Missionary Questions

Missionary - n. one who is sent on a mission, especially one sent to do religious or charitable work in a territory or foreign country.

When I go home to the States for a visit, inevitably someone will ask me where I live. When I tell them China, the next question they ask is, are you a missionary?

I always thought my time in China was just a relocation of my husband's job, but the longer I'm here the more I've come to realize that God may have brought me here for missionary work. I definitely feel like I am trying to reach out to those who don't know Jesus and be light to their darkened world! So when I came across these missionary questions I thought they would be a fun way to share some of our life and ministry here with you. Enjoy!

1. If we went to your house in China what would we do differently than we do in the States?
Answer: Everything is different! The houses, the people, and the culture are all different from the States. And we are not just dealing with Chinese people. As China develops into a more industrious country people from around the world are coming here. We are exposed to a very diverse society here and it has taught us a lot. The hardest difference for us is the driving situation. We don't drive ourselves, the traffic is too crazy! So you would have to have a driver, take a taxi, or brave the bus! Gone are the days of jumping into your car and driving to the gas station when you're out of coke!

2. What do you enjoy doing in China that you can't do here?
Answer: Cheap, but oh-so-good massages! A two hour full body massage cost about $10 per person. I have to keep myself from going every week. I can't even imagine the cost in the States! Luxurious and shallow I know, but I had to be honest!

3. How does your family rest and rejuvenate in your adopted country?
Answer: We enjoy quiet weekends at home. Without immediate access to a car all the time that happens quite often. But our best way to rest is to go on a beach vacation. Almost every trip we've taken has included some beach location!

4. Tell me about the church or Christian fellowship you attend. What's the congregation like? How did you choose this group?
Answer: I like to think that our fellowship is a glimpse of what heaven will be like one day - people from all over the world, representative of all different nations and races, that praise God in every tongue and language. Our church is mainly college students and teachers from a wide variety of countries such as England, Australia, Canada, U.S., India, Indonesia, and several African countries. We pray every week that one day our Chinese brothers and sisters will be able to freely worship alongside us. Unlike America where there seems to be a church on every street corner, this congregation was the only available to us. We couldn't be picky and are grateful there is even one!

5. Who are your closest friends there? How did you meet them?
Answer: I would have to say Kelli and Regina. Regina's husband is Clint's boss, and Kelli's husband is another manager in the company with Clint. As we were some of the first families over here for the company we became friends by survival. It also helped that we all have kids the same age. Although I am not as close with them as they are with each other, they usually include me in their activities. We depend on each other for grocery shopping, transporting children, and babysitting. I would say we usually eat together as families at least once a week.

6. What part of your ministry do you find most exciting? Most discouraging?
Answer: Exciting - finding ways to share truth with them without throwing the Bible in their face. For example, the other day at lunch one of my friends was tired of waiting at the restaurant for another friend to show up. She got out her cell phone to let the late friend "have it". Before she dialed the number I simply said to her, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." She thought about it for a moment and when she made the call she decided to be gentle with her tone. It made all the difference in the world. Discouraging- that no matter how much truth I try to share and how much light I try to shine into their dark world, I don't seem to be making much headway -- and it's been 2 years!

7. What are the obstacles to the gospel in your adopted culture?
Answer: There are several. First is the limited opportunities we have to share the gospel with the Chinese. People find ways to do it but it is not always easy. The government is getting better but it is still not open to Christianity. Second is the language. To reach the Chinese you have to be able to communicate and relate to them in terms they can understand. I admire those who can fluently communicate with the Chinese! Even if a Chinese person speaks English there is always some gap that can't always be filled or understood when you try to translate words and ideas. Third is their deeply seeded beliefs, religion and traditions. I often wonder how we can reach them all when the roots of their beliefs run so deep. It's hard to change a people who have believed certain ideals for thousands of years.

8. Have you experienced specific spiritual warfare?
Answer: Definitely! Just today I was praying about the thick darkness I feel surrounding so many here. I asked God to pierce and shatter that darkness and to help me remember that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. It is a constant battle and so many times I feel like we are not gaining any ground here. But then God reminds me, like He did today, that with Him we will gain the victory and He will trample down our enemies (Psalm 60:12).

9. What are some surprise blessings you have received lately?
Answer: God has blessed us financially recently that we weren't expecting; one of Clint's Chinese workers has been reading the Bible we gave him at Christmas at work; and daily I see God answering prayers in the most amazing ways!

10. How many different stamps are in your passport?
Answer: It's no secret my love for traveling and after our holiday at the end of this month, the total will be 44 stamps and 4 visa pages. I read a quote this week that I should have coined: "I haven't been everywhere but it's on my list."

11. What question do you wish someone would ask you?
Answer: What would you want your family and friends to know the most? It means the world to us when you call, write, or send something to us in the mail on a regular basis. Sometimes we think that we are all but forgotten about here as you go on with your lives. Those little things really make our day!

If you have missionaries from your church you can write to, these would be great questions to ask (obviously, change out the country name). I'm sure they would love to share a part of their world with you and having a note from home would probably bring a smile to their faces!