How to treat “your” missionary

Those of you who know our family, know that we are so fortunate to still have our own company back home, so even though we’re are out travelling and volunteering in missions, we still have some income, which pays for what we do. There is a little extra to spend treat ourselves (meaning mostly: our children).
We are able to afford our flights, housing and food from the income we have. There’s normally not a lot left for much extras or a typical Norwegian lifestyle when we are back home, but we very much realize we’re getting by way way better than many. There is more than enough.

We are on a short term trip in Cambodia at the moment and this blog was written towards the end of our family-weekend in a nice hotel in Siem Reap, and we got to visit Angkor Wat, which is a ‘must do’ when in Cambodia. Or at least Siem Reap.
It was so awesome to be able to do this, a real treat for ourselves and our children. Being able to stay a a great ywam base (with A/C and amazing food) already was a great opportunity and very different from how other people sometimes live.
I wish we could have taken the whole team with us as a treat; it feels they deserve this so much more than we do. We are so often surrounded by missionaries (young and old) who usually have barely enough for food and housing. But they live in faith and are dependent on others for their a ticket home..

So, this is a big thank you to everyone out there in the world who sponsors a missionary out on the field. Without you, those ‘out there’ could not do what they are doing: bringing hope (Jesus) and help to the unreached. Whether that is through teaching English or music, translating and distributing Bibles, building schools, rebuilding houses after storms, loving on orphans, bringing food to the poor, making kids happy with fun and games, training other missionaries, bringing medication, bringing skills, bringing joy, bringing love and so much more.

Because of you, the next generation will hear about the hope that is free, through Jesus.
Because of you, lives are being touched.
Because you choose to pray for and financially support a missionary. Thank you!

Being a missionary is something we feel led to do. The following may or may not be true for all missionaries, but I think this is true for most:
We love meeting people all over the world and making new friends; we love sharing how we experience God’s love, we love the adventure, we love learning bits of a new language to connect with people, and love to taste the local cuisine.

We love being a missionary.
But, here’s the deal: it can be hard too!

We probably live in a country we don’t know with a language we don’t know (yet), we miss our family and friends, we eat food we’re not used to (with resulting belly aches), we shower cold (if at all), we might not have a toilet like we’re used to at home, we have to deal with bugs we’ve never heard of (geckos are our friends because they eat (some of) the mosquitoes).
We jokingly say we’re “suffering for the lord” and secretly we feel we are sometimes.

We absolutely love our lives and we feel every effort made is worth it.
We absolutely appreciate your prayers and feel the love!

The point of this blog is:
The financial support you send is not only so much appreciated, it is also so needed. With it, not only housing, food and travel is paid, also projects are supported. The occasional coffee or coke is a treat and it can be very hard to buy this, when you are facing the heart-breaking needs you encounter.

When a missionary buys a nice skirt (because there is an expectation to dress modestly, washing is by hand, and clothes don’t last very long), they are hesitant to post a picture of it online, because what will the sponsors think?
Labor may be cheap, which means getting your nails done might only be a few dollars. That is nothing short of awesome (because who wouldn’t want to feel pretty instead of dusty and sweaty every now and then?), and you get to talk about Jesus with the nail lady). But posting it online? Perhaps not..
Those in a country with a beach close by have to be careful posting picture of their day off. It’s so easy to question whose money it is that is being spent, and those questions are being asked – sometimes even by donors.

I encourage you to tell “your” missionary how much you appreciate what they are doing, and let them know it’s OK to treat themselves well.
May I be so bold to ask you to bless them with a little extra sometimes? To tell them to check in to a nice hotel or guest house, to get a hot shower, a bath with fresh towels, some french fries or pizza, a new dress or shirt, or whatever they would need to recharge?

When being in long term missions, a short break away from reality and eating food you’re used to from home, can mean much.
Would you go the extra mile and share the extra love with “your” missionary?

Thank you for listening and for your support and prayer.
Without you all, we wouldn’t even be here in the first place!

Be blessed and be a blessing!