Ramblings About Life as a Missionary

I confess that I do not faithfully read anyone's blog, and I forget that there are people who are interested in what I do as a missionary. Let me tell you upfront that being a missionary can be a "job" just like a job anywhere. Have you ever done social work in the inner cities? I have. It definetely prepared me for the work I do now, but being a missionary is a lifestyle. You can be a missionary in your own country. What makes a missionary a missionary is someone who is obedient to God and follows Him to the most uncomfortable places to share the love of God with the "least of these." If you think that I am oversimplifying this special calling, I apologize, but I can't help but notice a few things by being in Africa. Living in a developing country is uncomfortable unless you have money. Although an American missionary is not necessarily poor, they still have to learn how to live without many things. It is difficult. I can give you a whole list of reasons why this is so, but I do not need anyone's simpathy, just trying to make a point. I've learned that I don't need to have it all together to help, (this all together can be serveral things, depending on whatever idol we have propped up in our life: is this a little to forceful to write? My confession: my "all together"/idol was efficiency/progress/organization). I don't need to speak the language perfectly, I can just dive in and love people. Its uncomfortable, but at the end of the day I know that it was God, it was a miracle, I take no credit in it. Want to be a missionary. Ask yourself what is your most uncomfortable place? Once you figured that out, practice being a missionary by living there and learning to love people.