Who is a missionary? 1/25/2014

Who is a missionary?                                          1/25/2014

In ~4 months, we will be full time missionaries in Chad.  Who are these people?  Today I am wrestling with the "M word".  Missionaries (and missionary kids) invoke various images for many people. I often find a caricature image being suggested, as though missionaries are either untouchably saintly or just crazy or weird. 

One dictionary describes missionary as a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development.  That’s pretty good but it says more about WHAT a missionary is, not WHO? (or whom?  You can sort that part out).  The more I speak with people about who I am and what I feel called to do, the more entangled I feel in the trappings of a definition.  I'm not a what, I am a "who".

I think the distinction to make here is that missionaries are "normal" people that you know (ok, some more normal than others).  Missionaries are not just actors in distant countries.  We are your friends, family, neighbors.  Me? I am an imperfect guy trying to be the best version of myself in a way that reflects God's light.  Don’t be freaked out by that--  Having faith is nothing to run from.  Its bigger than the box you may want to confine it to.  Christianity isn’t perfection.  Don’t let imperfection of people who follow Jesus keep you from the simplicity of His message. We all sin.  We all fall short.  God loves you anyway.  That makes it really easy to turn to faith in Jesus. You can read/hear the truth and believe it is possible.  The "repent" part can be harder because (1) its a loaded word that scares people AND if you choose Jesus, (2) you will want to turn 180 degrees, face Him, and choose a new path.  That may require you to leave a few things behind.  After years of "hiking" in a new direction, I easily can say I prefer walking in the sun (or Son); Its warmer in every way and that warmth radiates to people around you. Presto: instant missionary. 

So with that in mind, we all can be missionaries. My best advice comes from this borrowed line: "Preach the Gospel always; if necessary use words."  Don’t be creepy or fanatical in a way that is a turn off.  Know your audience.  I can be all things to all people and remain true.  Let your actions speak for themselves.  And guess what? You don’t even have to go away to be a missionary.  Sometimes people may think too narrowly about how they could personally serve.  Even though I feel called to Africa, I like to remember that we can be used anywhere.  The point is to pray and seek God's guidance about how and where you can be an encourager.  

I'm not an expert on her life, but I really like this quote attributed to Mother Teresa because it reminds us that God sends us to serve all over, including our own homes and neighborhoods:  She said, (you can) "Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have the eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by society —  completely forgotten, completely left alone.”

If you aren’t sure where to start your "training" for this path, read a Gospel from the bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and see what Jesus really teaches.  It may not be the stuff you "heard about"; Its love and not hate.  Go love someone and let it shine. Embrace the "M word".  

Love,

Mason, Kim, Grace (Maddie), & Emmie McDowell

            Psalm 139: 9-10   

                  9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

This is a recent family photo (Dec 2013 in the U.S.) with some trick photography.  I was in Chad when they took this pic so they taped a photo of my face onto a family friend who served as my "stand in".  Who knew Kim could be funny?  I think I look pretty good in that shirt. 

Want vs Need... Im thankful for what God has provided

1.1.2014

I'm truly thankful for all that we have and for all the people in my life. Happy New Year friends! Take time to love your family, friends, and neighbors (and your enemies).  

I was struck by the following passage in the book Revolution in World Missions so I decided it was worth sharing. It is a good reminder as we enjoy a prosperous new year that not everyone in this world has as much.  At the same time, many also recognize they do not need so much to be happy.  

I pray we all find the right balance in our lives.  

  Economist Robert Heilbroner describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the one billion hungry people in the Third World:
We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
  We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards ... the box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
  Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed. Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books—not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio.
  Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms. There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.
  Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of a peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.

Sunrise photo taken during my visit in December 2013.  Even the starkness of Chad can be beautiful!

Love,

Mason, Kim, Grace (Maddie), & Emmie McDowell

            Psalm 139:9-10   

                  9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.