Real Missionaries

Julia Love

Description

Julia shares a number of wonderful, awe-inspiring missionary biographies of her contemporaries working in different countries across the globe. The book is also full of many useful cross-cultural principles, God’s miraculous hand moving in the midst of very difficult conditions, and lots of humor.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Inspirational
• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris AU
• Date de parution: 24 avril 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798369490532
• Langue: English

Extrait

REAL Missionaries
 
Inspiring Gritty Cameos in 15 Nations
 
 
 
 
JULIA LOVE
 
 
Copyright © 2023 by Julia Love.
 

Library of Congress Control Number:
2023905119
ISBN:
Hardcover
979-8-3694-9054-9

Softcover
979-8-3694-9055-6

eBook
979-8-3694-9053-2
 
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]
 
 
 
 
Rev. date: 03/28/2023
 
 
 
Xlibris
AU TFN: 1 800 844 927 (Toll Free inside Australia)
AU Local: [phone] ([phone] from outside Australia)
www.Xlibris.com.au
848288
 
 
 
 
The Great Commission
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.
— Matthew 28:19
CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1   Indonesia — Patience, Please!
Chapter 2   Mozambique — A Meal for the Mozzies
Chapter 3   Bolivia — Ven Espiritu Santo (Come, Holy Spirit)
Chapter 4   China Christian in a Communist World
Chapter 5   Spain — Stops, Starts, and Siestas
Chapter 6   Malaysia — An Asian Awakening
Chapter 7   India — Millions to Meet Their Maker
Chapter 8   Guinea — Working in the Window
Chapter 9   Vietnam — A Helping Hand of Love
Chapter 10   Chile — Latins Learning Biblical Truths
Chapter 11   Central Asia — Fresh Intestines, Anyone?
Chapter 12   Former Yugoslavia — Countries in Crisis
Chapter 13   Thailand — Short-Termers Who Decide to Stay On
Chapter 14   Croatia — Delivered from Dependence
Chapter 15   Philippines — Earthquakes and Typhoons
Chapter 16   Getting Started — Going on a Short-Term Missions Trip?
Suggestions on the Use of This Book
INTRODUCTION
O nce, on returning from missionary service and some hard times, I had a real desire to read some good, faith-filled modern missionary biographies. So with my Christmas money in hand, I was off to visit a couple of large Christian bookstores to make the big selection. To my shock, there was not really a big selection to make. Modern missionary biographies of the last years are as relatively rare. Yes, there is Jackie Pullinger and the Buntains plus, of course, all the revamp of old classics like William Carey and Hudson Taylor in their glossy new editions ut where are all the other missionary stories of the last century that tell us about real missionary life, warts and all?
Through the disappointment in finding only a few contemporary biographies, God began to sow seeds in my heart to write this book. From the start, I knew it was not to be just about me. I’d also heard so many great experiences from fellow missionaries across many lands that just had to be included. So the book Real Missionaries was born. Its focus is on the real human side of missionary life – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Perhaps we’re not of the stature of William Carey or Hudson Taylor, but we are the vessels that God is using to impact a whole gamut of countries, in big and small ways nd isn’t that what it’s all about? He still uses the weak and foolish things to display is glory and carry the salvation message to the utmost parts of the earth.
I have used the title Real Missionaries to first show how God uses ordinary Christians in world mission. We are real people who openly share some of our struggles, disappointments, delays, and triumphs. May you laugh, cry, and rejoice with us, at the same time receiving important insights into cross-cultural ministry. May you also marvel as we do, a what the Lord can do, in the midst of some pretty difficult situations.
The book is also titled Real Missionaries because quite a few people today still have an unreal perception of what missionaries are really like. This is not to say that there are not large numbers of Christians who do understand where missionaries are at and where they have come from. However, the types of comments I have faced from some people in my -plus-year career as a missionary range from You only became a missionary because you were over thirty and not married! to White missionaries are outdated and not needed in the world today.
Another reason for writing this book is to remind people why we still need missionaries today. The reality is that we live in a world with billion people, with over distinct people groups who are still classed as totally unreached by the gospel. Perhaps also, we need to mention the millions of national churches in hundreds of countries that desperately lack resources and sound teaching, while in the West, we are too busy relaxing in our comfy seats, remote control constantly in hand.
As I said, many people have wrong perceptions about missionaries. Some Christians automatically place missionaries on high pedestals, looking up to them as super-spiritual giants. Have another laugh. Once I was told, I’m so looking forward to having lunch with
you - for me, it’s like going out with the apostle Paul. I’m sure that lunch was a slight letdown! On another occasion, when I failed to turn up for an appointment, the father tried to reassure his daughter by saying, Julia would not forget you. After all, she’s a missionary. And if she didn’t answer the phone, no doubt she’s so sick and weak in bed that she didn’t hear it. I very rarely forget appointments, but that day, I simply did and was not ailing in bed either!
The book, although focusing on the human side of missionary life, contains tremendous keys for the missionary or cross-cultural worker. It’s great to be able to learn from others’ mistakes and insights so we don’t have to fall in the same holes. Even if you are not planning on going to the mission field personally, after reading Real Missionaries , you will have a better understanding of missionaries and be better equipped to support them.
If you desire to use the stories in conjunction with mission teaching or studies, there are a few reflective questions on each chapter at the end for this purpose. Each chapter has been designed to give a keyhole glimpse into the life and culture of a different country as well as highlight its main spiritual needs.
I have purposely tried to avoid using too many complicated foreign names of people or places that would distract from my central purpose. Because some missionaries worked in ‘sensitive’ countries, where there can easily be visa restrictions or ‘retaliations’ I have sometimes left out information on the number of new converts or baptisms that were a direct result of the missionary’s work. Apart from myself, all the real names of missionaries in the stories have been changed for greater protection. In any case, all the glory goes to the Lord!
Overall, my prayer is that you end up being inspired, fired up and receive a realistic picture of missionary life. My thanks must go first to the Lord, without whom none of these stories would have occurred. I also would like to thank all the missionaries who so transparently shared their experiences and struggles. A word of gratitude must also go to Patrick Johnson and his book Operation World , from where most of the statistics came.
So now come with me and enjoy an exhilarating but sometimes bumpy ride to different nations with real missionaries. Let’s go!
Julia Love
CHAPTER 1
Indonesia — Patience, Please!
W ow a country of 13,500 islands! So you’d like to work in Indonesia? No, not in a luxury air-conditioned hotel in Bali but living for and serving the Lord, perhaps in one of those hot, muggy, poorly sanitized cities where traffic is a nightmare.
Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous nation, with nearly 277 million inhabitants. This 87 Muslim nation often is an economic and racial tinderbox of strife ut we need to remember that God still calls his servants to minister in turbulent nations and times.
Although there are government-imposed restrictions on open evangelism, the Christian churches have been growing exponentially over the last fifty years. However, there is obviously still a lot to do and many workers to mobilize to reach nearly 277 million Indonesians with the gospel. Ian and Christine Jensen are a couple who took up this challenge.
Ian and Christine met while they were still at university and shortly afterward, were married. Early on, they had talked about missionary service, even to the point of approaching one organization who didn’t seem very interested in them. At this point, they shelved the idea of missions and got on with their married lives. The Lord spoke directly to Christine one day, saying, Have a child, my child, so they commenced their family.
Ian worked at a Dulux paint laboratory to support his wife and three children. All was going well when Christine recei