Mission

I know that doing mission work in another country is very difficult, don't get me wrong.  To leave one's family and friends, not to mention one's native nation, culture, surroundings, and oftentimes language, sounds pretty crazy stressful.  However, while we are in our native country, we should still be doing mission work, and there are a few ways in which international missionaries have a serious advantage over us in the States.

Allow me to expound.  It generally takes a strong conviction and a huge leap of faith to be an international missionary.  You pack up/get rid of everything, move to another country, and set a very clear boundary between your stateside and international stages of life.  Every day that you are in your new country, you are constantly reminded of your purpose and your new vocation.  Every person you interact with looks or talks a little differently (or possibly very differently) from the people in your "old" world.  The scenery out your window may be drastically altered.  Every step you take may be on different flooring, or soil...or sand.  You came to this place with the express purpose of spreading the Gospel, and there is very little of your previous context to tempt you to revert to complacency.

Not to say that we in the States don't go where we go or do what we do with the purpose of spreading the Gospel...we often do.  It is just so easy to get distracted when much of your environment is operating as it always has.  Tina and Jenny are living with us now, which is a huge deal.  I don't know Jenny very well yet, but Tina has shown a great desire to know God.  It has been wonderful to see her excitement and determination to learn. The problem is that the Dojo girls still have work/school.  We still have young group stuff and family stuff.  We still have all our other obligations in addition to this new mission that has plopped into our laps.  Sometimes I think it would be easier if I had to drop everything else and focus on this huge mission.  I mean, just think about all the other thousands of international students in this town!  They can't all live at the Dojo! :)  ...But then I remember that, well...loop back to beginning of this post and repeat.

I guess what I'm saying is that I could use some prayers for patience and a self-sacrificial attitude...and that I will remember the Purpose in this whole business.  I am to be God's hands and feet and give Him glory.

Unrelated Epilogue: You know, blogs are a really good platform for opinionated people.  CNN has always said so, but I am discovering it first-hand. Blogs are mostly a one-sided conversation (the computer has to listen to me for as long as I can ramble), and no one can interrupt to argue.  :)  And if someone does leave an argumentative comment, no response is required and the comment could be deleted.  Haha.  It is a dangerously empowering feeling..... hmm....I'll try not to let it get to my head.