There are a few things you ought to pack in your missions survival kit.
You will be put in situations where the stress of the world, flesh and the devil could defeat you. God will use new ministry situations to get you closer to your spouse, your new friends and to Him. How do you prepare for that?
| Sense of humor |
Humor can be such a joy and relieve tension on in a foreign place. |
| Spirit of adventure |
Look at things as an adventure, as something new, something not frightening and fearful, but as a challenge God is placing before you. |
| Sport flexibility |
Lose your sense of rigidity. There are a lot of right answers. The Holy Spirit is windy. You never know where wind comes from or where it goes, but it is there. |
Suit of
Spiritual armor |
Make sure prayer and the Word of God are primary. Make sure your relationship with Him does not take second place to your mission or your ministry. |
| Set of spectacles |
Eyes to see the God-sized things that He is going to do, not just through you but in you and in your relationships there. |
A visitor spent a week with a team on the field. They served for a year and were now returning home after a second one-year term. She asked a married woman who had served there as a second-career missionary,
"What was it that was the hardest for you about going to the mission field?"
She replied, "It was not the going. I knew we were called. We were ready to go. We were equipped and we were excited to go. But it was the leaving, it was the surrendering and the leaving behind of the friends and family, that was the hard part."
"And now coming home, what is it that is going to be hard about leaving this country?"
"It is not the going home. I can't wait to get home to see my kids. I can't wait to get home and tell my church what God has been doing here in this country.
But the hard part about going home is the leaving — leaving the country, leaving the people, leaving this way of life, and leaving what He has done through us living in this circumstance in and through our marriage.
I would encourage anyone to get ready, to pray and continue ask the Lord to show you what He is going to teach you. Serving in missions has been the best time of our lives. I would not go back to the way of life we had before. The second half has so much more to offer if you are willing to apply your talents to second half of ministry in missions."
As presented at Finishers Forum 2000 by
Karen and Barney M. Davis, Jr. M.D. of Godspeed Missionary Care, Easton, MD
