People often question
whether people working in support positions are “real” missionaries. Although I
know that I am, sometimes I wonder. My parents are church planters. They learn
the language, interact with the people, rely on their support, do Bible studies
with the people, etc. I don’t really have
to do any of that. There are many teachers who don’t learn the language.
For many, the interaction we get with the people is the taxi drivers, Orange
credit sellers, store people, and school workers (guards, custodians). Working
at DA, we don’t have to raise
support, we can rely on our stipend. Teachers don’t have to do Bible studies or
any teaching to the people… “Isn’t that what the “real” missionaries are for?”
(This could be a whole other blog post, but it does relate to this topic.)
Another thing I don’t have to worry
about is housing. It is provided for me. And what’s more, it is very nice! I
feel spoiled and sometimes I wonder if I’m
really serving while being here. I have a “plush” lifestyle and I am a
place that I love. It is no trouble for me to live here in Dakar. Many people
complain that it is not easy to live here and I’m like, “Are you kidding me??”
For me, it would be difficult to live in the States.
And so, with all these thoughts
going through my head I started wondering what could I do to serve God? To
reach the people? I don’t know how quickly outreach came to mind, but it
eventually did.
At first I balked, thinking, “No
way!” But it kept coming up. So the question was, “Why not go on outreach?” It is a time when God uses us to help bring
the Good News to the people. It is a good opportunity for students to see what
their parents might be doing. It gives the students a taste of being a
missionary. And it is a powerful thing, as Uncle Evan reminds us, to see that
many teenagers volunteer to give up their weekend to go to the bush and work.
In high school I only went on
outreach twice. I planned to go my freshman year but then circumstances made it
so that I couldn’t. Even though I think that was a good thing in the end – I
wasn’t ready – I kind of became bitter about outreach. I would scoff at it for
the next year or so whenever it was mentioned. Eventually, for some reason or
other I decided to go on outreach. But I don’t think I was really doing it for
the right reasons, I was doing it because “every good Christian/person at DA
goes on outreach.” So I went and I had a good time. So the next time here was
another outreach I signed up right away. Then, I signed up a 3rd
time. But I didn’t go a third time. One of my good friends decided not to go
and that struck me. I was like, “What? You can not go on outreach? Especially once you’ve already been on one?”
So, a few days before that 3rd outreach I went to Uncle Evan and
backed out. One small part of my mind was thinking I would hang out with my
friend, but the other part was wondering what my motivation for going on
outreach was – especially if I didn’t want to go partly because a friend wasn’t
going!
After that, the enxt time there was
an outreach, I didn’t sign up. My friend did and when I asked her about it she
said, “Of course I ‘m going. I love outreach. It was just that one time that I
wasn’t going.” But I didn’t go, not on that one or any that followed while I
was in high school. Do I regret it? No. I think my friend not going made me wonder
what my true motivation was. After that, I was never sure why I wanted to go:
to serve God, or to be with friends and to be a “good Christian.”
Fast forward five years and we are
at the present day. I want to go on outreach because of that question that has
been on my mind: “How can I serve God and the Senegalese people?” One of the
reasons I hesitate is because I don’t want to spend three days in the hot sun
wearing skirts and using squatty potties. But then I think, “Really? You are
going to not go on outreach because it will be uncomfortable? Isn’t this what
you are searching for? What is more important to you: serving God or your
comfort?” I remind myself of Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.” Will those three days compare to what can be read about in
Hebrews 11:32-37?
Am I willing to serve God for a measly 3 days so that his
kingdom can be advanced?
Thanks Ruthanne for your writing openly, and for being honest as your thinking changes. I hope you have a good time. I also hope the toilets aren't toooooo messy! May God bless you and all who participate as well as the village folk, too.
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