When a director says, “my missionaries,” he does not mean it in the sense of possession, but of identification. After a Christmas program, a school teacher might state, “I am so proud of my students.” The teacher obviously is not expressing a desire to take them home with him-to steal them from their parents. To the contrary, good teachers invest time and effort helping students become more of what their parents want them to be. By calling them “my students,” the teacher is conveying his affection for and identification with the students.

When Linda and I returned from missionary ministry in Senegal and Zaire, we always spoke of “our people.” Of course, we understood that they belonged to God-not to us. However, the Lord had given us a great heart of love for them. We had won them, taught them, and had worked with them. We had laughed together…and cried together. They were our people.

During the nine years that I was a pastor, I often bragged about “my people.” Sitting in their homes…or in a hospital room…or in a funeral home, or pouring out my heart to them from the Word of God, made them my folks. I did not own them, but oh, how I identified with them!

Now, as a director, when I say “my missionaries,” it is not my intent to rob them from their pastors and churches. To the contrary, we praise and encourage loyalty to the local church-we would never undermine that! Through the years, we weep and rejoice with them during times of adversity and blessing. In the process, they naturally become “our missionaries.”

This year, Linda and I were honored to visit many of our missionaries in the Philippines. A few years ago, we visited with missionaries in Ivory Coast just before the crisis there broke out. We often say, “If the missionaries can live there, we can visit with them.”

We sleep in their beds and eat their food. We cry with them when a child goes astray, and rejoice with them when the Lord blesses their churches. We gladly answer their calls in the middle of the night. And sometimes, we call them just to say, “You are on my mind…I’m praying for you.”

It seems to me that when a teacher says, “my students,” parents must smile and think to themselves: “I sure am glad that he is my child’s teacher.” When a pastor calls his flock, “my people,” some in the community must whisper: “We wish we had a pastor like that!” And when a field director refers to “my missionaries,” I certainly hope that pastors and church members say: “I am glad that our missionaries have someone that can help us be a blessing to them.”

We do not own our missionaries…but we certainly do identify with them. It is impossible for me not to tell you that “I am proud of my missionaries…our missionaries.”

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Jonathon & Mandy Crews -  BRAZIL
Joel C & Brooke Daku -  KIRIBATI
Paul W & Martha Daku -  FIJI ISLANDS