When we say "We are excited to be moving to Africa." What we are really saying is...
- Moving to Africa is really hard. Leaving your home culture and living as an expat is crazy. Who in their right mind would want to leave grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, & friends? We are giving up the ability to celebrate birthdays, holidays, milestones with the people who are closest to us.
- We are not in it for the adventure. Both of us have spent countless months/years living overseas away from home and friends. This ages you- the simplest tasks take twice as long. You have to give up your expectations.
- We worry about education/assimilation back into home culture for our kids. Getting a Western level education is expensive in the expat world.
When we say "We need to raise $6,268/month" What we are really saying is...
- We really do need this amount, at bare minimum. Most missionaries aren't operating at 100% = worry about paying bills/uncertain future = not effective in ministry.
- We are not in it for the money. In fact, we are taking a huge pay cut. With Ken's career as a commercial pilot, he could easily be making the "American dream" salary of 6 figures in a few years. As missionaries, our take-home salary will be roughly $28,000/year. We need to cover all living expenses, food, & education costs from this.
- We would love to have a regular job and support ourselves. We want to be the stereotypical American who doesn't need to rely on anyone else for help.
- Again, we really do need that much money per month. Part of the money goes straight back to the organization- 14%. There are also work funds needed in order to do our job. A great article on why it is so important to be at 100% can be found here: Missional Misconception #1 (Support Figures)
- I hate marketing myself, hoping to appeal to people's hearts... and wallets. We aren't any better than anyone else. There are tons of great organizations out there and people more capable. Laying ourself bare for the world to see & critque is hard.
- We would love to buy a house like all our friends and settle down. We have been married six years and have moved from: Virginia to West Africa to Mississippi to Virginia to Alaska to Florida. Every decision we make is towards the goal of moving overseas.
- We are dependent on God for all our needs, for the short months and the excess.
- We pinch pennies. We would love to eat out more, or buy the latest tech, or get that new pair of shoes we desperately need. But in the meantime we will live with our two year old shoes, our jeans with holes in them, and the 4 year old model Iphone.
- Living and breathing and serving those in Africa makes us so grateful for what we do have- the clean running water, full bellies, safe place to sleep, a car, and maybe even air conditioning; we are in the top percent of the world.
- When we say "Any amount monthly helps us reach our goals" we really mean that- we aren't offended if you can only do $5/month. If you are praying for us over that $5, that has more weight than just giving $500/month without prayer. (Although we would be happy to accept $500/mo!)
What has the Gospel cost you? What is American Christianity?
I hate taking scripture out of context, or listing a ton of different verses back to back to try and show a point, so I encourage you to look in depth and study each of the following.
Mark 10:17-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Matthew 16:24-27
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."
Luke 14:25-27
"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
Christianity isn't easy. We are called to deny ourselves, give to the poor, and be counter-cultural. We are to love our enemies.
Often missionaries are viewed synonymously with suffering.
Missionaries are supposed to suffer... So am I allowed to buy an air Conditioner?
