One of the best parts of a short-term missions trip is the opportunity to work with missionaries. I’m always so excited to spend time with people who are giving their lives, completely, to something that matters – in another cultural context. I find that it’s rare to find people who are willing to give their entire lives to things that matter to God, let alone those who would do it in Africa.
Missionaries must get lonely. Relationships are important to everyone, and the foundations of relationships in another culture get pretty tricky – different cultural norms, different expectations, different ways of communicating, etc.
I’d also imagine that “church” is difficult for missionaries. The things that I love so much about my church require speaking the same native language, and sharing some of the same expectations, culturally. Not that those things are necessary to do church, but I’d imagine missing some of those things if I lived in another country.
As a matter of chat…
Do you know any missionaries? How are you supporting them? Do they know that you appreciate their sacrifices for the gospel? How are you making sure they are successful in the call that God has place on their lives?
