Missionaries

As I sit here in my moldy towel after a very cold shower (that’s right, I have no hot water), I reflect on my Christmas. I was able to visit a family member in another SE Asian country that I have not seen in 3 years. I traveled by mini bus, van, airplane, taxi, shuttle bus, spent the night in the airport, took a night bus, and also a car. The cool crisp mountain air was a refreshing change, as well as the Christmas lights surrounding the city park where live music played and couples strolled eating food and buying small gifts from the vendors. It was a great visit and got to meet many amazing people. This brings me to my next point. I’m going to be truthful, so I hope I am not offending anyone. The majority of the people there I met were missionaries. They teach at a University, they live in 2 and 3 story carpeted homes, with granite counter tops, full washer dryer units, plasma screen TV’s, with full cable, a fireplace, imported American furniture, and Nintendo Wii’s. The women typically scrapbook with each other, go shopping at the markets, go to coffee, and we all went to a water park at one point too. I have to say, that the more time I spent with these “missionaries” in their homes, the more I second guessed the allocation of money. To me, missions is to be out there with the people, as much as possible. Building wells, teaching English, doing medical outreaches, loving on street kids, not living in your luxurious house in your gated community with all of the wants (not needs) of an average American family. I know that not all missionaries live such luxurious lives, but when I see more and more of them that do, it makes me wonder if the money on the Nintendo Wii, that second car, or the 300 channel cable could be better spent, after all, it is the churches money. It’s hard to see them spend the money like that, when there are many villages in the same country they are called to, who don’t have running water, lack education past age 12, or are still without electricity. Doing holistic and missionary work requires sacrifice beyond leaving your family behind. It means taking some discomfort, for the sake of those less fortunate. It’s hard to see missionaries who do barely any work in the field beyond living there, having all these luxuries, when all I really want is a hot shower.