The Support Every Missionary Needs
I have met many missionaries worldwide, or, as we refer to them, “global workers.” I have sat and listened to them talk about how much they love their “home” where they are serving and the people who have become their neighbors and friends. There is an unmistakable joy when you hear them speak about finally coming to a point where they can connect with “locals” on a worldview level, on a relational level, and on a heart level. Oh, that every believer would experience the joy of sharing Christ with someone for the first time!
Amid joy, there is often hardship. I have sat with them as tears rolled down their cheeks while they speak of difficulties for their children, challenges in years of language learning to be able to speak intelligently at an adult level, loneliness as teammates leave the field, and missing relationships and fellowship from their first home.
While helping some friends in North Africa, our small team met David and Katy. They were “taking a break” with their kids in the capital city to get some rest. They invited us to come over after dinner for coffee that evening. We enjoyed our coffee and began to find out more about their family and where they had lived in the states. They asked about our time and purpose there. As we described our reason for being there to help our friends, both David and Katy began to become very emotional. They shared with us that the real reason for their “holiday” in the capital was to consider whether they needed to leave the team they had served with for 9 years. They explained that they had been struggling with some issues within their team for quite a while and desperately needed guidance in the decision. It quickly became apparent that over the 9 years with this team, relationships with their church and friends at home had faded away in the rearview mirror and now there was virtually no support system left. I’ll never forget what he said next. “I just wish I knew there were people praying with us about this.” That night we prayed together for quite a while as more tears flowed.
When missionaries head off to a new place there are plenty of new challenges to navigate. They have so many new needs. They need visas to be renewed, they need to balance life in a new place with hours of work in language or other responsibilities, and they still have the responsibilities of marriage and children. And don’t forget, many of them need substantial financial support. However, I’ve never met a single worker in a difficult place who did not list prayer as their most significant need. When they step out in faith and ask God to provide everything they need, they also take Him at His word when He commands us to pray for Him to provide all of it! God is faithful to provide everything that we need, and He calls us to be faithful to pray.
So, I want to urge you to faithfully support missionaries in every way, but above all, pray. The two greatest gifts you can give your workers are:
- Pray for them!
- Let them know that you’re praying!
Author: Kiley H is the Global Discipleship Pastor at Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Ridgeland, MS.
