the "best" missionaries

I love the sunsets over Manila

Not yet having been through the acid test of time (10+ years), maybe five years on the overseas mission field isn't enough to critique what really does make a great missionary. But in my short experience there is an eagerness to share a little something on the subject. All of which is humbling.

The first year overseas for any and every missionary is the hardest year with all the culture relearning while adjusting to expectations of the mission organization and field tasks.  Mike and I were laughing the other day as we recollected all the first year experiences that could have easily driven us to throw in the towel had we come with weak intentions. We could've said, "Ok. Let's go home now," and happily chased after the more familiar, convenient, and enticing American sunset.  But now we're working on our 6th year among these islands of beautiful people, where God has taught us more than we could've ever imagined for ourselves. 

The face of missions has changed from what it was 30 years ago.  At least in the Philippines, there are a lot less missionaries from the western world and other regions.  If there's one thing only five years on the field has shown me, it's that the American church does not invest in missionaries in the same way it did in the 80's and 90's.  Maybe that's why less westerners are going out overseas--because it's become harder to raise support.  Churches are also evolving in their requirements of the ideal missionary/mission they deem worth their kingdom investment.  

For some missionaries this is an ongoing struggle that really challenges their faith and even relationships with other missionaries.  Trusting God Almighty to provide can be a daily battle.  It's a missionary's second full-time job. But that's okay. It truly is. Whatever the devil uses to try and make us fail, God uses to glorify himself while helping us grow at the same time.  God always wins. 

Several months ago the International Mission Board had an article that made several rounds around the world and on social medial.  It had to do with the biggest reason why missionaries leave the mission field: other missionaries.  True.  However, one must not dismiss the other obvious fact: God is sovereign in everything, including the fallouts within the missionary circles.  

Missionaries truly have nothing to bring to the table.  No matter their learned skill sets they have nothing to offer God but pure obedience.  Apparently, God is okay with that.  Starting with the disciples, Jesus took some of the most socially challenged characters and brought them together.  He took a group of men that were the least likely to get along, taught and trained them into discipleship.   When they quarreled among themselves about who was the greatest and each one refused to stoop down low enough to wash anyone's feet, Jesus was not in the least bit surprised with their lack of humility. But once they dropped their learned animosity and competitive mentality, God was glorified and hundreds and hundreds of people [at a time] came to Christ with repentant hearts replicating the teachings and discipleship training originally passed down by Jesus.

In our first five years in the Philippines, we have witnessed all sorts of goings on within the missionary community.  Yet, the most amazing God-glorifying missionaries are some of the most gracious, most merciful, most hospitable and most forgiving individuals and families.  They are His light showing what God's goodness looks like when practiced among each other.  

I think the most difficult place to glorify God is within the Christian community.  This would explain why Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35) We have experienced our fair share of disappointments, stress, feelings of not fitting in with the modern society of missionaries elite...etc.  I've learned that many missionaries go through that.  

It would be nice to be able to say that through those times I have consistently remained merciful, gracious....and basically, faultless. Ummm....no. Truth is, at times I have forgotten to simply let God be God by letting him be the one to work with the sins of others.  You know what that means? If I haven't been faultless while being offended by others, I was sinning too.  But God Almighty has been gracious enough to remind me over and over that I can make a much greater impact by loving and encouraging even the missionaries who have offended me.  They also struggle in their own war with the devil who would like nothing better than to help them fail on the mission field too.  Witnessing the generous Christ-like hearts of others gives this amateur missionary hope for my own growth and maturity through the many more challenges up ahead.