more than twenty years including ten with Pioneers.

That’s a difficult question to answer without knowing more about your situation. I hope you have others with whom you can discuss this important question face to face. Being open and transparent with people with whom you may be having trouble or who may pressure you one way or the other can be difficult, but we would urge you to talk first to your team leadership.

If they are unable to help you, you might take your concerns to others in the organization, such as other leaders or those responsible for HR/personnel, or what is often called “member care.”

You should also be in contact with your home church while you are in the process of making this kind of decision. Many people do not let their church back home or their supporters know about a problem or transition until their decision is already made. It’s better to bring them into the conversation sooner so they won’t be so surprised, will pray for you, and can offer their perspective.

Questions to ask yourself or discuss with others may include:

1. What other opportunities might you pursue if you don’t continue for another term?
2. What do you feel God is leading you into, long-term, and how does this fit in?
3. How will leaving vs. staying affect others, e.g., your coworkers or those you are serving?
4. Is there someone else who could take up your responsibilities? If not, are you prepared to see these things come to an end?
5. If you do stay, what things would you like to do differently during your next term? Are there things you can and should do to change your circumstances? (e.g., raise more support, seek a change in your responsibilities, invest more in certain relationships, etc.)
6. If you leave, what does it look like to “finish well”?

May the Lord of the harvest unfold all he has for you and through you!

» Submit your own answer to this question.

» See also other questions about guidance.

Q: Our mission agency told us to expect support raising to take 9-12 months. What should my husband and I do for income during this time?

A: Your mission agency may help.

Answer from Rebekah, who has served with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Puerto Rico and the US for eight years.

We took about 18 months to get fully supported in our initial fundraising efforts, and that was after reducing our budget. Support-raising can be like a full-time job, but in our experience it was an evening and weekend job. Of course, if you need to travel outside of your local area to meet people/churches, it could take up more significant time.

Our first mission organization actually gave us a percentage of our “salary” as we hit support-raising goals, and we were actually able to be on our full salary by the time we were 75% supported. Does your organization offer this sort of pay scale? If so, you could be having income from your support before you’re fully-supported. If not, the other answers sound reasonable. It’s a strange season of life, but it is rewarding in its own way. Stay open to the blessings!

» Read other answers to this question and explore questions about fundraising.

Q: Is it better for our family to ship our furniture overseas or to buy replacements on the field?

A: It depends.

Answer from Janis who has served in the Philippines and Haiti for fifteen years.

Where are you going? We live on an island. Things are very expensive here. A broken down, beat up and stained couch can cost $3000.00. But other things we can purchase easily. If you can purchase it locally and it’s affordable I would say to do that first. It helps the local economy for one. I try to purchase whatever I can to help people’s small businesses and to relieve the poverty around me.

That said, some things I just cannot get. And for us, it was cheaper to fly some things in rather than ship. We bought a used SUV at auction, loaded a trailer behind of things that would fit into it, then drove to Florida, rented a car, unloaded and returned the trailer, then loaded up the car (everything but the driver’s seat). We drove that to the shipyard and shipped it. We took the rental car to the airport and brought along whatever we could.

Whatever we couldn’t fit into that SUV we have either flown in via a missionary service or brought in a suitcase, or bought here. Customs is a huge issue for us, too. We paid more for customs than we paid for purchasing the vehicle.

Ask a lot of questions and do your research. Getting onto a social media site and joining some expat missionary groups and then asking questions helped us a lot. As to that couch, we never got one. It was cheaper to invest in some Walmart patio furniture which we flew in and put together when it arrived. It’s cute, lightweight, and functional.

» Read other answers to this question.

Answers needed for these questions (and others):

If you are a missionary, consider answering one or more of these questions. (See answer guidelines below!) If you know a missionary who may be willing to help, forward this newsletter with a personal note.

Q: How can I be spiritually and emotionally prepared to live and work in another culture?

» Answer this question.

Q: How long does it take to learn another language?

» Answer this question.

Q: I’m a teenager. Are there any specific classes that would be helpful to take in high school for getting into missions after school?

» Answer this question.

Answers may be submitted through the website or simply sent to editor@askamissionary.com.

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Upcoming Mission Conferences and Events

Tentmaking and Business as Mission

September 15-17, Business as Mission Conference (Dallas, TX, USA).
November 2-4, Open B4T Expo (San Jose, CA USA).

Support Raising

September 11-12, Support Raising Bootcamp (Rogers, AR, USA).
October 13-14, People Raising Conference (Oak Brook, IL, USA).
October 26-27, Support Raising Bootcamp (Waynesville, NC, USA).
November 13-14, Support Raising Bootcamp (Brea, CA, USA).
December 12-13, Support Raising Bootcamp (Orlando, FL, USA).

Ministry Training

September 18 to October 14, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition.
October 2 to February 11, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course (online).
October 8 to November 3, Equipping for Cross-cultural Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA).
October 23 to November 18, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition.
November 5-17, Second Language Acquisition Course (Union Mills, NC, USA).
November 6 to March 18, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course (online).

Missions Conferences

October 4-7, Christian Community Development Association (Detroit, MI, USA).
October 13-14, Missions Fest Seattle (Bellevue, WA, USA).
November 9-11, Global Missions Health Conference (Louisville, KY, USA).
November 16-19, International Conference on Missions (Peoria, IL, USA).