Missions Moment: Preparing Missionaries For Service
By Kellye Carmack
The answer was not ‘on the tip of my tongue’ as they say. I had no clue what the teacher was looking for as she stared me down, searching my face for any sign I knew the answer to her question. The other students waited awkwardly for me to say something. One guy, bless him, tried to demonstrate the answer with his hand motions from across the room. It was no use. I didn’t understand the question, much less know the answer. It was my second week in language school and every day foreign words swirled around my head but never made it into my brain. After class I quickly slipped out of the room, leaving my pride stuck to my seat, and started the mile walk back to my apartment. At some point one of my team mates called to discuss an upcoming team project. Somewhere in the conversation there was a misunderstanding, followed by a tense silence and short goodbye. I hung up convinced she couldn’t stand me. As I unlocked the door to my apartment I swallowed the huge lump forming in my throat. “What was I thinking?” I prayed out loud, “God, surely I am not cut out to be a missionary. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
In my two years overseas I had plenty of hard days full of doubt and insecurity. I had many more wonderful days as I saw God working in my city despite my inabilities. The experience was harder and better than I ever imagined. My home church had encouraged and prepared me to go and I’m grateful they did. Is someone from your church also preparing to go on the mission field? How can you help equip them for the task ahead?
Before I moved overseas, a woman from my church met with me regularly to discuss topics such as loneliness on the field, spiritual disciplines and sharing the gospel, to name a few. She pressed me to plan ahead for how I would react in difficult situations. Our time together was fruitful and I often saw that fruit in my time overseas. Most missions agencies have great training programs, but sometimes the best discipleship comes from ordinary conversations shared over coffee.
Take some time to invest in your missionary before they leave. Have them over for dinner and help them navigate the changes they are about to face. Make them aware of what they will encounter and help them anticipate how they will respond. While you can’t prepared them for everything, there are some topics I would prioritize when discipling a missionary, especially one going overseas for the first time. Based on my experience and that of many others, there are four areas of mission life that everyone should consider before leaving. I wish I had been more prepared in these areas and I hope that sharing them will give you a starting point for your discussions:
Team Conflict – Most, if not all teams have conflict. It’s one of the hardest parts of mission work and the most common reason people leave the field early. How does your missionary deal with relational conflict? Are they known for causing drama? Do they listen to others or are they quick to speak? Are they a team player? Encourage them to love their team members, to be patient with them and to be quick to confess and forgive sin.
Self-Care – When I was a missionary I had no concept of self-care. It wasn’t until a year into my time that I started a healthy routine and it made a difference in my work. What is your missionary’s plan for self-care? Will they have a place to exercise? Can they take regular breaks? How will they spend their sabbath day? Missionaries are eager to get to work and once they see the needs around them it will be hard to slow down. Help them understand that self-care can prevent fatigue and burn out.
High Stress Situations – Living in a foreign country can mean that ordinary tasks quickly become stressful. Language and cultural differences can turn a simple trip to the bank into a full day ordeal. How does your missionary deal with stress? Do they have a quick temper? Do they withdraw and shut down? Help them think through how they will respond to those situations. Perhaps suggest some Scripture to memorize or some calming breathing techniques.
Perceived failure – Most missionaries have bad days in language class or gospel conversations with people who don’t listen. How is your missionary going to measure their success? What will they do when they don’t see the fruits of their labors? How will they fight discouragement? We don’t always see what God is doing and how He is using our efforts. Encourage your missionary to persevere even when they don’t see results.
Are you or have you been a missionary? What did your home church do to help prepare you? What do you wish you had learned before you left?